Reason and Desire, Soul and Body: An Overview

My aim in the linked charts is to give a sketch of some of the different views of the nature of human action found in the history of political, moral and religious thought. It should go without saying that I cannot present the subtleties or nuances of the ideas presented by these various figures. But an overview such as this one might help you recall some of the details that are not here but that we discussed in class. And it might also help you focus on some of the salient differences between these very different thinkers.

I have tried to present the ideas of these writers in a systematic fashion. But you should recognize that is approach is likely to do more violence to some thinkers than others. For different political, moral and religious writers have addressed these issues in different ways. Some are more systematic than others; some write treatises while others write poems. Keep this in mind as you look over these notes, and re-read the texts.