Can Humans Change Their Nature?

[Tim_The_Enchanter]

I define human nature as instinctual responses to environmental stimuli. Is that wrong?

 

[Chaco]

I define human nature as instinctual responses to environmental stimuli. Is that wrong?

Agreed. And no it's not wrong. Your environment has a lot to do with your nature. If your home was one where you got abused and neglected, doesn't that increase the likelyhood that you will do the same?

 

[Tim_The_Enchanter]

Agreed. And no it's not wrong. Your environment has a lot to do with your nature. If your home was one where you got abused and neglected, doesn't that increase the likelyhood that you will do the same?

Thank you. Also, that would be a condition stimuli, not an instinctual.

My definition of 'human nature" is the instinctual actions we may take in response to a situation that doesn't have to be logical, it's pre-downloaded survival instinct.

However, human nature has adapted to human society. One example of our nature that we have adapted is the alpha-male hierarchy where two males would physically fight to gain alpha-male status. In a human business setting, we don't physically fight anymore to become CEO, but we may use cut-throat business tactics in the effort to become the new CEO (or alpha-male).

 

[blazedaces]

You have a very limited view of human nature. You are convinced that human nature doesn't exist because you define it as something that cannot be affected by the environment. If we define "human nature" just as how someone acts in general (if you want to be scientific about it... take situations and record the behavior... the results are that person's "human nature").

You're right, and I agree. I think human nature should be defined as such, but I was throwing a guess to the way Tim was defining human nature (and I was right).

But, using your definition, my statement changes to the following:

Human nature is not static. It's not based on any innate variables.

Let me make clear how I think about it: humans are born with 0 instincts.

Does that make clear my stance on the issue?

Now, again, Tim, please provide evidence on your standpoint that instinctual behavior responses exist at all.

Edit: the easiest way to do this would be to find something that you think is based only on genetics (innate) and show that identical twins ALWAYS exhibit the same response.

I doubt you'll find anything, but you're welcome to surprise me.

-blazed

 

[Tim_The_Enchanter]

You're right, and I agree. I think human nature should be defined as such, but I was throwing a guess to the way Tim was defining human nature (and I was right).

But, using your definition, my statement changes to the following:

Human nature is not static. It's not based on any innate variables.

Let me make clear how I think about it: humans are born with 0 instincts.

Does that make clear my stance on the issue?

Now, again, Tim, please provide evidence on your standpoint that instinctual behavior responses exist at all.

Edit: the easiest way to do this would be to find something that you think is based only on genetics (innate) and show that identical twins ALWAYS exhibit the same response.

I doubt you'll find anything, but you're welcome to surprise me.

-blazed

I think the reason you might not be able to see my definition as believable is because you may not believe in evolution. If I'm wrong, I apologize.

It's obvious to me that we all born with general survival instincts. It's why some people have fears of the ocean. It's the reason why we look up quickly when we hear a loud airplane fly overhead. It's the reason for our fears and our hostility.

 

[blazedaces]

I think the reason you might not be able to see my definition as believable is because you may not believe in evolution. If I'm wrong, I apologize.

It's obvious to me that we all born with general survival instincts. It's why some people have fears of the ocean. It's the reason why we look up quickly when we hear a loud airplane fly overhead. It's the reason for our fears and our hostility.

People have fear of the oceans usually because of trauma they had with water at a young age (environmental influence). And we look at anything we hear when we are startled because that's how we've adapted to best cope with things around us. If we don't look in the direction of a startling noise (like when we hear a car coming our way) we'll often get hurt (like when we get hit by the car). We slowly develop patterns or beliefs that we live by to help make our lives easier.

Tim, it's really simple. Do you have actual evidence that instinctual behavior responses exist?

Please don't provide things such as heartbeat, breathing, or blinking. These are obviously instinctual, but we're not talking about instinctual reflexes such as these. We're talking about instinctual behavior responses.

-blazed

 

[arrowhead]

oops nvm


10char

 

[Tim_The_Enchanter]

People have fear of the oceans usually because of trauma they had with water at a young age (environmental influence). And we look at anything we hear when we are startled because that's how we've adapted to best cope with things around us. If we don't look in the direction of a startling noise (like when we hear a car coming our way) we'll often get hurt (like when we get hit by the car). We slowly develop patterns or beliefs that we live by to help make our lives easier.

