The core human instincts that Freud discussed in his theories, such as instinctual aggression, become common motifs on South Park. Related to the aggression instinct, Freud's theory of the death wish is also present on almost every episode of the show. Until recent years of the production, the character Kenny was killed in every show. The creators of South Park have honed in on the instinctual desire for aggression in the human species, depicting violence in comedic but intense ways. The depiction of violence on South Park would seem to suggest that Freud was correct in his assumption that aggression pervades human nature. Many of the characters on the show throw tantrums, kill each other, and in general express their aggression. The huge following that the show enjoys also illustrates that Freud might not have been far off.
Freud's theories are not the only philosophies implicit in the show South Park. Almost without exception, the moral of each episode imparts a tone that resembles Hobbes' and Humes' ideas about human nature, free will, and determinism. For instance, characters are portrayed as being inherently self-seeking, even if they eventually find common ground and cooperate. Thus, Hume's utilitarianism is frequently expressed in South Park episodes. At the same time, a Hobbes-like discourse regarding the need for authority in peaceful societies is also imparted in many of the episodes. Frequently on the show, the town erupts into total chaos and then a few individuals prompt peace based on utilitarian and pragmatic values. Moreover, the conflict between free will and determinism, which Hume and Hobbes examine in detail, is also expressed on the show. For example, the children contend with the fact that they cannot help who their parents are (determinism) and at the same time need to call upon their free will and initiative in order to grapple with tricky social situations.
However much South Park investigates the political impetus toward utilitarianism and pragmatism, many of the episodes reflect the ideas put forth by Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. Commenting...
Within its strict perspective of humanity, there is no room for free will; actions are automatic responses to prompts from one's surroundings. It goes without saying that behaviorists do not allow for mankind's soul; this does not rest well with most, particularly with theologians and religious leaders. Naturally, such perspectives on humanity are not acceptable to many. What's more, behaviorism is harshly reproached for its inability to generalize behavior.
Knowledge and truth were considered absolute and immutable by these two, though for very different reasons, which is the complete antithesis to the empirical theories of Popper, Peirce, Kuhn, and James. The progression of knowledge in the face of such certainty could only result in pure growth from previously established claims, as no truth could ever be said to exist that was not thoroughly and absolutely proved by careful
Human interactions with nonhuman animals should be guided solely by the impact of these interactions with other human beings, and not upon any perceived impact upon nonhuman animals themselves. This argument is based largely upon Descartes' understanding of the essential difference between humans and nonhuman animals. Descartes' argues that the body is external to the mind, and that non-human animals do not possess the pure, thinking mind of humans. Thus,
Teams should be created that embrace a diversity of skills and workers from different areas of expertise, so there is no knowledge overlap, and thus less jockeying for position of who has the better qualifications within a certain field. If necessary, a clear leader should be established who understands the importance and the time table of the goal of the team. One problem with self-managed teams is that personality
She was almost radical in her approach to healthcare and healing. By radical, I mean that she was the type of individual who aimed to solve matters by getting to the root of the problem. She was more interested in solving the problem and not the symptoms of an underlying issue. She used a systems thinking methodology that made her overall approach to healthcare a faith-based philosophy. Although she used
Human Nature The Traditional Western view of human nature has its roots in the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, both of whom espoused the primacy of reason over passion. Those views in turn impacted the Judeo-Christian belief systems. Among the harshest critics of the Traditional Western view of human nature are feminists, who feel that "the rationalist view, and the Judeo-Christian religious view based on it, are sexist," (101). This accusation
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now