Homo Deus
Yuval Noah Harari
Contributed by Andrea Barraza
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Chapter 8
Summary

Chapter Eight states that the world is currently dominated by the liberal elements of human rights, individualism, the free market, and democracy. However, the scientific advancements of the same era have had a huge impact on the foundations made towards achieving a liberal order. In other words, it shows that human beings are more concerned with being liberals. The author notes that “people are of course influenced by external forces and chance events” (Harari 388). They seek to establish the different ways in which they can attain some form of recognition that would make other people more interested in identifying the specific ways in which they are likely to be valued (Harari 389). Thus, through the representation of Thomas Jefferson, Rousseau, and Locke, there is a sea of change where the findings of science have improved the quest for people to seek for liberty.

It is also through the understanding of ‘free will’ that human beings have determined the reason why they need to hold a man, who has stabbed another, guilty of the charge. As it appears, such a man used his free will to choose murder, which is why he is entirely responsible for his crime (Harari 393). Since he made his own decision to end the life of another, the person, therefore, needs to be held fully responsible for the action, as immense steps are made to ensure that the person realizes the actual actions that he undertook. The same person is also likely to determine that he needs to fully pay for what he did, as by choosing to harm another, he was also acting to curtail some of his future liberties. People tend to think that they are free to, “act according to their own wishes and decisions.” They, therefore, need to be of good influence to other people but as well, allow them to make personal independent decisions.

Analysis

This chapter shows how human beings are primarily guided by decisions, where they are usually in control of the specific decisions that are likely to be made. People normally have the decision to press either the right or left switch to reflect a person’s choice (Harari 292). As it relates to the liberal order, human beings are more likely to be geared towards the concept of free will in a bid to present some of the practices they are comfortable with, as well as those they wish to form as part of their lives. Also through the concept of free will are people who seek to determine the kind of life they wish to lead, as well as the extent of democracy they may attain, which may impact on the personal lives they have. Thus, as shown in the chapter, free will is important as it is likely to demonstrate some of the practices that may need to be relied upon in a bid to show people the role and values they hold in life. The proper application of free will is also likely to push people into being interested in the concepts of the kind of practices they wish to engage in, as well as the view they are likely to have regarding crime and ill practices throughout society.

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