Tim, it's really simple. Do you have actual evidence that instinctual behavior responses exist?

Please don't provide things such as heartbeat, breathing, or blinking. These are obviously instinctual, but we're not talking about instinctual reflexes such as these. We're talking about instinctual behavior responses.

-blazed

It's part of our NATURE to want to survive, reproduce and move up in social chains. Humans cannot change what is instinctual to them. Some non-human species only goal in life is to just live. Humans have changed their instinctual behaviors in order to cope with the society around them.

I am not saying humans cannot change their behavior, just that they cannot change the thoughts that make them primates.

 

[blazedaces]

It's part of our NATURE to want to survive, reproduce and move up in social chains. Humans cannot change what is instinctual to them. Some non-human species only goal in life is to just live. Humans have changed their instinctual behaviors in order to cope with the society around them.

I am not saying humans cannot change their behavior, just that they cannot change the thoughts that make them primates.

Look, I'm not saying you're not making sense.

I'm saying this is all speculation until you go and find some evidence that proves this to be true.

When you do, I'll agree with you.

-blazed

 

[manhunter098]

Well I have to say there is some level of instinct in people, otherwise we are somehow entirely different from animals, simply the fact that we have genes that affect how our brain forms means that our very pattern of thinking MUST be influenced by genes.

 

[arrowhead]

Well I have to say there is some level of instinct in people, otherwise we are somehow entirely different from animals, simply the fact that we have genes that affect how our brain forms means that our very pattern of thinking MUST be influenced by genes.

evidence?

we're not THAT different from other animals

 

[manhunter098]

evidence?

we're not THAT different from other animals

I didnt say we were that different from animals. I am pretty sure I said just the opposite. As for proving my statements. If we accept the fact that we are created via a genetic blueprint then our brain is no exception to this, and the reason it doesnt function like the brains of most animals is something that is going to be heavily influenced by genes.

 

[arrowhead]

I didnt say we were that different from animals. I am pretty sure I said just the opposite. As for proving my statements. If we accept the fact that we are created via a genetic blueprint then our brain is no exception to this, and the reason it doesnt function like the brains of most animals is something that is going to be heavily influenced by genes.

oh, well it was a little difficult to decipher the meaning from that post

but i don't see how this post is relevant to the question: "do humans have inborn instincts?"

 

[Tim_The_Enchanter]

Look, I'm not saying you're not making sense.

I'm saying this is all speculation until you go and find some evidence that proves this to be true.

When you do, I'll agree with you.

-blazed

It's not speculation. All animals have instincts, including humans.

 

[Modest_Egoist]

Tim, it's really simple. Do you have actual evidence that instinctual behavior responses exist?

Please don't provide things such as heartbeat, breathing, or blinking. These are obviously instinctual, but we're not talking about instinctual reflexes such as these. We're talking about instinctual behavior responses.

-blazed

Eating and sleeping are instinctual behaviors. Mothers have an instinctual behavior of protecting and taking care their young. It's human nature that lets the human mother to choose whether or not to follow that instinct, thats why there are good mothers and bad mothers.

It's part of our NATURE to want to survive, reproduce and move up in social chains.

Those are basic instincts, not nature.

Humans cannot change what is instinctual to them. Some non-human species only goal in life is to just live. Humans have changed their instinctual behaviors in order to cope with the society around them.

They cannot change their instincts, they can change their natures in order to cope with the society around them.

 

[Squidster]

Perhaps one may ask now if there are any irreversible affects on human nature.

The op asks the question "does the past determine the future." If someone is so heavily affected as a child from say... an unstable household that he is rude to whoever talks to him... can said person change their "human nature" and start being nice to people?

Maybe a bad example, but the question still stands, is anything irreversible (are any traits unchangeable)?

 

[lordzedd]

i would say yes, because there are traits... personality traits that have been linked to genes.

BUT those are just tendencies. ideally, with enough effort and conditioning... yeah we could change anything about ourselves

 

[Tim_The_Enchanter]

This debate has moved pretty far past speculation on the issue. A lot of things that have been discussed could be interesting to you.