PhilSci Archive

Trait bin and trait cluster accounts of human nature

Ramsey, Grant (2017) Trait bin and trait cluster accounts of human nature. [Preprint]

[img]
Preview
Text
HumanNature.pdf

Download (204kB) | Preview

Abstract

Conceptions of human nature fall under two broad categories, trait bin accounts and trait cluster accounts. Trait bin accounts take there to be a special bin of traits, one composed of all and only those traits constituting our nature. For those arguing for a trait bin account of human nature, the challenge is to articulate what it is that marks a trait as being in or outside of the bin. For some, the bin is filled by the traits essential to being human. Others, such as Machery in his contribution to this volume, offer a non-essentialist trait bin conception of human nature. In this chapter, I argue that trait bin approaches to human nature are misguided, that there is no good way of dividing human traits into those that are a part of our nature and those that are not. Instead, I argue for a trait cluster account, which sees human nature not as a special bin of traits, but as the relationship among traits. Under this account, human nature lies in the patterns of trait expression within and across human life histories. This account does a superior job characterizing what humans are like and aligning human nature with the human sciences.


Export/Citation: EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
Social Networking:
Share |

Item Type: Preprint
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Ramsey, Grantgrant@theramseylab.org0000-0002-8712-5521
Keywords: Human nature; evolution; human behavior
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Anthropology
Specific Sciences > Biology
Specific Sciences > Psychology > Evolutionary Psychology
Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory
Specific Sciences > Medicine > Biomedical Ethics
General Issues > Ethical Issues
General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
Specific Sciences > Medicine
Specific Sciences > Neuroscience
Specific Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User: Dr. Grant Ramsey
Date Deposited: 25 Apr 2017 20:50
Last Modified: 25 Apr 2017 20:50
Item ID: 13006
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Anthropology
Specific Sciences > Biology
Specific Sciences > Psychology > Evolutionary Psychology
Specific Sciences > Biology > Evolutionary Theory
Specific Sciences > Medicine > Biomedical Ethics
General Issues > Ethical Issues
General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science
Specific Sciences > Medicine
Specific Sciences > Neuroscience
Specific Sciences > Psychology
Date: 2017
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/13006

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item