Introduction Intellectuals are often divided when it comes to the issue of human nature. Their divergent views of humanity have led to different approaches on what constitutes human nature. Optimists hold that humans are inherently inclined towards the good and that their natural goodness is contaminated by civilization. Pessimists on the other hand hold that the nature of humans is flawed and as such need the restraining influence of civilization to limit their natural propensity for wickedness. These disagreements have existed ever since man begun to speculate about his nature. Underneath these controversies is the assumption that there exists a universal essence of human nature which connects all humans from different times and cultures into a single species. Main body Today, it is not so much the issue of interpreting human nature which divides contemporary thinkers but whether there is any sense in the concept. One of the possibilities in viewing human nature is that it is the summation of human behavior and psychology. In this holistic sense, human actions, thoughts and feelings, regardless of whether they are experienced differently, constitute human nature. For instance, if an individual is violent then violence becomes part of human nature whether another individual is violent or not. In this broad sense, there is no particular theoretical meaning ascribed to the concept of human nature. Human nature is only a shortened way of referring to the rich tapestry of human existence. If this is what is meant by human nature, then one cannot doubt its existence since the mere existence of human beings guarantees the existence of human nature. The concept of human nature has traditionally been used to refer to whatever individuals happen to feel, think and do. As such, it has been selective on some aspects of human life while abandoning others. Theories of human nature do not agree precisely on the aspects which constitute human nature even though they have all selected a portion of the totality of humanity which are superficial. The concept of human nature has been traditionally used to refer to the subset of human psychology and behavior claimed to essentially belong to human beings contrary to psychology and behavior that is not in accordance with that nature. The concept of human nature has always been used to refer to those elements which distinctively distinguish humans from the other animals living within the planet earth. Beyond this, there are other perspectives by which human nature has been analyzed. According to Thomas Hobbes, human beings are merely physical objects whose nature can be explained and described mechanically. According to his view, human nature can be understood from a material perspective. He regards thoughts as instances of physical operation. For example, sensations are a product of nervous system’s mechanical processes. Human actions can also be looked at from Hobbes view. The human body generates desires and appetites which are experienced as pains and discomforts which the individual must overcome. Every individual is thus predisposed to act in such a way that he or she deem is likely to relieve discomfort so as