Misanthropy

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/misanthropy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the philosophical classification?A disposition characterized by a general hatred, dislike, or distrust of humankind
2. What is the historical context?Discussed by philosophers from antiquity (Heraclitus) through modern thinkers (Nietzsche)
3. What does misanthropy mean?Misanthropy is when someone feels a big dislike or grumpy feeling toward people in general.
4. Why do some people feel misanthropic?They might see many bad things in how people act, like being cruel or selfish, and think big changes are needed.

Misanthropist: An individual who exhibits a generalized dislike, distrust, or hatred of the human species.
Human Nature: The fundamental and often innate characteristics, dispositions, and behaviors of human beings.
Antinatalism: A philosophical position that assigns a negative value to birth and procreation.