Are humans naturally violent?

Hi all. I was wondering if humans are naturally violent??
I would like to discuss whether we humans are naturally violent, or whether we humans learn violence.I do not want to discuss it in a religion perspective. but rather in psychology terms. thxs..What do you think?? i would like to hear both sides; the proposition as well as opposition

As a parent, my observation would be that we are naturally violent, and we learn non-violence.In my opinion, we are also naturally socializable, and we learn to be non-violent as part of the process of socialization. However, it seems to me that intense frustration tends to bring out some underlying violent tendencies.

In more primitive societies around the world, the ones which might be considered closest to our natural state (if that has any meaning) are significantly more violent than modern societies. Even cities such as LA or Johanesburg have far lower rates of violence than typical hunter-gatherers who's mortality rate among males resulting from violence averages around 30% and varies between 10% and 60% depending on the group studied. This strongly suggests to me that, yes, humans are naturally violent.

Hi, lilfortuna.What are the options? Could we be unnaturally violent? We surely have a native capacity for violence, but as nwr points out, we also have a native capacity for socialization; the emergence of our intelligence and culture almost certainly required a high degree of social tolerance, which we also see in the other great apes.We won't change human nature anytime soon, if ever, but we can leverage our intelligence, and capacity for culture and social tolerance, to minimize the occasions of violence.Check out this message, Orangutan Tool Use & Social Tolerance. There is a link there to research (and a recent book) that sheds some light on the importance of social tolerance to our cultural evolution.

im having a debate this coming week where the notion is "are humans naturally violent? and im in the opposition party..

i would say that humans are naturally violent and that we have falsely created a world where violence is anathema. i think this is as a result of the degree of violence we participate in as a 'civilized' race. really though. you need to define your terms, because i assure you every single person who has responded has a different definition for violence.read this book.
the third chimpanzee demonstrates the natural precedence of almost all human behavior. don't mean we got it from them, just that we aren't the only ones.

i would say that humans are naturally not violent. but rather we are by nature emotional people. cos what causes us to be violent? being provoked, angry, greed and etc which causes us to be violent. the natural feeling to be angry, greed n etc are the reason why we use violent. so doesnt tht show tht we are not violent by nature.. but rather emotional which leads to violent...

So are you saying that we are not naturally violent but that we ARE naturally emotional? Are you saying that people provoking us cause us to react violently?Are you suggesting that violence is not an emotion but, rather, a learned behavior?This message has been edited by Phat, 12-01-2005 09:01 AM

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Nature is an infinite sphere of which the center is everywhere and the circumference nowhere.
Pensées (1670)We arrive at truth, not by reason only, but also by the heart.
Pensées (1670)Heb 4:12-13-- For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Holy Spirit--speaking through the Apostle Paul

yes that is what im saying... feel free to debate

but what do you mean by violent. do you mean agressive physical action or defensive really really. strong definitions. you can't use the word violent in your definition.

can some1 quote what is violent from an oxford dictionary.. and anyway it is VIOLENT n not VIOLENCE. cos i guess theres abit diff in the meaning too

quote:

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I would like to discuss whether we humans are naturally violent, or whether we humans learn violence.

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Both.

sorry but i need a stand.. cos its a debate.. thxs

quote:

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Even cities such as LA or Johanesburg have far lower rates of violence than typical hunter-gatherers who's mortality rate among males resulting from violence averages around 30% and varies between 10% and 60% depending on the group studied.

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But what did they dies of? If they died from something that modern medical science would easily fix, then it isn't a fair comparison.

good nite everyone...