In this slim book (151 pages), Roger Scruton explores what it is to be human. Scruton examines both scientific and philosophical texts to assist in his analysis. I found the new genetic findings Scruton cites both exciting and scary. With the prospects of genetic manipulation and cloning the definition of what is “human” will evolve.
On Human Nature is a revised version of the Test Memorial Lectures that Roger Scruton delivered at Princeton in 2013. Scruton analyzes topics like personhood, ethics, sexuality, religion, and politics. Since these are short lectures, readers interested in these subjects might turn to Scruton’s excellent An Intelligent Person’s Guide to Philosophy for more information. Do you feel more human, or less? GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Preface vii
1 Human Kind 1
2 Human Relations 50
3 The Moral Life 79
4 Sacred Obligations 113
Index of Names 145
Index of Subjects 149
A bit OT:
We had a discussion on controversial Scruton on a Hungarian site – he’s an extreme right winger (fascist?), look here:
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/apr/10/roger-scruton-calls-for-dismissal-islamophobiad-soros-remarks
Thanks for the link, Wolf. There’s a “George Soros empire” in Hungary? His buddy Orban told him so? But no, he’s not anti-Semitic. Right. I’m sure he would be more than welcome in Trump’s White House.
Jeff, George Soros seems to be the Conservative/Republican boogeyman that they blame for everything.
Wolf, Scruton calls himself a conservative.
More human, or less, than what? No, the same as I have always been.
Jeff, I feel more like a cyborg with my two titanium knees. Some of the folks at the pool I frolic in each day have artificial hips and shoulders, too!
Scruton calls himself a conservative:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Scruton
so of course he is against gays and for religion, wants independency for the English from the horrible EU, but of course no independency for the Scots from the English.
Seems he writes what some people want to see/hear and gives everything a religious interpretation.
I can’t stand people like him!
Reminds me of the last discussion my friends and I had at school (almost 60 years ago) with our local Catholic priest who was against evolution of course (It’s just a theory …) and had no problem with burning witches (!!!) because:
Their bodies were destroyed – but their souls were saved …
That was the last time I discussed anything with a religious nut.
PS:
Of course he likes to hunt animals – and kill them for fun …
He accuses animal rights advocates of “pre-scientific” anthropomorphism.
Wolf, Roger Scruton represents a segment of the British population that wants to leave the EU and retreat into the Past. Change is scary and many people want to avoid it.
George, you are right – but the past is gone! There’ll never be a British Empire or just Great Britain again and there’ll never be a Great Germany again. European states have to cooperate!
PS:
I may have written about this already. One of my sisters married an Englishman, her daughter married a guy from Ireland – what should we call the grandchildren?
And all my friends in London are pro-EU and totally against Brexsh*t
Wolf, I agree. You can’t go back to the Past (unless you have a Time Machine). But many people can’t bear to deal with the Future. I think Brexit will damage the UK Economy.
As soon as I saw the name Roger Scruton, I was rolling my eyes.
My cyborg eyes, of course.
Deb, since I got my titanium knees I have an irresistible impulse to tell Diane “Hasta la vista, Baby” whenever I leave the house.
I almost had a cyborg shoulder but the surgeon said I shouldn’t have it replaced.
Jeff, I suspect that many of us will have “new parts” and surgical repairs in the years ahead.
I saw the guy’s name and thought it was Scrotum!