The Poiesis of 'Human Nature'

THE POIESIS OF ‘HUMAN NATURE’ An exploration of the concept of an ethical self Leticia Worley Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Social Sciences and Psychology Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development Victoria University October 2011 To the memory of my husband, John Malcolm Worley, my beloved soul mate (1946-1993) And for Marianne and Luis, in whom their father’s generous spirit, inspiration and love, lives on ii Abstract This thesis inquires into our ‘human nature’ through an interdisciplinary approach that considers some of the radical changes in intellectual thought at those key points in Western culture in which this concept has been centrally deployed. The broad historical sweep that this study covers finds the preoccupation with defining who we are and what we are capable of inextricably linked with the focus, at most of the pivotal moments examined, on a dominant impulse to conceive human beings as moral creatures. The continuities and discontinuities in complex lines of thought about ‘human nature’, the origins and exploration of our ‘moral instincts’, and most importantly, of our sense of ethical commitment, is therefore central to this inquiry. Thinking of such an exploration as an ongoing poietic journey, and extending the etymological derivation of the term poiesis, the ancient Greek term for ‘to make’, the study hopes to awaken a sense of ongoing creation, an inscribing and revision, a process of meaning-making of the ideas that have shaped our sense of selfhood in the Western intellectual tradition; one that regards humans as rational and moral beings engaged in a search for self- realisation and fulfilment in our contemporary world. As a philosophically-inspired endeavour, this thesis traces the development of the salient ideas that have contributed to shape these modern understandings, but it also relies on the scientific investigations that have delved into the nature of our consciousness, our rationality and feelings, as important contributions aimed at explaining the conception of ourselves as ethical and responsible agents. Beginning with notions developed in classical antiquity about what it meant for humans to live well and to flourish, the thesis follows the shaping and transformation of these notions as Christianity spreads throughout Europe. The ideas concerning human rationality and morality which heralded the scientific revolution and culminated in the European Enlightenment are then examined, as this is also a time when the endless debates concerning personal virtue and goodness, a product of the intellectual and religious legacy of previous centuries, and around what makes for a good and harmonious society, inscribe the foundations of liberal democracy in the iii West. The new scientific understandings which displaced most theistic beliefs as the new grounding of Western thought and morality, anchored from the outset on a moral philosophy that increasingly absorbed naturalistic elements in its method and practice, is discussed next. While some of the more idealistic aspects of Enlightenment thought have often been contested, the notions that affirmed the freedom and rationality of the human spirit, as well as the dignity of our ‘human nature’ are found to have importantly resurfaced in a contemporary guise. The last part of the thesis gathers some of the most recent findings that followed another equally important shift in Western thought, as the Darwinian revolution spread, influencing crucial aspects of philosophical and scientific investigation. The empirical research conducted in the past few decades, as the sciences have branched out and developed, has seen philosophy, evolutionary biology, and psychology in close collaboration with the neurosciences and cognitive sciences, all bent on further illuminating our ‘human nature’ and our moral disposition. This thesis clearly favours a naturalistic conception of human beings as intensely social animals, endowed with a rational mind, a sophisticated language and many other evolved capacities, but it also places this understanding alongside that enabled by our traditions of cultural and social development. It is thus, framed by both biology and culture, that our ‘human nature’ and our moral sense have evolved, and it is in this complex interaction that we humans have thrived. This ‘moral sense’, which could have emerged in our species as a combined product of the dynamic between our natural evolution and of our process of acculturation, has most likely enabled, this thesis also suggests, the development in humans of an extended sense of responsibility, a feeling of empathy and connectedness with other living beings, and with our natural environment. This ‘expanded’ sense of self may also underlie our natural proclivity to behave as moral and also deeply spiritual creatures, and ethical selves. These are concerns that our best scientific and humanistic thinking continues to address, and that guide the explorations and concluding reflections of this study. iv Declaration I, Leticia Worley, declare that the PhD thesis entitled The Poiesis of ‘Human Nature’: An exploration of the concept of an ethical self is 105,435 words in length, including quotes and exclusive of references and footnotes. This thesis contains no material that has been submitted previously, in whole or in part, for the award of any other academic degree or diploma. Except where otherwise indicated, this thesis is my own work. ……………………………….. v Acknowledgements This thesis has finally seen the light of day thanks to the many people who contributed to its realisation, directly and indirectly, through their kindness and encouragement. My first acknowledgement is thus due to my original principal supervisor, Dr. Russell Wright, who encouraged me to embark on this path, planting that initial seed in my mind, one that would grow and develop into this final project. I am grateful to him for believing that I was equipped for the challenge. This work would not have been completed nevertheless without the unwavering support and encouragement of Dr. Les Terry, who stepped in as my principal supervisor, stretching out his hand at a crucial moment, determined to see me complete the task. I am grateful for his guidance when my spirits were beginning to falter, and for his open generosity and trust. I am equally grateful to Dr. Mark Stevenson, who also graciously stepped in at short notice as my co-supervisor, and from whose meticulous observations and critical reading at such a late stage in the project I have benefited. I also appreciated the thoughtful comments and suggestions on the final draft of the thesis offered by my colleague and friend, Erik Lloga. I felt privileged to be the recipient of this first-class team’s scholarly advice and of their collective support. I also owe particular thanks to the library staff at Victoria University, and particularly to Mark Armstrong-Roper, for invariably responding to all my requests and queries with consistent attentiveness and professionalism. I also wish to thank the staff in charge of interlibrary loans, e-books and journals, always prompt, friendly, and efficient in meeting my needs. In the early stages of my research, the cheerful assistance of Research Librarian Josipa Crnic, now at Deakin, was invaluable. I also wish to thank both Alan West and Dr. Brian Zammit, each at the time endlessly renewing my library holdings and peppering our routine exchanges with friendly remarks, and to Brian in particular for exchanging notes while we both travelled along similar paths. Finally, a word of thanks goes to the Student Advice Officer of Research and Graduate Studies for the Faculty, Grace Schirripa, for making the vi process of report compliance almost painless. To those former colleagues and students with whom I crossed paths, I am grateful, for keeping my sense of human connectedness alive. Often unnoticed, simply a cheerful hello or an open smile of recognition coloured my world anew. Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to my family, as ever. To my daughter Marianne Alexandra, who travelled this road before me with enthusiasm and aplomb, for sharing with me the beauty of her microscopic green wonderland, for many a vibrant conversation, spiced with wit and laughter, for the quiet resonances of mind and heart, and, most of all, for her constant warmth and kindness, and her encouraging support. To my son Andrew Luis, my talented technical advisor, whose orderly mind and patience I often taxed with my anarchic approach to technology, and to whose devoted concern and gentle determination, characteristic generosity, and wizardly skills, I owe the fact that this thesis has emerged in its finished shape from the entrails of my sometimes ailing computer. To both of them, for their solicitude and love, I owe my spiritual sustenance, and my wellbeing. To both, and to their respective partners, Dan and Liang, to my kin and kind, to you all I thank for the joy of our shared moments, an enduring sense of wonder, and for my delight in travelling along this human path. vii Contents Abstract .................................................................................................... iii Declaration ................................................................................................. v Acknowledgements ................................................................................. vi Contents ................................................................................................

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