What Do Socialists Say About Human Nature

There are three basic views of human nature. On says that our genetic or biological makeup endows us with immutable traits like aggression, greed, and selfishness (or, conversely, kindness sociability and altruism). Another says that, unlike other animals, human beings are so malleable that there is no such thing as human nature. A third says that evolution has endowed humans with specific traits particular to our species (upright gait, hands with opposable thumbs, large brains capable of developing language) that allow for the potential for cultural or artificial adaptation, and that in changing our social forms of existence we also change our nature. This talk will delve into the concept of human nature and what it means for those fighting for a different kind of world.