Naturalism as a worldview method suggests that human behavior is influenced by the need for survival. According to naturalists the character of a person is determined by genetic factors and the environment he lives. Naturalists attempt to find the underlying factors that influence human actions. According to naturalists, the environment and genetic factors influence a person’s character. According to naturalists, knowledge is achieved through scientific means and not personal revelations or religious beliefs. There has to be proof for anything to be considered knowledge. Naturalists argue that either the environment or the genetic composition of a person influences everything that happens. Naturalists focus on factors that influence behavior of a person that are beyond his control.
Naturalists are concerned with human behavior and argue that need to survive is the main factor that influences human behavior. They argue that human behavior does not just occur without a reason. Human behavior has to be triggered by something, the environment, the society, genetics, or biological factors. Naturalists argue that a person does not exist beyond his physical being. The behavior and character of a person depends entirely on his genetics and environment where he lives. Naturalists believe that morality is influenced by the outcome of interactions between human beings. Behaviors that elicit positive results in interactions with people are considered morally acceptable while those that have negative effects on the life of a person are morally unacceptable. Punishments instill morality among humans and help in defining morality within the social framework. Naturalism states that the value of life is drawn human needs and not a supernatural being. Human values are universal and are drawn from the things that naturally we need. For example, we all need security; the value of courage satisfies that need.
The movie ‘hunger games’ shows how naturalism works in a place. The movie is set in a locality called Panem. After many years of rebellion in the state, the government invents the hunger games as a way to instill fear into people and make them submissive to the government. The hunger games take place in a confined environment in which the government can control. They select two people from each of the twelve districts to participate in the games. The participants are supposed to kill each other until there is only one survivor left. The main character in the movie is Katnis Everdeen from district eleven. The movie focuses on how she ensures her survival in the games. She changes her values to improve her chances of survival. The lives of the people in the movie indicate how the need to survive influences the actions and behavior of people.
The movie indicates how naturalism works in an environment. In the beginning, there was a famine in district twelve. Katniss develops her character because of the need for survival in their district. Being the eldest child in a fatherless household, Katniss takes the responsibility of finding food for the family. She develops her hunting skills and becomes one of the main suppliers of meat in her district. Naturalism argues that the environment influences the character of a person. Katniss takes up the role of a hunter because of the challenges they face in her district. The need to find food for herself and her family leads to her improvement of hunting skills. She develops a caring character and feeds the poor in the community. When she goes to the hunger games, her character has to change to ensure that she survives. The same girl that cared for people and gave them food turned into a killer because she needed to survive. The movie indicates that the environment one lives in determines the character of a person. The movie supports the whole idea of naturalism and the role of the environment in shaping a person.
Another aspect of naturalism indicated in the movie is the existence issue. According to naturalists, nothing exists without a natural cause. The people in the movie face many challenges in their lives. These challenges come up because of the government’s attempts to solicit royalty among the citizens. Naturalists argue that every deed a person does ignite another deed in return. During the games, Katniss rewards Rue for saving her life by giving her a decent sendoff after her death. Good deeds during the games are rewarded. They influence the behavior of the participants. In another incident, Katniss fakes a relationship with Peeta as a way of getting support from donors who would help her survive. The government has control of the conditions in the games and ensures that they create conflicts that would to the deaths of more people in the games.
Naturalism is one of the primary methods of worldview. Backed up by research in anthropology and genetics, naturalism has developed as a school of thought in understanding human characteristics. Studies in naturalism seek to determine the role of the environment and genetics in determining human character. Naturalism has grown as a worldview. It has been used in literature, and other entertainment genres to explain the role of nature in developing human character. However, Naturalism opposes the existence of superior beings such as spirits.
Bibliography
Colins, Suzanne. The hunger games. Ed. ed. Toronto: Scholastic, 2008.
Marsoobian, Armen, and John Ryder. The Blackwell guide to American philosophy. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2004.
Rosenberg, Gregg. A place for consciousness: probing the deep structure of the natural world. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
