Project Gutenberg 2004-09-13 Public domain in the USA. 2603 Twain, Mark 1835 1910 Clemens, Samuel Langhorne Twain, Mark (Samuel Clemens) What Is Man? and Other Essays What is man? -- The death of Jean -- The turning-point of my life -- How to make history dates stick -- The memorable assassination -- A scrap of curious history -- Switzerland, the cradle of liberty -- At the Shrine of St. Wagner -- William Dean Howells -- English as she is taught -- A simplified alphabet -- As concerns interpreting the Deity -- Concerning tobacco -- The bee -- Taming the bicycle -- Is Shakespeare dead? An Anonymous Volunteer and David Widger "What Is Man? and Other Essays" by Mark Twain is a collection of essays and philosophical dialogues written in the late 19th century. The essays explore profound inquiries into human nature, morality, and the influences that shape our thoughts and behaviors. The opening dialogue focuses on a conversation between an Old Man and a Young Man, wherein they debate whether human beings are merely machines driven by external influences, leading to a discussion about personal merit and the essence of free will. The beginning of this work sets the stage for Twain’s exploration of existential questions and the concept of man as a machine. The Old Man argues that individuals do not create their thoughts or actions independently; instead, they are influenced and shaped by their experiences and environment, likening humanity's state to that of a complex engine rather than free-thinking beings. He discusses the origins of opinions and virtues, suggesting that every impulse—whether for noble or selfish reasons—is ultimately aimed at appeasing one's inner self. This establishes a provocative premise that invites readers to reflect on the essence of their own motives and the nature of human existence. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 69.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en American essays PS Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: American Literature Category: Philosophy & Ethics 598143 2025-08-01T03:49:58.957692 text/html 612524 2022-05-26T12:56:22 text/html 324350 2025-08-01T03:50:09.227642 application/epub+zip 328454 2025-08-01T03:50:02.295667 application/epub+zip 312468 2025-08-01T03:50:00.988717 application/epub+zip 581011 2025-08-01T03:50:14.364661 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 554759 2025-08-01T03:50:08.206672 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 513391 2022-09-01T03:57:51.667256 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 567525 2025-08-01T03:49:58.113687 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 567324 2022-05-26T13:01:23 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18867 2025-08-01T03:50:14.511620 application/rdf+xml 17327 2025-08-01T03:50:01.500674 image/jpeg 4237 2025-08-01T03:50:01.244681 image/jpeg 218002 2022-05-26T13:01:56 application/octet-stream application/zip 223383 2022-05-26T13:02:16 application/octet-stream application/zip 304489 2025-08-01T03:49:59.007685 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia