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What is a human?

Our behaviors are linked to three major phenomena:

Our genetic heritage

Our collective behavioral genetic inheritance is made up of the following two main elements: social ambition and cognitive dissonance.

Social ambition, it is the desire we have to climb the social hierarchy. It generates an excessive appetite for the game of alliances, which we will call generalized nepotism. It leads to a high level of social violence, in the form of permanent and multiple 'us versus them' type conflicts.

The resolution of cognitive dissonance, this is the ability that we have to irrationally reconcile contradictory facts. It gradually leads to lying to oneself, and to harm others in all good conscience. It is probably the consequence of The dual nature of the human mind.

Why is it important to know what a human is from a scientific point of view, and not as a result of simple introspection?

If we want to deal with the subject of 'how to properly organize collective functioning', common sense dictates that we start by clearly defining the subject, that is to say what a human being is.

Marx had carried out a very rigorous analysis of the functioning of capitalism. It is the fact of not having correctly defined what a human is that led him to only draw a naive solution, which caused many misfortunes.
In Marx's defense, in his time, sociological scientific data was not available, and even today all philosophers allow themselves the same casualness: starting from a vision of the human coming from simple introspection or experience personal, and deduce a supposed optimum collective organization.

Consequences of human nature at the level of social organization

The natural product of a social organization based on our collective genetic heritage is social violence and normative pressure placed on individuals.

To be satisfactory, social organization must take this genetic inheritance into account and limit its negative consequences. In particular, the book From capital to reason demonstrates that supervising the decision-making process is a necessary condition for building a satisfactory social organization. This requires focusing on how we decide, as opposed to our democratic organizations which focus on who decides.

Likewise, a social organization which falls into one of the following two failings cannot be satisfactory:

Refer to the questions 'What are the consequences of social ambition?' And 'What is cognitive dissonance?'. Then refer to the question 'What is the great discovery of the book? From capital to reason ?'.

Overcoming our genetic heritage through culture: problem solving

The main contribution at the cultural level, which allows us to overcome the behaviors dictated by our genetics, is problem solving method. It consists of carrying out reasoning in four phases:
1. Notice the problem
2. Conduct a serious analysis.
3. Develop a solution, often partial.
4. Implement it.Only humans are capable of this, in particular because language is a prerequisite for transmitting this technique, which requires a long learning curve.

The game of alliances is the natural functioning resulting from our genetic heritage, and leads to significant social violence. The problem-solving method makes it possible to overcome it, both at the family level and at the level of society in general. This method of solving problems therefore probably constitutes the optimum functioning of a human brain, which is unfortunately rarely achieved, for two reasons: either one of the steps is botched, or a belief takes the place of a fact and leads to a final ideological solution.

However, effective two-person problem solving is the source of social well-being from the first to the last day of our lives. Feelings are only consequences and indicators of this, on which it is illusory to try to act.

We could therefore live in a much more satisfactory society, both in terms of social cohesion and a reduction in social violence, provided that we ensure that everyone, from the end of their studies, is trained to solve problems at hand. two, and that the social organization of society favors this problem solving. Such a change, however, is as culturally significant as the adoption of democracy. This site is here to help you take the first steps on this liberating mental path.

The change linked to the modern scientific method

The modern scientific method, invented in the 17th century, makes it possible to build a body of solid knowledge, which facilitates the analysis phase, and above all considerably increases the possible solutions. However, to enable effective problem solving, it requires that individuals be able to differentiate a solidly established scientific fact from a simply plausible proposition.

However, at the start of the 21st century, a majority of individuals, including among those who have completed long studies, continue to hold absurd reasoning like: you think that - a scientifically established fact -, I think something else - a simple plausible proposition or a belief -, and our opinions are the same, because otherwise you claim to be superior to me , therefore I consider you intolerant and I reject your proposal for this reason. sic. Such reasoning is the product of a representation deeply rooted in a majority of individuals that social status takes precedence over facts.

De plus, par leur éducation, la majorité des humains continuent à apprendre simplement à adopter un comportement socialement acceptable, ou plus personnel mais stéréotypé, dans chaque situation de la vie. Cela se fait au détriment de la prise en compte des faits liés à chaque situation particulière. Mais surtout, cela limite grandement la capacité des individus adultes à progresser. En effet, dans une situation donnée, un individu tend à échanger sur un certain mode, sur un certain contenu fixé à l'avance, et rejette tout autre type d'échange qu'il jugera à priori inadapté, car non conforme à ce que son éducation ou son expérience personnelle dicte en de telles circonstances.

The illusion of altruism, empathy and compassion

We could argue that mutual aid, stemming from altruism, empathy, or compassion, are fundamental and positive elements of human nature, and that it is enough to cultivate them to make social organization more satisfactory. Unfortunately, in practice this does not work, because of the power of beliefs and cognitive dissonance. The same individual tends to be altruistic regarding elements that are secondary to him, to maintain a good image of himself, and selfish regarding what ensures the basis of his social position, without even realizing it, due to lying to himself. self produced by beliefs and cognitive dissonance.

Methodology

In this document we have chosen 'problem solving' as the only element of human nature to be retained at the cultural level. This may seem arbitrary; why not choose the arts, for example?
This choice is an axiom, in the mathematical sense of the term. We ask a second one on this site, at the level of the question 'What is the purpose of life?' by answering 'collective happiness'. As in mathematics, the solidity of an axiom does not rest on the fact that it is demonstrated, but on the fact that it allows long developments without contradiction.

Synthesis

(1) Social ambition pushes the individual to use rhetoric, which relates more to the cognitive-affective system (producing an instantaneous effect which relies more on the emotion and beliefs of the interlocutors than on their reason) than rational reasoning (taking into account all the facts).

(2) The resolution of cognitive dissonance through beliefs and lies to oneself leads to the progressive strengthening of the use of the cognitive-affective system to the detriment of rational reasoning.

(3) Motivation is the place where the freedom of the individual is exercised, which must however remain limited by respect for the facts. In other words, on motivation, reason only intervenes to set limits, the main source remaining past emotional experiences stored in the cognitive-affective system.

(4) Education also contains a conditioning dimension which aims to restrict personal choices, limit rational reasoning and problem solving in favor of the application of dogmas and social standards. Emile Durkheim's great error is to consider that the stability of society is due to this packaging, when it comes from its ability to practice problem solving.

Go deeper

Watch the audiovisual report Caribbean primates by Jack Silberman and Jean-Christophe Ribot, available on Arte replay.
Defining what a human is on scientific grounds is the central object of the first part of the book. From capital to reason.

View questions'What are the consequences of social ambition? The notion of generalized nepotism.' And 'What is cognitive dissonance?'

View questions'Why do humans reason massively wrong?' And 'What conditions must be met to produce serious reasoning? Problem solving.'Consult the question next'What is the modern scientific method?'

Finally, to complete this description of humans, refer to the question 'Should you listen to your emotions?' which presents your cognitive-affective system. and 'Tell me how you make decisions, I'll tell you who you are' which presents the different approach to problem solving among different categories of individuals.