My Theory of a Good Life

Essay by phishstyxzUniversity, Master'sA+, March 2003

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There are two kinds of actions in humans, these actions are determined by their biological mechanisms and social conditioning, or from their intuitive insights and free choice. I believe that each individual chooses independently what determines them. I don't think that a generalization about how all humans act can be made. Yes, we are free, and have the ability to choose freely, but is human will truly free in today's society? Humans are rational agents who are free and must recognize the principle of independence. Every human has their own unique intuition, which one instinctively knows and it keeps one in touch with reality. However, we live in a sensible world and are subject to physical laws, therefore despite our freedom people fail to choose and think freely, and inevitably fail to follow their intuition. Situations may arise that involve unequal social interactions, which cause free intuitional judgments to be prone to error.

Therefore, social conditioning and biological mechanisms play a big part of determining peoples' actions, because society is controlled by the ruling class with the power. Even though we may live in a democracy, a ruling class still exists, so people are not completely free.

The ruling class has the means of production and the power, so it expresses dominance over those that are weak. The ruling class invokes laws and ideas that justify it and benefit it. In doing so the ruling class alienates the people that are not part of the ruling class. Therefore, people are not free to choose their actions intuitively, and true individuality does not exist. The ruling class alienates the people, so the people act according to the social conditioning imposed on them, and they are forced to rely on their biological mechanisms. Empirical thinking or learning through one's experiences helps one...