The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Ep. 284: Mark Twain’s Philosophy of Human Nature (Part One)
Dec 20, 2021
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Determinism and Laplace's Demon
- Twain's determinism aligns with Laplace's Demon (1814), illustrating causal determinism.
- Twain argues that, like cogs in a machine, humans lack free will and are products of the causal net.
Pragmatism and Fixation of Belief
- Twain, interested in pragmatism, parallels Peirce's 'fixation of belief'.
- The 'old man' in his essay embodies this, ceasing to be a truth-seeker after finding his 'truth'.
Conscience as the Master
- Twain's central thesis: conscience, not pleasure, is our master.
- We act for self-approval, even in seemingly selfless acts, seeking to feel good about ourselves.