Different Viewpoints on Human Nature Essay - 520 Words

Different Viewpoints on Human Nature Throughout history there have been arguments about anything and everything that is disagreeable. People innately have there own and often different opinions. A prominent discussion topic throughout history has been the nature of mankind. Many have written works about human nature but few are discussed in greater detail than Candide, The Prince, and Essay on Man. Voltaire, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Alexander Pope, who wrote these three works respectively, concur with each other on many view points. But it is their differences that make the works unique. Voltaire wrote Candide in 1759 during the period known as the Enlightenment. It is a story that has a deeper symbolic meaning about life and human†¦show more content†¦Both Machiavelli and Pope were straightforward in their works. Another difference between Voltaire and the others is his sarcasm. Candide translated into English means optimism. In this work, Voltaire was not saying that people are good. He says that people are greedy, power driven beings that put themselves above others. Yet his literal words all seem happy and joyful. He uses his wit and sarcasm to get his point across. The Prince, written in 1513 by Niccolo Machiavelli, is an essay about how to rule a state and keep its adjuncts content. Whether it be a princedom, a republic or a mixture of the two. In his essay, human nature and how it interacts with the prince is discussed greatly. Machiavelli tells the prince that he should be as greedy and as devious as can be gotten away with. He explains how to gain and control states and gives examples of how his points are proven. Machiavellis main point is that there are classes of people and that people are in a certain class for a reason. He says people should remain that way so that all the roles are filled. He differs from the others in this aspect and also in his view that people are ignorant fools. Another way Machiavelli differs from the other two is religion and god. Where as Alexander Pope tries to intervene god in human nature, Machiavelli says to ignore it and try to become as powerful as one can without thought about what moral consequences could occur. Alexander PopeShow MoreRelatedThe Conflicts Between Seeing Nature As A Medium Of Art997 Words   |  4 Pagesscenery around. Some people consider nature as the purest form of natural expression. Some artists consider nature as a medium of art. But what is a medium of art? Art is expressed to be man made, a form of human expression, a tale of beauty or tragedy. The world is a beautiful place filled with unique creatures, beautiful scenery and an overwhelming sense of power and importance. But a medium is considered as materials used to help express the viewpoint of the artist. 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