|
|
Re: Is Humanity Inherently Violent?
raftery@nicad3.nic.bc.ca
9 May 94 23:32:14 -0800
In article <1994May4.111426.1@clstac>, bpwarner@csupomona.edu writes:
>
> I would like to pose a question to this newsgroup...
> Is humankind inherently non-violent and/or non-agressive?
>
> Recently a professor at the college that I attend, adressed this point
> claiming that humanity is inherently "good" - by this he ment socialy
> productive (peaceful, etc.) From my understanding however, the fossil record
> shows evidence of warfare in the stages of Homo Erectus and Neanderthal - as
> well as canabolism.
>
> However, my knowledge of modern human tribal organization is quite poor. In
> the most egaltarian of societies, I would tend to presume that acts of murder,
> rape, and other non-social tendancies would be prevalent - perhaps not to the
> extent as they are in modern Am
>
Now, THIS is a lot more fun!
You're reviving the old argument between Lewis Leakey and
Raymond Dart about the origins of man's social behaviour!
I think that's a lot more promising as a subject than AAH.
Richard Leakey's "People of the Lake" (about his studies
of the site at lake Turkana) argues that cooperation as
a human ethic MUST antedate competition. Let's hear more..
Kevin Raftery
|