Final answer:
Alexander Pope, in his poem 'An Essay on Man,' suggests that human limitations and weaknesses are part of a larger divine plan that we cannot fully understand. He believes everything in nature is part of a universal good and harmony. This view aligns with Augustine’s and Irenaeus’ thoughts about the human condition's role in spiritual development.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alexander Pope, in An Essay on Man, addresses the question of human limitations with the suggestion that the complexity and larger order of the universe is beyond our full understanding. Pope hints that the world is designed in a perfect system by a divine creator and that what seems like human weakness and limited perception is a part of this grand scheme. In the grand scale of the universe, each part has its place, and man's perceived imperfections serve a role in the divine order.
He elucidates that all nature is akin to art, obscured to human understanding, suggesting that perceived chaos or evil is actually a part of universal good and harmony that humans cannot fully comprehend due to their limited senses. Pope's final argument rests on the idea that whatever exists is crafted with the right reason, whether or not it aligns with human judgment or logic, encapsulating his view in the line, "whatever is, is right."
Addressing similar philosophical queries, Augustine blamed the weaknesses in humanity on the fall from Eden, suggesting that evil is a result of human actions, and evil exists to facilitate 'soul-making' or spiritual development. Irenaeus also supports the idea of developmental and teleological soul-making, where God is shaping souls toward divine love and spiritual life. Pope's poem resonates with these ideas of a more refined purpose for mankind's weaknesses and limitations, but without focusing solely on the concept of suffering or evil as a path to spiritual improvement.