Conservative Fundamentals - Human Nature - NATURE

Conserva)ve Fundamentals Views on Human Nature

Željko Zidarić Civic Innova)on Incubator March 30, 2014

I inkubator

Human Nature

1 2 3 4 5

Good vs. Bad

Vision for Society

Need for Control

Personal Values Six

Part

Ser

ies

Program Fundamentals 6

Obj

ectiv

e Know WHY you believe

WHAT you believe.

Extra Are Poli)cal Orienta)ons Gene)cally TransmiNed? hNp://www.apsanet.org/imgtest/gene)csapsr0505.pdf Reasons why people are evil hNp://listverse.com/2013/05/23/10-‐reasons-‐humans-‐are-‐naturally-‐evil/ hNp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/18/20-‐psychological-‐studies-‐_n_4098779.html Nature vs Nurture The authors stress that environmental factors s)ll maNer; people can act against gene)c predisposi)ons, and genes most likely interact with the environment. For example, gene)cists have found a specific gene that is related to depression-‐-‐but it only causes depression when it interacts with high-‐stress events. Gene)c predisposi)ons most likely interact with environmental factors in similar ways. Genes and Poli)cs: A New Explana)on and Evalua)on of Twin Study hNp://portal.idc.ac.il/he/schools/government/research/documents/shultziner.pdf

Video Index

Introduc=on •  Fundamental Difference •  Nature vs Nurture •  Poli)cal Programs

Part 2 – NURTURE •  Nature of Philosophy •  A Very Old Debate •  Spiritual Development •  Progressive Thinkers •  Conserva)ve Thoughts •  Modern Conserva)ves •  Scien)fic Thoughts

Part 1 – NATURE •  Gene)c Memory •  Evolu)on •  Triune Brain •  Empathy and Mirror Neurons •  Intellectual Development

Conclusion •  My gut feel •  Think for yourself

Human Nature��Part 1��NATURE – The Brain

I inkubator

Human Nature - Definition

General psychological characteris)cs, feelings, and behavioral traits of humankind, regarded as shared by all humans.

Dis)nguishing characteris)cs, including ways of thinking, feeling and ac)ng, that humans tend to have naturally, independently of the influence of culture.

Fundamental Difference

We are a blank slate

-  Malleable –

EMBRACE perfectibility Progressives Collectivists Socialists

Conservatives Individualists

Classical Liberals P C

We are born with an

innate nature��

REJECT perfectibility

Fundamental Difference

Conservatives Individualists

Classical Liberals C

We are born with an

innate nature��

REJECT perfectibility

Born Bad •  selfishness + Born Good •  Love •  Generosity •  empathy

Nature vs Nurture Debate

How much is our nature determined by the gene)c – the biological?

How much is our nature determined by society, culture and educa)on?

How, or, can we change our nature?

Blank Slate

Noble Savage

Approaches to Human Nature Progressive Nurture

Conserva)ve Nature

Philosoph

y Psycho

logy

Behaviorism All behavior is condi)oned by environment

Cogni=ve Mental

structures changed by environment

Humanism Maslow needs

Society influences self

concept

Psychoanalysis Innate drives Childhood

development

Biological Gene)c, hormonal,

neuro-‐chemical

Postmodernism No such thing

as human nature

Existen=al Clean slate We decide

Roman=c Born good but society corrupts

Tradi=onal Born bad but want to be good

* *

Good vs Bad Debate

Ongoing debate What is good? What is bad?

Good = Selflessness? Bad = Selfishness?

Subjec)ve terms Who decides?

Good

Bad

Can man become perfect?

No

Yes

Can man become perfect on his own?

