human nature
Our fundamental character
Human nature refers to the fundamental characteristics, instincts, and behaviors that are regarded as shared by all people.
It encompasses the psychological and social tendencies—selfishness and altruism, curiosity and fear, the capacity for reason and emotion—that seem inherent rather than learned.
Appeals to human nature often serve to explain or excuse behavior: It's only human nature to want more than you have.
The phrase can be invoked to suggest inevitability or to argue that certain traits cannot be changed by education or social reform.
- moralityRight and wrong principles
- instinctsInnate behavioral tendencies
- survival instinctInborn drive to live
- fight or flightThreat-triggered physiological state
- fearEmotional response to threat
social contract · altruism · better angels · ethics · consciousness · cognition · moral philosophy · virtue · seven deadly sins · evolutionary psychology · reason · empathy · natural law · noble savage · blank slate · love · ethical dilemmas · emotion
- ___ nature
- human natureemotions, instincts, desires, personhood, fears
- themesgood vs evil, theme, love, motif, revenge
- literary themesheroism, hero's journey, ennui, social realism, morals
- philosophical themesmeaning of life, morality, good and evil, determinism, nihilism
- philosophical themes in literaturefree will, mortality, identity, good vs evil, fate
human naturenurture
Support growth and development
cultural conditioning · learned behavior · environmental influence · socialization · upbringing
nature, human, humans, humane, humanity, inhuman, humankind, superhuman, inhumane