Man as Machine

Abstract

The point of this chapter can be put as follows: The theory that man is a machine (of any sort whatever) may be viewed in two very different ways, the extremist and objectionable, and the more moderate which may be true. Man is a machine may mean, man is merely a machine; that is to say, qualities peculiar to humanity, such as thought and morality, have no roots in human nature; and so morality, freedom, dignity and nobility, thinking, thoughtfulness, and rationality — all these are mere illusions. Man is a machine may, however, mean, not man is just a machine, but man is a very special kind of machine which, by its specific virtues, can suffer, can show dignity and nobility, etc.¹ Whereas to say that man is merely a machine seems objectionable, to say that man is a machine may be to say the truth — recent developments may show us we know much too little about machines to finally decide that this is or is not the case: we had better speak only tentatively on these matters.² Now, most people understand the view that man is a machine to mean that he is only a machine and so his suffering, thinking, etc., are all illusions.³ And most people so understand this because of the ancient doctrine which divides the world into reality and appearance,⁴ truth and illusion, and nothing in between — a view which I reject.⁵