No

Yes

Conserva)ve philosophy – Imperfectability

Progressive philosophy -‐ Perfec)bility

Help develop perfect man Via educa)on and control -‐ “For his own good”

Accept man for what he is -‐ tolerate what is -‐ strong laws

Leave man alone

C

P

Perfectibility of Man

Utopia IS NOT possible

Utopia IS

possible

CONFLICT

Roadmap Development

1.  Clear current state 2.  Desired end state 3.  Gap Analysis exercise 4.  Priori)ze the findings 5.  Op)mum sequence 6.  Publish the Road Map

Current State

End State


No

Yes


No

Yes Leave man alone



No

Yes


No

Yes

Conserva)ve philosophy – Imperfectability

Accept man for what he is -‐ tolerate what is -‐ strong laws

Leave man alone

C


Utopia IS NOT possible


No

Yes


No

Yes

Progressive philosophy -‐ Perfec)bility

Help develop perfect man Via educa)on and control -‐ “For his own good”

Leave man alone

C

P


Utopia IS

possible


No

Yes


No

Yes

Leave man alone

C

P

Perfectibility of Man Utopia IS NOT possible

Utopia IS

possible

CONFLICT

I inkubator Human Nature��

Part 1��NATURE – The Brain

Blank Slate Progressives

Human Nature

Conserva)ves

Newborn Individuals

Programmed Behaviors

Graphic by Igor Morski

Evolution

We are familiar with “Ins)nct” •  Reac)ons happen automa)cally •  Where do they come from?

Gene)c Memory •  BIOS of the brain? •  Common experiences of species •  Jung: "collec4ve unconscious”. •  Discussed for over 150 years

and not yet discredited Selfishness = Evolu)onary survival trait

Family > Neighbors

Genetic Memory

Jung’s Collective Unconscious

You Me Conscious

Subconscious

Unconscious

Human Psyche

Sea of Collec)ve Unconscious

6,000 Years ago

80,000 Years ago

250,000 Years ago

1 million Years ago

3 million Years ago

2 million Years ago

Australopithecus H Habilis

H Erectus

H Neanderthal

Homo Sapiens

Civiliza)on

Brain Size

600 cm3

1200 cm3

Great Leap

Forw

ard

Brain Expansion

850 cm3 1000 cm3

1350 cm3

1500 cm3

1500 cm3

1200 cm3

2 million Years of Brain Evolution

Homo

1250 cm3

Human Development

6,000 Years ago

80,000 Years ago

250,000 Years ago

1 million Years ago

3 million Years ago

2 million Years ago


H Erectus H Neanderthal

Homo Sapiens

Civiliza)on

Brain Size

600 cm3

1200 cm3

Great Leap

Forw

ard

Brain Expansion

850 cm3 1000 cm3

1350 cm3

1500 cm3

1500 cm3

1200 cm3 Ho

mo

1250 cm3


6,000 Years ago

80,000 Years ago

250,000 Years ago

1 million Years ago

3 million Years ago

2 million Years ago


H Erectus

H Neanderthal

Homo Sapiens

Civiliza)on

Brain Size

600 cm3

1200 cm3

Great Leap

Forw

ard

Brain Expansion

850 cm3 1000 cm3

1350 cm3

1500 cm3

1500 cm3

1200 cm3 Ho

mo

1250 cm3


Responsibility

for survival You eat the bear, or …. the bear eats you.

Man vs. Caveman

Compe))ve Aggressive Promiscuous

Rep=lian Brain -‐ Gut 250 million years old (full dev) Primi)ve Brain – self preserva)on dominance, aggression, territoriality React to danger – fight or flight

Triune Brain - Parts Human Brain -‐ Head Start developing 3 m years ago Neocortex – Intellectual Tasks Social interac)ons, Culture

Mammalian Brain -‐ Heart Start developing 150 m years ago Limbic System – Emo)ons Value judgments An)cipate danger

Consciou

s White Brain

Subcon

scious

Grey Brain

Neuroscien)st Paul D. MacLean, 1960s

Triune Brain

Neuroscien)st Paul D. MacLean, 1960s

1 2 3


Triune Brain - Reptilian

1


Triune Brain - Mammalian

Mammalian Brain -‐ Heart Start developing 150 m years ago Limbic System – Emo)ons An)cipate danger

2


Triune Brain - Human Human Brain -‐ Head Start developing 3 m years ago Neocortex – Intellectual Tasks Social interac)ons, Culture


3


Triune Brain Human Brain -‐ Head Start developing 3 m years ago Neocortex – Intellectual Tasks Social interac)ons, Culture


