Can we learn to unlearn aggression?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of aggression in humans and its potential for unlearning or evolution beyond it. Participants explore various aspects of aggression, including its origins, societal influences, and the role of gender, as well as anecdotal experiences and observations related to aggressive behavior in both humans and animals.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that aggression is an inherent part of human nature and question whether it can be evolved past.
  • Others reference societies with no vocabulary for war, indicating that they may have been trained in aggression during wartime but returned to non-aggressive behaviors afterward.
  • A participant shares personal experiences with aggressive sports and the training of dogs, noting that aggression can be a controlled choice rather than a response to threats.
  • There are claims regarding the differences in aggressive behavior between male and female dogs, with some asserting that female dogs are more aggressive and cause more serious injuries.
  • One participant argues that aggression in young men is a significant issue for humanity, while another counters that male contributions to progress should also be acknowledged.
  • Definitions of aggression are discussed, highlighting its various interpretations and implications in different contexts, including personal and societal levels.
  • Some participants mention the historical context of aggression and its perceived decline in modern society, referencing changes in media portrayals and legislation against domestic violence.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the nature and implications of aggression, with no clear consensus reached. There are competing perspectives on whether humanity is becoming more peaceful and the role of gender in aggressive behavior.

Contextual Notes

Some claims rely on anecdotal evidence or personal experience rather than formal studies, and definitions of aggression vary among participants, which may affect the clarity of the discussion.

  • #31
mheslep said:
The guy who kills the bear instead of hanging in the cave, or moves the tribe to hopefully better ground, is the higher *risk* taker than his peers, and perhaps uses some aggression to coerce peers to help out. He then gets his risk taking genes into the next generation by further aggression against his peers competing for mates, as does in the alpha in whatever species. Granted that aggression has to have an off switch, either internal or some kind or via some point of rebellion in the members of the pack, or the pack/tribe doesn't last long.
Agression and risk taking aren't the same thing.
 
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  • #32
houlahound said:
Or the less aggressive smart guy invents traps, weapons and trains semi domesticated wolves to hunt with and kills 10 bears with minimal risk and the ladies think he is more breed worthy because of it.

Perhaps the aggressive smart guys does these things instead. I don't think intelligence and aggression are directly related to each other.
 
  • #33
Drakkith said:
Perhaps the aggressive smart guys does these things instead. I don't think intelligence and aggression are directly related to each other.
When I was in college there was a saying that I heard many times: "The more angry someone becomes, the less sense they make."

In my experience it has always proven true. I don't think it would be too hard to design a study to test it, either.
 
  • #34
zoobyshoe said:
When I was in college there was a saying that I heard many times: "The more angry someone becomes, the less sense they make."

In my experience it has always proven true. I don't think it would be too hard to design a study to test it, either.

That's anger, not aggression.
 
  • #35
Drakkith said:
I don't think intelligence and aggression are directly related to each other.

perhaps not if you are talking strictly about physical aggression.

I consider it self evident that anyone pushing at the frontiers of knowledge, in particular physics, is an extreme outlier in terms of intellectual aggression starting from Giordano Bruno, Galileo...and also Darwin.

given the times these guys lived in they had nerves of steel and some serious aggressive minds and courageous hearts.
 
  • #36
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  • #37
houlahound said:
perhaps not if you are talking strictly about physical aggression.

No one seems to be talking about aggression at all, nor is there such thing as intellectual aggression in this context. Please don't make up stuff when there are perfectly good definitions available, especially when they've been posted in-thread.

This thread fails to meet PF standards and will remain locked.
 

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