Is Anyone Born Evil? Nature Vs Nurture
Nurture
Side Score: 12
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Nature
Side Score: 14
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Although the vast vast majority of people considered bad in this world got that way through many factors I do indeed think it's possible (and possible for any animal of any species) to literally come from birth a completely wicked monster. So, it's mostly nurture, but it's not impossible to be simply nature. Side: Nurture
No one becomes who they are without having been exposed to environmental stimuli, and that stimuli fundamentally affects personality and behavior. A base genetic disposition is, of course, necessary. But on its own disposition is rather limited. That being said, no one is actually "evil". A better question might be: are we born to regard others as evil, or nurtured into it? Side: Nurture
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I told him the same thing, that before an accurate and helpful response can be offered, the term "evil" should be defined. However, for the sake of brevity here on this thread, I answered his question as if the term meant somebody who committed acts that the majority of our accepted and normal society, and its laws, would consider to be "evil." Such as historical tyrants like Hitler and Stalin and Pot, as well as serial killers/sociopaths like Bundy; Gein; Richard Ramirez, et al. Surely nobody interested in discussing the idea of "evil" in the world would disagree that all those guys fit the bill, for all intents and purposes. IN a clinical or academic setting, sure, we would need to define the word better, but for here on CD, I think my list of examples is just fine. SS Side: Nurture
Can people be born evil? Barring any usually medical condition I would say no. I've yet to see babies in diapers packing a sidearm or sporting a hunting knife just waiting for chance to do their parents in. Usually something took place in the child's life and it effected them, since we're not all the same beings things effect us differently. Some people can weather a storm and some can not. Jeffery Dahmer: (Parents: Joyce & Lionel) but the crack’s in the marriage started to show early. There were constant fights between Joyce and Lionel Dahmer and Jeffrey took each of these fights to heart. Columbine shooter's mother: 'I felt that I was a good mom,' shocked by teen son's actions It's not hard to see how someone can change after harassment or on going harassment . Charles Manson was an unplanned, illegitimate child born to a 16-year-old mother, Kathleen Maddox. The young girl could not cope with her son and often left baby Charles with his grandmother or aunt. West Virginia while his mother was in jail for auto theft, but the couple were fervently religious and very strict. After the freedom he had had with his mother, he found this regime difficult to abide, and was constantly in and out of boys’ homes and detention centres. [ Here again the person's life was impacted ] * Their are other factors to consider as well still I feel people aren't born to do evil (evil is defined in the dictionary) Side: Nurture
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Having observed people from the same family who were exposed to the same conditions of upbringing I noted in a number of instances where one of the offspring in a number of families turned out to be a callious murderer whilst their siblings grew up to be normal decent law abiding citizens. I'm convinced that notorious killers such as Jack the Ripper and Ted Bundy were born with a predisposition to commit acts of horrendous evil. Side: Nature
There is no such thing as a controlled environment for upbringing, so no two siblings go through the same environmental stimuli as one another. Nor is household environment the only stimuli a person is exposed to growing up. By your account, genetically identical twins should have no significant variance in personality, interests, or behavior; this is quite obviously not the case. One must have a genetic predisposition towards certain behavior, but environmental stimulation is at least equally important to triggering that disposition into active behavior. (The necessity of both is why nature vs. nurture is an outdated frame of reference.) Side: Nurture
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No one said that it is possible to have identical nurturing conditions. Through your own stupidity you have created a strawman argument. The point was that the environments and other elements of the upbringing of many individual and groups of murderers contained significantly more constants than variables, including being taught the values along with the religious and political dogma of their parents. There is no way environmental conditions can be considered on equal terms with the existence of a congenital genetic disorder which leads people to committing crimes such as the ''The Moors Murders'' as perpetrated by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley who sexually abused 5 children then killed and buried their young victims. This is only one instance of many 1000s such occurrences throughout the world over the centuries where the 'butchers' were clearly born with a predispositional bloodlust. Having been born and reared in the backstreets of Belfast I was able to observe first hand how the parents of many large families of 6 or more, spawned only one of their offspring who had the psychopathic tendencies which led them become a mass murdering terrorist while the remaining family members looked on in horror. Anyone who suggests that these types of psychopaths were not born with a rogue, blood lust gene is either delusional or simply a complete idiot with mad dog's shit for brains. Side: Nature
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You have to define what "EVIL" means. To man, evil means something like killing someone or a cute puppy. To God, evil is anything that is opposite to the nature of God. So are we born evil? In our nature, we are born with SIN, which technically means evil, because sin does not exist in God's nature. But are babies born with the urge to suddenly kill the doctor and the parent who just delivered you? Obviously no. So it all depends on what you define as EVIL because evil is not what you think it means (killing sweet puppies). Side: Nature
Well, if this were in one of my college Psych or Biology classes I would first ask you to define what you mean be the word "evil." But for the purpose of this post, I am gonna tell you that the answer to your question is.................."both." That is, it can be nature (a person born with genetic abnormalities in the brain, causing a chemical imbalance), or "nurture." A person can be born normal in all psychological aspects, but, because of being subjected to extreme cruelty or abuse or neglect as a child, can have his psych and emotional mindset altered in such a way as to cause him to "act out" in a manner that normal society deems to be "evil." So..there is no one silver bullet answer here. Like with serial killers; Sociopaths and psychopaths. It can be both nature AND nurture, or one of the two. That being said, there ARE a few common childhood indicators that the majority of psychopathic killers seem to share. It's so common among guys like Bundy; Gein; Ramirez; the BTK guy, as well as many others less known, that it is downright uncanny. It's called the "serial killer triad." Seems many of these guys have three things in common in regards to their childhood histories: bed wetting; arson; and cruelty to small animals. But....also, most of these guys share a "nurture" common trait as well! They are very commonly from single parent homes, comprised of a non-existent father and a stern and domineering--as well as religiously zealous--mother. Or a mother figure with the same traits, like an aunt or a grandma. Interesting shit, eh? SS Side: Nature
Let's be honest........... There is absolutely no proof for the existence or ANY gods. There IS much proof of humans doing evil in the world. There IS proof that some of these people are born with genetic pre-dispositions and chemical imbalances in their brains that can be causes for their evil actions. There is also much documented proof that many people who have done evil were raised in dysfunctional homes, and were themselves victims of evil and/or abuse or neglect. Thus...there is proof that both the "nature" and "nurture" theories explaining evil have some merit. Either by themselves, but usually in combination. Thus.....non-proven and purely speculated gods have no business in a discussion of evil, which instead must include psychological, sociological, and biological factors. Only god is good is a groundless claim that explains nothing and contributes nothing useful to this debate. SS Side: Nurture
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