The questions: “What does it mean to be human and how might we transcend human nature?” they have been the subject of debate among philosophical and theological thinkers for centuries. In recent history, scientific discoveries have led to a revival of these ancient debates which are divided into three primary schools of thought. There are those who believe that we, like the rest of the animal kingdom, have a certain basic “programming” that determines our fundamental nature, and those who believe that human beings are born “blank slate” and that education determines who we are . The issue becomes increasingly complex for those who believe theologically that humans are spiritual creatures and that our spirituality is what defines us. However, a growing number of people who have examined these ideas have come to the conclusion that it is neither one nor the other, but a combination of nature, nurture, and spirit that defines what it means to be human. Using symbolic imagery, Maynard James Keenan, in his song, “The Humbling River,” presents this idea, metaphorically describing how this combination of forces as the sum of our fundamental nature, drives the will to power and the will to meaning, and the His song's main theme is what must be done to transcend human nature. In the song's opening verse, the singer presents the idea that human nature is a combination of forces by saying, "Nature, nurture, heaven, and home." of all and led by them" (Keenan). In this verse, the word nature metaphorically represents the biological reality that humans are animals that are part of the natural world. It also points to the scientific understanding that humans are motivated by natural biological imperatives in the same way… center of paper… “country, crown and throne.” The words wealth and muscles are the angel's response to the singer's claim that he has conquered the elements and, once again, the angel is saying that he must transcend the will to power to cross the river. Just as the angel said he must open his heart and his hands, thus looking beyond himself, she says now, the hands of many must join into one. This speaks to the “death” of the aspects of human nature that drive the will to power and meaning of individual lives and the transcendence of this nature where the individual now sees himself or herself as one with and, in love, is connected in way interdependent with the rest. of humanity which, together, rises above human nature and is reborn in the "crossing". Works Cited The Humiliating River. By Maynard James Keenan. Rec. November 10, 2009. Puscifer Entertainment, 2009. CD. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0YxeTjFn70