Preface
Beginnings…
Fifteen years ago, my long and engaging
career in IT was winding down. Our two
children were finishing their college years and just beginning their own work
lives in engineering and medicine. We had yet to be blessed with grandchildren.
So, it seemed my mind had space for other considerations and concerns. What
filled that void? A question. Of our many friends and relatives, there were a
few whose political views seemed at a polar extreme from my own. These were
(and continue to be) lovely people with warm hearts and strong social
consciences. Yet they consumed political content on their radios and
televisions (social media had yet to fully take off) that struck me as bitter
and, at times, inhumane. Hence, the question. How can “good” people come to assume
“bad” ideas.
You are right if you are thinking I
must have my own beliefs others would consider wrong or simply naïve. Yet my
heart/mind was troubled by this question of human beliefs. Nearing retirement,
I started reading material on the topic. My book, if published at that time,
would have been titled “Understanding Belief”. The problem was that the more I
read and thought about the subject, the more other Human Nature elements came
into focus. In project management, that is called “scope creep”. But so what?
I’ve had the time. I’ve had no publishing deadlines other than my life
expectancy. So, I dropped the reins and let the horse choose its own trail and
its own gait.
I must stress that my intention has
never been to share my own knowledge and wisdom with the “ignorant masses”. You
are likely more intelligent and wiser than your author. My ambition has always
been to improve my own understanding. Why? Because I like humans. And when we
are not being silly, we can be quite endearing.
Have all my questions been answered
and is my heart finally at peace? That would probably be what some cultures
call enlightenment. So…no. But I feel blessed to have had access to the
knowledge and wisdom of so many brilliant and thoughtful humans and now am much
closer to mental and emotional contentment.
I’ll end this section of the Preface with a
personal story. About fifteen years ago, my wife and I visited a new (to us)
golf course and were paired with a couple. The man was a retired judge, and his
companion was a lovely young woman (Daughter? Clerk?). When I mentioned my
interest in writing a book about belief, he just laughed and shook his head. I assume he felt the answers were either obvious or unfathomable.
To this day, I regret not asking which. In either case, he would have likely
been right. I welcome you to be the judge.
Words, Models, and Concepts Caveats
Write the word “Hat” on a Post-It note and place it on the top of your head. Now…walk outdoors in the rain. Is your hair still dry? As we know, a word is not the thing it describes. Similarly, a map is not the road we travel. It is merely a model to assist our understanding of that road. What about concepts like love or gravity? Do we fully understand either? Words, Models, and Concepts are not the reality of what they represent. Yet they can serve a function without which our current lives would be impossible.
Consider the word consciousness. Its definition is disputed
by philosophers, theologians, and neuroscientists. As such, we could choose to
avoid its examination and use altogether. But the reality of human consciousness is
fundamental to many chapters in this book. So, I will choose a definition below
to put us all on the same page, and we will continue from there.
What
about models? They can be even more questionable than individual words. Yet they
establish a link between theory and reality and can make a complex concept
concrete. A model of atoms helped further our understanding of molecules, and
the double-helix model opened doors of understanding into the human genome. In
the field of psychology, Abraham Maslow’s pyramidal Hierarchy of Needs -
despite its limitations - gave us a better understanding of human motivations.
Not
to put my Human Nature Process Model in the same sphere as the above examples,
but it might help frame discussions of our innate nature. And to save you the
analytical bother, I’ll confess one of its biggest flaws. The model
artificially separates over 20 Human Nature aspects that relate to one another and often overlap in a Venn-like way.
Nonetheless, I offer the model and its derivatives for your consideration.
Why the Brevity?
You are correct. A book over three
hundred pages in length cannot be considered brief. However, most chapters
succinctly cover topics that are exhaustively explored in academic tomes.
Didn’t Mark Twain once apologize in a long letter to a friend, saying that, given more
time, he would have written a shorter one?
In retirement, I’ve had enough time to attempt brevity. This has been a
challenge for your typically verbose author.
Why even attempt brevity? I subscribe to the concept espoused by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges (“Babylon Lottery”). He believed core concepts and plots of long novels could be succinctly covered in the length of a short story. In his hands, War and Peace would become a pamphlet. In the case of this book, again, you can be the judge.
