PPP, Part 3, The Classical View of Humanity

Greetings, Friendlies!

Following on our metaphorical room cleaning: let’s begin by picking up the Classical Western View of Humanity.

The Classical View seems important juxtaposed against what is possible with a more scientifically informed view. By scientifically informed, I mean, among other things, physics (itty-bitty physics all the way up to great big physics), ecology, biology, neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, etc. Despite advances in understanding, our society perpetuates the Classical View.

What do I mean by Classical View? I think it may be expressed in three canonical ideas: Plato’s Charioteer, the Aristotelian Rational Animal, and Descartes’ Cogito. [1]

Plato’s Charioteer: in Phaedrus, Plato describes the human condition as consisting of three parts. The charioteer is a soul-kind-of-thing which commands a white horse, virtue, and a black horse, the passions. The human is divided into three distinct parts; the part one identifies with is a center of directive center control. [2]

Aristotelian Rational Animal: In Politics Aristotle claims that humans are “Political Animals”. This later developed into “Rational Animals”. Homo sapiens is understood to be different from other species because of its ability to reason.

Descartes’ Cogito: In Meditations on First Philosophy Descartes played radical skepticism. How far can one doubt? For him the only thing he could not doubt was that he was thinking. “Cogito ergo sum”, I think, therefore I am. Discursive thought is the thing that substantiates human existence.

So in the Classical View human being-ness consists of a sort of essence, a soul-kind-of-thing. That soul-kind-of-thing is somehow superior to and directive of virtuous activity and appetitive craving. The human is rational, and the human is substantiated primarily through discursive thinking.

Yeah. That feels about right.

Are there other canonical/formative views worth taking into account?

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[1] In the interest of time and friendship, tip-toeing around Judeo-Christian Philosophy for now. :)

[2] The Charioteer is sometimes understood contemporarily as a homunculus, a little person or inner observer inside the head that receives the images/input from stimuli around the body, and then controls the body’s output. John Mulaney phrased it well, “My body is just a thing I use to get my head from one room to another.”