Nature vs. Nurture: The Role of Environment in Shaping Moral Behavior

[venger]

Is there anything that can distinguish a person who likes to steal, cheat the government, etc from honest people in the way they behave or brain activity. Or is it free will to obsess? In general, what is the foundation of finding righteous and evil people?

 

[turbo]

There is an easy way to tell. People who act ethically are good, and those who do not are evil, no matter if their acts are not prosecutable under law or forbidden by moral code. Be very careful in trying to define "righteous" people because the most unspeakable crimes are often committed by people hiding under a cloak of morality and religious probity.

 

[sas3]

I remember an article that discussed the physical differences between the brains of normal people and criminals.
I can not remember when or where I found the article but if you do a search on "brain abnormalities and criminals" you will get a lot of hits.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I remember an article that discussed the physical differences between the brains of normal people and criminals.
I can not remember when or where I found the article but if you do a search on "brain abnormalities and criminals" you will get a lot of hits.

Good google suggestion. I tried it and came up with a pretty good read on the subject here:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=33EF147A-E7F2-99DF-3696EF69D814FCFF

November 29, 2006
The Violent Brain
Violent behavior never erupts from a single cause. Rather it appears to result from a complex web of related factors, some genetic and others environmental.

 

[raolduke]

I wouldn’t believe so... Well not noticeably different. I don't think you would be able to see a physical difference in brain matter or brain shape due to actions that an individual has taken. Though because of drug use, or brain damage the shape of the brain may be different and this may result in lack of judgments/ideas.

 

[corra]

a mind is shaped by circumstances.
if you are a good person who helps those less fortunate and lead a good life...
do not be too proud of that. Its mostly the social situations and environment that shapes you.

here is an example.
identical twins are split at birth. 1 goes to a loving, caring family which lives in a good neighborhood.
the other twin is brought up in a poor family with abuse both mentally and physically from his foster parents. he lives in a high crime area.

thinking like this you can easily picture 1 of them as a successfull person and the other a hardened criminal.