Floyd Matson's Three Views of Human Nature

Paper Summary:

In his work "The Very Idea of Man", Floyd Matson argues that three distinct views of human nature are present in contemporary society. The paper shows that to best illustrate these views Matson presented three models, the "robot model", the "creature model" and the "creator model" to show man as either a "machine", "beast" and/or a "free agent". The paper discusses Matson's argument that since all three views coexist in society, they therefore must be compatible. The paper argues however that while this may be true in one sense, all three views are in another sense mutually incompatible.

From the Paper:

"An example of this predetermined programming in one extreme would be the assembly line worker from the industrial revolution to today's industrialized societies. The monotony and regulation of his life could probably have affected his own view of humanity. He would then see himself as more of a programmed mechanism than a sentiment being capable of and able to make choices."

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