Mark Twain's What Is Man? and Other Essays is a collection of essays and philosophical dialogues written in the late 19th century. The work delves into profound questions about human nature, morality, and the influences that shape our thoughts and actions.
The opening dialogue begins with a conversation between an Old Man and a Young Man, debating whether humans are merely machines driven by external forces. This discussion evolves into an exploration of personal merit and the essence of free will, setting the stage for Twain’s broader philosophical inquiries into human existence.
The Old Man argues that individuals do not independently generate their thoughts or actions but are instead shaped by their experiences and environments. He compares humanity to a complex engine, suggesting that opinions and virtues are not inherently self-created. According to the Old Man, every impulse?whether noble or selfish?is ultimately aimed at satisfying one’s inner self. This provocative premise invites readers to reflect on the nature of their own motivations and the fundamental essence of human existence.

WHAT IS MAN?
I. a. Man the Machine. b. Personal Merit
II. Man’s Sole Impulse?the Securing of His Own Approval
III. Instances in Point
IV. Training
V
After an Interval of Days
VI. Instinct and Thought
THE DEATH OF JEAN
THE TURNING-POINT OF MY LIFE
I
HOW TO MAKE HISTORY DATES STICK
THE MEMORABLE ASSASSINATION
A SCRAP OF CURIOUS HISTORY
SWITZERLAND, THE CRADLE OF LIBERTY
Interlaken, Switzerland, 1891.
AT THE SHRINE OF ST. WAGNER
Bayreuth, Aug. 2d, 1891
WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS
ENGLISH AS SHE IS TAUGHT
In the appendix to Croker’s Boswell’s Johnson one finds this anecdote:
A SIMPLIFIED ALPHABET
AS CONCERNS INTERPRETING THE DEITY
I
CONCERNING TOBACCO
THE BEE
TAMING THE BICYCLE
IS SHAKESPEARE DEAD?
I
II
III
FACTSIV. CONJECTURES
V
VI
VII
VIII. SHAKESPEARE AS A LAWYER[5]
IX
X. THE REST OF THE EQUIPMENT
XI
XII. IRREVERENCE
XIII