Where are all the footnotes?
What about AI?
Academic books typically have footnotes in nearly every
paragraph. Not so here. To honor our eyes’ preference to flow over sentences,
I’ve avoided including references in the text. If you’d like to dig deeper into
any subject, I encourage you to refer to the books and articles listed in the extensive Bibliography section.
You might wonder if I used AI (like ChatGPT) to write this book. The answer is Yes and No. The first “Yes” is that it helped me find sources beyond the four hundred books and articles I had already found and read on my own to fill in certain gaps of knowledge and understanding. Another “Yes” is that ChatGPT generated most of this book’s illustrations. I gave it a prompt like “Draw a semi-realistic picture of a man at a bathroom sink holding a toothbrush in one hand and a cigarette in the other hand,” and it did. As I am gaining no profit from this book, I couldn't justify paying thousands of dollars to a commercial artist for their help. You should also be thankful that I didn't attempt to illustrate the book myself.
The final yes is that once the AI became “aware” that I was writing this book, it seemed eager to assist. We were bouncing ideas off of each other in a process I likened to a child's game of 'Leap-frog'. Each new idea inspired a fresh idea in the other. So, from that perspective, I now consider this book a collaborative effort between me and an AI engine. When I asked ChatGPT to characterize that collaboration, it replied that we were not co-authors. Rather, it described me as the author and itself as an endlessly patient editor.
The “No” to the question of AI’s contribution is that I enjoy the creative process of writing and have an adequate facility. So, the book’s structure, the questions asked, most of the writing, and the final editing are my own. If the use of AI violates your values, I suspect you will stop reading here. I will take my own advice from Chapter 76 and accept what I can't control. My hope is that those who do read what follows will discover new insights about themselves and their fellow humans.
What can be taken as fact?
 |
| Diogenes |
I write at some length about the distinction between knowledge and belief and how we can know almost nothing with absolute certainty. Then how, you might ask, are you to believe the material herein stated as fact? Much of the information in this book is based on extensive research conducted by “experts” on specific topics. If the material has the “ring of truth” to my own common sense, I’ve stated the conclusions as facts. This should make the flow of your reading much less conditional and halted. When a statement is clearly an unsubstantiated opinion, I will identify it as such. Ultimately, you will choose what to agree with, what to accept as a new image or concept, and what to reject as contrary to your sense of reality. I’ve done my best. Now it’s your turn to meet me at least halfway. So put on your traveling hat and let’s venture forward.
The God and/or Evolution Question
The
debate about God vs. Evolution is unavoidable when writing about Human Nature. Did
our species begin a few thousand years ago or emerge over millions of years? Those who believe in a sentient deity (often called God or Allah) argue that we must rely on Faith, prayer, and our hearts' sense of things to know the Truth. Those supporting the theory of Evolution,
will argue that the scientific method (examined in a future chapter) proves its
position. A third group proposes a combination of the two – theistic evolution.
These folks accept the scientific explanation of evolution while believing it
is overseen or was at least initiated by a divine intelligence.
What is the perspective of this book? My bias favors the second and/or third viewpoint. The scientific method has been rigorously applied to many questions and has proven itself remarkably reliable. (Though it can’t prove or disprove all questions.) One of its primary appeals is an indifference to the outcome of serious questions. In fact, it gladly invites critics to attack its theories. In contrast, religion has a sad history of dogma and the persecution of those who promote contrary beliefs. As for the third alternative, it is impossible to prove otherwise. The only concept more preposterous than God exists is that God doesn’t. Our glorious minds are inadequate to the task of omniscience.
So why, in this book, can’t we simply
avoid this question altogether? Because I repeatedly argue that many of our human characteristics evolved to serve evolutionary purposes. Some traits
are maladaptive in modern society…but they nonetheless got us this far. That is
my theory/belief. For the sake of flow, I am not inserting an explicit caveat
every time I make a statement that reads like a fact on this issue.
If you are a reader with a religious worldview who believes evolution is false and that the words of the scriptures must be taken literally, I welcome you to read on regardless. You may interpret my observations about human nature as a statement about God’s gifts and tests for all of us imperfect humans.
Humanism is a worldview and ethical
approach that centers on human dignity, reason, compassion, and responsibility.
It does so without relying on supernatural authority to determine meaning or
morality. At its core, humanism holds that humans can understand the world, solve problems, and improve life through evidence, empathy, and
shared values. It emphasizes how we live together, not what we must believe.
While versions differ, most forms of
humanism share these commitments:
1. Human dignity and worth: Every
person has inherent value, regardless of origin, status, or belief.
2. Reason and evidence: Knowledge
comes from observation, critical thinking, science, and open inquiry rather
than unquestionable authority.
3. Ethical responsibility: Morality
is grounded in human well-being, reducing suffering, and promoting fairness and
flourishing. Right and wrong are evaluated by their consequences for people,
not divine command.
4. Compassion and empathy: Understanding
others’ perspectives is essential to ethical life and social cooperation.
5. Freedom with accountability: Humans
should be free to think, speak, and live meaningfully - but are responsible for
the impact of their choices.
What humanism is not:
- Nihilism (a belief that life is meaningless)
- Moral relativism (“anything goes”)
- Anti-science or anti-emotion
- Anti-religious (though it is non-theistic)
Humanism does not deny people
spiritual experiences. In fact, one can be a religious humanist - emphasizing
human-centered ethics within a religious or symbolic tradition. But
importantly, a religious humanist would not elevate beliefs about the unknown above
the rationally known nor abandon the humane treatment of others in defense of
their own religious beliefs. Like secular humanists, religious humanists
believe in human dignity, ethical responsibility, and critical inquiry.
Pragmatic Humanism as a response to Human Nature
Humanism is not naivete. It starts
from a realistic premise that humans are fallible, biased, and emotional. Harm
is often done unintentionally. Humanists ask the question - Given human
limitations, how can we design better norms, institutions, and habits to reduce
suffering and improve life? The approach is pragmatic, not utopian. It is less
a doctrine than a method for living together responsibly.
Humanism is the commitment to face reality honestly, treat people humanely, and take responsibility for the world we create together. Such is the perspective of this book. If the statements above seem to conflict with your own world view, I welcome you to browse through the upcoming chapters for information that might be useful anyway.
Self-reflections: The Tricky Part
Imagine walking up to a person you have
a strained relationship with and asking them to spend five minutes telling you
your virtues and your flaws - personal characteristics that please or irk them.
And if they are willing to “share” with you, you must stand there silently for
the duration, take it all in without defensiveness, and then thank them, smile,
maybe even shake their hand, and simply walk away. Relax. I’m not asking you to
do that.
What I am suggesting is that you do
your own self-reflection of your own human natures – both admirable and
otherwise. In Part V of this book, I include 20 questionnaires that align with different aspects of human nature. If you are interested and willing
to perform these exercises, I’d suggest you take individual surveys after
reading the associated subject chapter in Part II. You will find the correct
answers in Part VI. (Just kidding!)
It may be best to keep your answers to
yourself. You should feel most comfortable responding candidly without having
someone looking over your shoulder. But I will also warn you. Parts of our
consciousness will resist such self-examination. Our psyche prefers stasis,
even if a change in our beliefs or behaviors would benefit us, our loved
ones, and the broader world. It’s your decision. Your opportunity. Your choice.
I’ve taken all the surveys and discovered some new things about myself that have been enlightening. Want to hear what they were? Mind our own business!
How to read this book
No, I am not going to tell you how to read this book. Rather, I am going to suggest you read it in any manner that fits your interests, style, and time constraints. That might mean scanning the Table of Contents and skipping to a subject that catches your eye. The topics in Parts II, III, and IV are often mirrored in Part VI. Each chapter can be viewed as a short essay that, in most cases, can stand alone. So you may choose that "skipping" approach. Or you might read it from this point on, straight through, until Chapter 87 titled "...and Endings". And yes, it is a bookend to the beginning of this Preface. The point is, this is your precious time and your priceless life. I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I have.