In this fifty-minute one time class, students will receive a very short introduction to the philosophy of human nature.  More specifically, we will closely read and discuss excerpts from the classic philosophical texts “Leviathan” by Hobbes and “The Social Contract” by Rousseau.  In these texts, Hobbes will explain his pessimistic view of human nature while Rousseau will present his optimistic view of humanity.  These texts will nicely illustrate the dispute between those who believe that humans are basically evil and those who believe that humans are basically good.

The class will consist of a brief introduction followed by a close reading of the provided text.  I will frequently pause our readings to provide necessary background information, explain the authors’ points at greater length, and answer student questions.  Students are not required to interact with each other but should be prepared to interact with the teacher in a conversational manner.

This class presumes neither background knowledge nor any previous experience.  Any student willing to read closely and begin thinking about life’s greatest questions will flourish in this class.

Photo credits:
1.	“Diorama, Cavemen” by Nathan McCord (public domain)
2.	“Dr. Benjamin Keil”, author’s own copyright