Abstract

Modernity has developed at least two perspectives on human nature. The paper puts forward the way in which Michael Tomasello continues this modern debate. On the one side, he avows that every living organism has selfish features in order to survive and breed; on the other side, he takes into account empirical evidence to conclude that human children show an inclination to cooperate; furthermore, he claims that this inclination is an inborn cognitive ability that rests on selfish foundations. According to the first one, human beings are good, helpful and collaborative by nature, and society corrupts them –as Rousseau believed; according to the second one, human beings are bad, selfish and competitive by nature, and society guides them through better roads ––as Hobbes alleged.