What's the overall paradigm for the nature of humans that suggests they start with no inherent qualities?

The concept of a "blank slate" refers to the philosophical idea that individuals are born without any built-in mental content or pre-existing traits. This perspective emphasizes that human behavior and characteristics are shaped by experiences and environmental influences rather than being dictated by innate qualities.

This idea aligns with the thoughts of thinkers like John Locke, who argued that individuals acquire knowledge and personality through their experiences. In this view, humans develop their qualities over time as they interact with the world around them, suggesting a strong reliance on socialization and learning processes, rather than any inherent goodness or badness.

The other concepts present different ideological stances on human nature. The belief in being inherently good implies a positive predisposition that does not align with the idea of a blank slate. Similarly, the belief in being inherently bad suggests that negative traits are fundamental to humans from the outset. On the other hand, the notion of being predetermined points to the idea that certain traits or behaviors are preordained, again contrasting with the blank slate theory, which posits that individuals start with no predetermined attributes. Thus, the blank slate is the most accurate representation of the absence of inherent qualities, affirming the view that human nature evolves through life experiences.