Man is one of the most complicated mysteries present on earth. However even with our limited human knowledge we are still trying to answer the question, “What makes man truly human?” From this various philosophers and people from different cultures have created theories and developed ideas revolving around this question even if they seem farfetched.
According to Michael Moga SJ, there are four main humanisms, Greek, Oriental, Hebrew and the so called Other Humanisms. The Greek Humanism revolves on the infinite possibilities and possibilities of development and greatness of the human person. For them, a truly human person is a well-developed person. However, the Greeks also worshipped their so called immortal gods, beings with incredible inhuman
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Each of these humanisms are accepted but are still flawed because they are the answers of people and not absolute universal truths. In the end we still don’t know the real answer.
However there are two other aspects that complicate man’s life, the preciousness of his or her life and the notion of freedom.
Contingency, Family, Past, Life from God, Human Uniqueness, Joy of Life, Influence on Society, Possibilities of Greatness, Religious Role, Life towards God, these are how our book tells us that human life is precious, and how we should treasure them. However, it also shows us how our preciousness can be taken away if people are regarded objectively, such as in the sense of economics, biology, sociology and in journalism. It seems that people can’t really decide what the answer is. The reasons given in the book wants people to see that we are precious because we are unique, our actions and life cannot be recreated and these actions can affect others. Another way of seeing this is if we delve into the multiverse theory. The multiverse theory is a theory that every world is possible, each action we taken upon by each person, creature and thing, even how small, creates a different parallel universe that is different than what we are living. So for example, there are realities and universes where you were not the lucky sperm and you would have not lived. There is a future reality where we are doctors, lawyers, there are
Man’s Altered View of Himself What would man’s everyday life be like if the Renaissance never happened? Would we still think that the Earth is the center of the universe and our bodies are affected by the zodiac? Throughout the Renaissance, people explored many new ideas, such as religion, anatomy, literature, art, and how the solar system was arranged, all of which altered people’s view of everyman (meaning mankind). Mankind made improvements in realistic art and people who looked more real. People also learned about themselves more, in a physical sense.
1984’s Pessimistic View on Human Nature Samuel Welling Ms. Kirkpatrick ENG2D-07 11/26/2014 Throughout the book, the party describes to a large extent about how human nature can be seen with a negative perspective. The book 1984 gives a pessimistic view toward human nature and says how it should be eradicated. Evidence that supports the books pessimistic view is one of the parties most important slogans, “War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, and Freedom is Slavery.”
Humanism influenced people during the Renaissance in at least two ways such as Art, and Anatomy. In art, Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, and also created the paintings during the Renaissance along with Duccio Di Buoninsegna. Also, there are 3 ways that the art could be different; the time periods, the religion, and some can be paintings of wealthy merchants. In Anatomy, the drawings of the body seem realistic because, it includes muscle and tissue which is in our body. Also, Zodiac signs were believed to control the health and well being of the person.
The world is made up of a huge population of species. Humans are categorized as one specie. However, humans are diverse and come in a variety of different forms. They pertain to a culture and societies who share many elements in common. Although, people are born with an identity, power and society create a separation between humans.
Everybody seems to have a different opinion on whether or not there is a definitive human nature, and if it is possible for people to make important choices regarding their lives. Humans are very complex creatures, and it is often difficult to generalize to the entire population because we are so complex and different from one another. People have been trying to figure out others since humans first started to communicate, but humans are a living paradox because they are predictable yet unpredictable. On one hand, human beings are typically creatures of habit, but on the other hand, sometimes they will do something unexpected at the drop of a hat and surprise everybody. Humans as a whole have come along way in figuring others out, but yet there is so much that is not known about humans, because it is impossible to know what others are truly thinking.
Humanism is the belief that human life should take priority over the divine, and as it spread throughout Europe, religion began to become a much less significant aspect of people’s
Mankind and the divine living in coexistence has endured the test of time due to the “glass ceiling” remaining intact. This barrier has restrained humans and empowered gods creating a relationship of ruler and subject. Humans have been pious and humble towards the gods, believing they are perfect beings. The gods themselves are ignorant of their own flaws and very humane qualities. Ancient Greek literature depicts gods as reflections of troubled mankind’s need for a role figure who are similar to themselves in stature and personality.
For centuries, mortals have scoffed at the actions of the gods, often comparing them to little children arguing over toys. As Honer states, “We men are wretched things.” (Homer) However, what humans fail to realize, is exactly how similar the actions of the immortals are to that of man. The concept that allows readers and audiences to relate to the gods so fully is the fact that they are so similar to humans.
The relationships between the Greek gods and mortals have always been complicated. The gods can be generous and supportive, but also harsh and destructive towards the humans. They claim to be all powerful beings with unlimited power and influence, but in truth, they are far more human than they are perceived. They meddle with human lives, not because they are wise, but because of their own selfish reasons. In Homer’s
Greek mythology can be viewed as a mirror to the ancient Greek civilization. Ancient Greek myths and legends often reflected how the Greeks saw themselves. Myths were used by Greeks to make justifications of every existing aspect of earth as well as their own society. In myths, Greek gods & heroes often represented key aspects of the human civilization. From Greek mythology, we can learn about the favorable characteristics of humans, such as their behavior and valuable skills that were approved of by the ancient Greek society.
The second question with the problem with humans is “what are the innate predispositions of men?” (Becker, 1971, p. 116). The third question with the problem with humans is “what types of personality are most valued” (Becker, 1971, p. 116). The fourth question with the problem with humans is “what are the modes of relating to others” (Becker, 1971, p. 116).
In the epic poem The Odyssey, Homer portrays Greek gods and goddesses as possessing human qualities and faults. Through their actions and emotions, Homer emphasizes the detrimental effects of lust, envy, wrath, and greed in ancient Grecian society. He also never fails to remind readers of the importance of respect for holy figures because of their powerful abilities to create chaos and wonder". Homer wants to prove that gods and humans share a variety of traits, and the only difference is that god don’t allow these flaws negatively to impact their society. To help further his argument, we can compare Greek gods and goddesses to that of Christianity.
The Resemblance of Gods and Humans Throughout all religions, gods have always been seen as superior in every way possible. The division between humans and gods has always been prevalent and prominent. However, when the actions and motives of these gods are truly analyzed, it will become evident that the gods of Greek Mythology merely behave as humans with supernatural powers.
Augustine, in his work The Perfection of Human Righteousness, combatted the heresy of Pelagianism as described by Caelestius in his treatise, The Definitions Attributed to Caelestius. Following Pelagius, Caelestius by logic and Scripture argued that the Fall did not destroy man’s natural capability to do right. Caelestius argued that God made us free to do the good and thus we all have the power not to sin, and that both the devil and Adam’s original sin are unable to destroy this power. As proof Caelestius gave examples of Old Testament saints who he claimed lived holy lives.