Is human nature inherently good or inherently evil? This very question has sparked a countless amount of heated debates throughout the world for many years. Valid arguments have been made for both sides, both backed with logical examples and filled with pathos. However, it is clear that human nature is inherently good. This view is supported by the works of theorists Mencius and John Locke, and anthropologist Ruth Benedict. It is countered by theorist Hsün Tzu. The views of Mencius, Locke and Benedict support the idea that human beings are good in nature, and that nature is changed due to surrounding world. Tzu would disagree by saying goodness does not come naturally to man, it requires effort. Human nature must be inherently good because all people are born with a good heart. Evil is brought into the mind by external forces, it is not intrinsic.

There are many arguments that human nature is evil. While there are strong observations that have be made for this position, they fail to consider the innate goodness of human nature. They neglect to mention the idea that an evil nature is not natural, but it is caused by experience. These observations are very well highlighted by Hsün Tzu, in, Man's Nature Is Evil. Tzu states that goodness is the result of conscious activity. He feels that every man that desires to do good does so simply because of his evil nature. Ritual principles are needed because our nature is evil. If human nature were good, there would be no need for these principles. People need guidelines and set principles to keep them from getting out of hand and causing chaos. The counter-argument also states that man is born with a fondness for profit. It is a man's emotional nature to love profit and gain. One thing that Tzu says that is agreeable are his definitions of good and evil. He defines good as upright, reasonable and orderly, and evil as irresponsible, prejudiced and chaotic. These definitions hold true no matter what one believes about human nature and are timeless. However, man is not born with an evil nature so these claims can not be true. Conscious activity is a result of human nature’s goodness, not the other way around.

Human nature is undoubtedly good. This has been supported not only by philosophers and other people of prestige, but also by the average person. First, human nature is good because all people are born with a heart of “compassion and conscience." In other words, all people are born knowing right from wrong. This goodness is not permanent and is capable of being warped, but it is intrinsic. Mencius compares human nature to water. Water flows inherently downhill, just as human nature is inherently good, but one can slap it or move it to go in all different directions. Basically, Mencius is emphasizing the fact that external forces bring about evil within human nature. Growing barley is another example used by Mencius to illustrate the goodness of human nature. If the seeds are all planted in the same good soil, they will all grow upright in the same manner. If they did not grow the same, it would be because of inequalities in richness of soil, amount of rainfall, or the care given by the farmer. Whether it grows well or not does not change the fact that, in nature, it is still barley. This example perfectly summarizes the goodness of human nature. Everyone has the same good human nature at the start of their lives, but everyone does not die with that same nature. Each individual has experiences unique to themselves that help shape their nature, whether it be in a good or a negative way.

Human nature is not a blank slate. It is good. All people are born with love and respect in their hearts. However, experience may change that goodness depending on whether or not a person allows it to. This notion is enforced by Ruth Benedict, who feels that people are products of their environment. She feels that people are malleable and plastic to the molding forces of the society in which they are born. Evil comes into the lives of human beings because they are subjected to it. People learn to be evil, they are not born evil. In his work, Of Ideas, theorist John Locke supports the idea that the human mind is a blank slate. He says that the mind has a certain shape and structure, but no innate content until it is “written on” by experience. This all goes back to the idea that human nature is good, and externals cause it to become evil.

There is no textbook or website that can answer this timeless question with complete accuracy. It can not be solved using an equation or a formula. The answer lies within observations and facts about the way people interact with one another. Human nature is clearly good, as the arguments against it are not strong enough to be considered. Goodness should be celebrated, not argued. If people were not so impressionable when it comes to evil, there would be no malevolence in the world. Evil is a result of external forces changing the goodness of human nature.