The concept of human nature focuses on the distinctive...

The concept of human nature focuses on the distinctive natural characteristics of humans, namely the ways we feel, think and act, regardless of external forces as well as influences. Within the study and discipline of Philosophy, this fundamental nature of humans and our existence is scrutinized. Philosophy involves a continuous search and lookout for an accurate understanding of the underlying traits of humankind that are deemed to be common among all humans. Starting with the ancient philosophers and ending with the contemporary thinkers, a bridge of suppositions that seemingly define human nature has been established, despite the fact that there are vital differences. Numerous conjectures and theories have been put forward by†¦show more content†¦Their disagreement revolves around the extent of the senses contribution to knowledge, which leads to an epistemological debate. Rationalists distrust the senses, however, in reality the senses are all we have and this is what Ka nt asserts. Kant makes it clear that both rationalists and empiricists disregard or rather miss the fact that the human mind is restricted and these limitations can be described as synthetic and a priori. According to Kant, every possible experience of ours is constrained and structured by synthetic a priori restrictions, specifically space, time and causality and since these limitations are present, we have to take it upon ourselves to differentiate between the phenomenal and noumenal – the apparent and the real world. Kant asserted that the human mind is an active organ and knowledge begins with experience, but as opposed to the belief of the empiricists, we do not merely experience the world, we understand experiences through processes of the mind and acquire knowledge from these processed experiences. Prior to Kant, the common belief was that knowledge must conform and be consistent with objects, however, Kant contended that objects must conform to knowledge, which is onc e again structured by synthetic a priori limitations of space, time and causality. The human mind is restricted to knowing only of appearances and never the real