Kant On Human Nature

The concept of human nature has played a significant role in the formation of people’s political and ethical ideologies. This can be captured through an analysis of how different interpretations of human nature have influenced the overall political and ethical views of the distinguished thinkers Thucydides, Max Weber, and Immanuel Kant. Their views of human nature ultimately helped them develop their theories on the individualistic nature of human beings and see how human nature impacts the collective nature of a state- how it impacts people’s collective life. Although Thucydides, Kant, and Weber all agreed that human beings were governed by self-interest and a natural desire for power, they shared different positions on the impact human nature

Consequently, they portrayed the realm of politics as consisting of this everlasting struggle for power and thus concluded that ethical action held no place in politics. Conversely, Kant held a slightly more hopeful view of human nature: he suggested that people’s concern over their individual interests and their desire for power actually produced positive outcomes. Kant promoted the idea that through reason, human beings could successfully incorporate ethical action into politics, which would allow the establishment of a positive environment for their human nature, ultimately generating human progress. Thus, Thucydides’ and Weber’s negative view of human nature led them to reject the possibility of ethical action existing in the realm of politics while Kant’s positive view of human nature lead him to accept and encourage the ethical action in

He further diminishes the essence of human nature by stating that people are so driven by their nature that they are willing to put their passions above justice and the law. In accordance with realism, he alludes to people’s natural desire for power, pointing out their aversion to anything or anyone that attempts to claim superiority over