Philosophy A Text with Reading by Manual Velazquez

Human nature by definition is referred to as the core characteristics which humans possess naturally ranging from their thinking, feelings, and actions. All of us have varied experiences of humans in our life, and this makes us think differently. In philosophy, we tend to ask ourselves fundamental question like, what kind of being am I? Answering this question will depend on how you see yourself and what type of human being you are. The answer to this question will affect how you look at yourself and others. Manual Velazquez in his book helps us understand human nature by using views of different philosophers on a human being. (Velasquez, 11) Manual Velazquez also discourses the traditional views on human nature. It is mostly called the traditional western view of human life because it has influenced several Western philosophers since olden times.

The conventional view human beings as thinkers capable of reasoning. Plato, one of the greatest philosophers of all time illustrates this view in his writings and thoughts. Though Plato did not make the view of logic as the only constituent of human nature, he agreed that it was the most crucial part of human nature. Plato, in his rational arguments, came up with a distinct view of human nature. His perspective on human nature has had a decisive foundational influence on the other succeeding theories of human life. Plato is described as the first philosopher who developed the philosophical concept of human knowledge, human nature, and metaphysics. At his teenage age, Plato met and became well conversant with Socrates and eventually adopting him as an informal teacher.

Due to this, Socrates appear as the main speaker in many of Plato’s philosophical dialogues. Plato after discovering the theory of forms he believed that he had got the answers to Socrates question. (Velasquez, 18) He felt that with discovering the forms, he had found what Socrates had hunted all his life. Plato trusted that scientific and moral knowledge is concerned with reality. As a result, he drew a perfect conclusion that the ideal forms with which morality, geometry, and science are involved are real. What does philosophy have to do with the real world? Philosophy is the study of the broad fundamental nature of knowledge, existence, and reality. Whether this institution is in the law, government, family, marriage, industry or business philosophical ideas are applied.