Re: The Nature of Man
Elliot Temple <[email protected]>
| Newsgroups | gmane.science.physics.fabric-of-reality |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
On Nov 17, 2012, at 2:32 PM, Jeffrey S. Owens <[email protected]> wrote: >> None of our (inborn) instincts are evil. They are ***all*** good. For >> example, the inborn idea of crying when hungry or otherwise >> uncomfortable. >> >> > --Is that true? I think we can see quite a bit of "evil" instincts, namely > the propensity for physical violence. Children lash out when they are > angry. Its almost as if that instinct has to be unlearned, as humans are > socialized over time. Even though we invest a lot toward controlling it, > violence is still pervasive. If a child does something, that does not make it an instinct (or genetic or inborn). If something is common, that does not make it an instinct (or genetic or inborn). A counter example for both is saying the words "I love you mom". Commonly done by children, not an instinct. If something is pervasive despite attempts to control it, that does not make it an instinct (or genetic or inborn). A counter example is bad philosophy, which is pervasive, despite attempts towards controlling it, but which is not an instinct. So your arguments are no good. Do you now understand this in the general case? -- Elliot Temple http://curi.us/