What does it mean to look for the nature of something, in particular, human nature? Having a nature suggests some definitive set of characteristics. it's what makes the thing what it is, or makes it the kind of thing it is. Some approaches look for a nature that is eternal, fixed and necessary. They are looking for an essential nature, a characteristic or set of characteristics such that without them the thing couldn't exist.

Some philosophers, when thinking about human nature, look for something that is entirely rational and mathematically rigorous and certain. Looking for human nature is like looking for the nature of a circle. All and only humans would have this nature; it is immutable and eternal. On one traditional theistic approach, for example, human nature is determined by a god's plan or intentions. Humans are artifacts of a god in the way that forks are artifacts of humans; the nature of a fork is whatever the human designer intended it to be. So it is for the nature of humans.

Another important view contends that human have no nature; there is nothing they are supposed to be or become. On this existentialist view, a person's existence is said to precede his or her essence. It is humans who decide what it means to be human. There are no ready-made values for us to follow. Instead we must take responsibility to create our own values.

A third view takes a naturalistic or scientific perspective. Humans are evolved organisms and as a species have certain characteristics that are common to all or most members. Many believe that these characteristics can largely be traced to genetic inheritance. E.O Wilson and Steven Pinker hold such a view. One might say that in a sense human nature is determined by nature's plan, though this can only be understood metaphorically since nature doesn't really have plans or intentions.

This latter naturalistic view sometimes poses the issue by presenting a distinction between nature and nurture. Some characteristics are attributed to our nature and others are attributed to our nurture. those who take a strong position on human nature (Wilson and Pinker) will argue that nature plays a larger role than is usually acknowledged. Other (like Rose, Kamin and Lewontin) want to emphasize nurture (the environment or socialization) over nature. They argue that it is in our nature to create our own history.

Steven Pinker, who endorses the naturalistic human nature approach, acknowledges, as does E. O. Wilson several concerns or potential objections to this view of human nature. some of these concerns are presented in the Rose, Kamin and Lewontin selection from Not in Our Genes. Some might fear that, at worst, the naturalistic (primarily genetic) emphasis on human nature leads to Social Darwinism and perhaps a Eugenics program. Pinker and other argue that these fears are unfounded.