Violence and the Human Condition A Philosophical Exploration Through Machiavelli, Nietzsche, McCarthy’s Blood Meridian*, and Neuroscientific Insights* Table of Contents Introduction Machiavelli and the Pragmatic Foundation of Violence Political Necessity and the Calculus of Power The Roots of Fear and Control in “The Prince” Assessing Machiavellian Realism in the Modern Context Nietzsche’s Confrontation