(May 24, 2017 at 2:39 pm)Shell B Wrote:(May 24, 2017 at 1:33 pm)Kernel Sohcahtoa Wrote: Do you think that the basis for humans finding reasons for hurting one another lies in the way people choose to think and act; or can such behavior be attributed to human nature or a combination of nature and choice?
That's an extraordinarily deep question that I'm not sure I know the answer to. I think it's probably a combination of human nature and choice. We know for certain that there are primal parts of our brain that tend to be more impusive/violent. Therefore, it is in our nature. This is controlled to some degree by other parts of our brain that curb our impulsivity. They don't always work or are overridden by extreme emotions/situations. Then, of course, there are those of us who choose, quite calculatingly, to be violent. It is always a means to end, be it to satisfy a homicidal urge or to gain the economic/social high ground. I'd even go as far as to say humans are exceptionally prone to this behavior compared to the rest of the animal kingdom. Sure, a monkey might beat another monkey to death in a fight (not sure on this, but you know where I'm going), but do they stage global wars? In this way, we are special, just not in the way the religions that believe in the Biblical god think we are.
Animals like tigers are known to kill systematically; even if a need like hunger didn't exist.
For humans; vengeance is another reason not present in your analysis. Payback; satisfaction through inflicting damage on others just like the actor got their share of pain.
Bullied children tend to be bullies themselves when they grow. A molested child might be more likely to develop pedophilia during puberty and later on.
Even in science; it's as simple as "every action has an equal reaction". A law that I think is pretty applicant to humanity.
