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      What Is Man? And Other Essays

      by Mark Twain
      Main Genre
      General Fiction General Fiction
      Pages
      388
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      About This Book

      "What Is Man?" is a short story by American writer Mark Twain, published in 1906. It is a dialogue between a Young Man and an Old Man regarding the nature of man. The title refers to Psalm 8:4, which begins "what is man, that you are mindful of him...".

      It involves ideas of determinism and free will, as well as of psychological egoism. The Old Man asserts that the human being is merely a machine, and nothing more, driven by the singular purpose to satisfy his own desires and achieve peace of mind. The Young Man objects and asks him to go into particulars and furnish his reasons for his position.

      Genres & Themes

      Genres

      General Fiction

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      Sep 2004 1st World Library - Literary Society ISBN13 9781595403315 ISBN10 1595403310
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      Nov 2005 Dodo Press ISBN13 9781406502534 ISBN10 1406502537
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      Apr 2007 Book Tree, The ISBN13 9781585093007 ISBN10 1585093009
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      Feb 2012 Emereo Pty Ltd ISBN13 9781743445501 ISBN10 1743445504
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      Jun 2012 Tebbo ISBN13 9781486147465 ISBN10 1486147461
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      Apr 2014 Createspace ISBN13 9781497475878 ISBN10 1497475872
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      May 2015 Createspace ISBN13 9781512079968 ISBN10 1512079960
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      May 2015 Createspace ISBN13 9781512079968 ISBN10 1512079960
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      Aug 2005 1st World Library ISBN13 9781421807812 ISBN10 1421807815
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      Aug 2010 Floating Press ISBN13 9781775418580 ISBN10 1775418588
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      Dec 2010 ISBN13 2940011843891
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      Feb 2011 Library of Alexandria ISBN13 9781613100042 ISBN10 1613100043
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      Apr 2011 Glagoslav Epublications ISBN13 9781784221171 ISBN10 1784221171
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      Apr 2011 Capstone ISBN10 B004UJTH10
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      Dec 2011 Charles River Editors ISBN13 2940013477629
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      Apr 2012 Philtre Libre ISBN13 2940014169776
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      Oct 2012 Five Star ISBN13 2940015507270
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      Dec 2012 Lulu.com ISBN13 9781300323488 ISBN10 1300323485
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      May 2014 Kartindo Publishing House ISBN13 2940149464265
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      May 2014 Kartindo Publishing House ISBN13 2940149522415