Anth 100 Essay 1
Samar Khan
Anthropology 100
October 25th, 2014
Post-Columbian European and American Thinkers Essay
Our society’s progression originates from the ideologies, principles, and dogmas passed down through a succession of different philosophical thinkers. We will focus our attention upon the post-Columbian European and American thinkers who have implemented their beliefs to assess the origins of human nature. This essay will provide a greater understanding between Michel de Montaigne, Rousseau Jean-Jacques and Thomas Hobbes with their descriptions of human nature, society’s origin, and the forces that propelled change in human history.
Michel de Montaigne’s Of Cannibalism uses several different themes and techniques to exemplify his belief that human nature is innately good. Montaigne slanders the Eurocentric Western culture by comparing them to uncivilized natives who live with nature. Montaigne begins by bashing at the Western Worlds values and stating, “really it is those that we have changed artificially and led astray from the common order that we should rather call wild” (Montaigne 152). Montaigne then refers to the natives life and highlights all of the stigmas that are absent in their lives, “the very words that signify lying, treachery, dissimulation, avarice, envy, belittling, pardon- unheard of” (Montaigne 153)… rather their culture values “valor against the enemy and love for their wives” (Montaigne 154). According to Montaigne the concept of human nature is eternally good and derives from the simplistic ways of the natives. The European Western culture refers to the natives who live with nature in simplicity and harmony as barbaric, when in reality they surpass the natives in several forms of barbarity…”I think there is more barbarity in eating a man alive than in eating him dead; and in tearing him by tortures and the rack a body still full of feeling, in roasting a man bit by bit, in having him bitten and mangled by dogs and swine, than in roasting
Anthropology 100
October 25th, 2014
Post-Columbian European and American Thinkers Essay
Our society’s progression originates from the ideologies, principles, and dogmas passed down through a succession of different philosophical thinkers. We will focus our attention upon the post-Columbian European and American thinkers who have implemented their beliefs to assess the origins of human nature. This essay will provide a greater understanding between Michel de Montaigne, Rousseau Jean-Jacques and Thomas Hobbes with their descriptions of human nature, society’s origin, and the forces that propelled change in human history.
Michel de Montaigne’s Of Cannibalism uses several different themes and techniques to exemplify his belief that human nature is innately good. Montaigne slanders the Eurocentric Western culture by comparing them to uncivilized natives who live with nature. Montaigne begins by bashing at the Western Worlds values and stating, “really it is those that we have changed artificially and led astray from the common order that we should rather call wild” (Montaigne 152). Montaigne then refers to the natives life and highlights all of the stigmas that are absent in their lives, “the very words that signify lying, treachery, dissimulation, avarice, envy, belittling, pardon- unheard of” (Montaigne 153)… rather their culture values “valor against the enemy and love for their wives” (Montaigne 154). According to Montaigne the concept of human nature is eternally good and derives from the simplistic ways of the natives. The European Western culture refers to the natives who live with nature in simplicity and harmony as barbaric, when in reality they surpass the natives in several forms of barbarity…”I think there is more barbarity in eating a man alive than in eating him dead; and in tearing him by tortures and the rack a body still full of feeling, in roasting a man bit by bit, in having him bitten and mangled by dogs and swine, than in roasting