Consciou

s White Brain

Subcon

scious

Grey Brain

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Physiological

Safety

Social

Esteem

SA

White Brain

Grey Brain

Warmth, Sleep, Sex Air, Water, Food, Shelter

Family, Health, Property Security of body, employment and resources

Belonging, Friendship, Family

Affec)on, Sexual In)macy

Self-‐Esteem, Confidence,

Achievement, Respect

Personal Growth, Fulfillment

Morality, Crea)vity, Spontaneity Thrive

Survive

Triune Brain - Hierarchy

Act 30 ms

Feel

Think 250-‐500 ms

Reac)on to External s=mulus

Act -‐> Feel -‐ > Think Reac)on to internal s=mulus

Feel -‐> Think -‐> Act

React rashly = Feel -‐> Act

MIND -‐ ra)onal part of the soul is like the head.

SPIRITEDNESS – Noble -‐ hot blood in the heart

Mind

APPETITES – Ignoble -‐ the belly and genitals

Plato’s Tri-Partite Soul - 380 BC

Spiritedness Appe)tes

Allegory of the Chariot

Charioteer tries to keep horses in snc

•  Id = our old biological ins)ncts transformed in the name of civiliza)on •  Primal desires – your wild child •  “I want it now!”

•  Ego = execu)ve mediator

•  Reason + self control – grown up self •  “I need to make a plan”

•  Superego = internalized ideals •  Quest for perfec)on – philosophical •  “You can’t have it, it is not right”

Freud’s Structural Model - 1920

Ego

Id Superego

Human nature is essen)ally in conflict

Conscious Preconscious

Unconscious

“Bad” Reptilian

“Good” – Mirror Neurons

What’s in it for me?! Selfishness = Survival

ME ME

Empathy is the ability to experience the emo)ons of someone else as their own.

Men’s Mirror Neurons

Add Oxytocin The love drug Morality molecule ancient molecule in the human brain, oxytocin, makes us feel empathy for others and causes us to behave morally. My experiments have shown that 95 percent of the thousands of people I have studied release oxytocin when they receive a posi)ve social signal. And then there is peNy evil. High stress inhibits oxytocin release and makes us temporary psychopaths. We know that we are not our best selves when we are stressed out. Stress narrows one's focus to oneself and we cease being socially competent. Ac)ons we call "virtuous" or "moral" are those that put another's needs on par, or above, one's own: honesty, trustworthiness, compassion, fairness. Oxytocin does this by subtly changing the self-‐other balance towards caring about another's well-‐being. My experiments have shown this both by measuring oxytocin release in blood aver an act of kindness and by manipula)ng oxytocin levels in human brains to show that oxytocin directly causes virtuous behaviors. Yes, there is a moral molecule.

From the content of our genes, the nature of our neurons and the lessons of evolu)onary biology, it has become clear that nature is filled with compe))on and conflicts of interest. Humanity did not come before status contests. Status contests came before humanity, and are embedded deep in human rela)ons. People in hunter-‐gatherer socie)es were deadly warriors, not sexually liberated pacifists. As Steven Pinker has put it, Hobbes was more right than Rousseau. hNp://www.co-‐intelligence.org/newsleNer/Conserva)smAndEvolu)on.html

! WARNING !

Severe Poli=cal

Incorrectness Ahead

Gene)cs and Individualism

hNp://geert-‐hofstede.com

Individualists are mo)vated by self-‐improvement rather than by the approval or respect from others.

I > We Individualism


Masculinity is about compe))on with success defined by winning. Femininity is about caring + quality of life>

Win > Care Masculinity


Extent to accept that power is distributed unequally. High score indicates people accept centraliza)on and being told what to do.

Small > Big Power Distance

European Haplogroup Distribution

R1b-‐U106 I2a2

European Haplogroup Distribution

I2a1 R1a

IQ and Gene)cs

Controversial IQ has gene)c correla)on IQ has real world ramifica)ons What other gene)c effects?

Wealth and IQ of Na=ons Lynn, Vanhanen (2002)

Wealth and IQ of Na)ons (2002)

Controversial IQ has gene)c correla)on IQ has real world ramifica)ons What other gene)c effects?

Colonization of Americas What did the colonizers bring with them?

English = Canada + USA •  Individualist + prosperous

Spanish = Mexico + South •  Collec)vist + developing

French = Quebec

Argen)na -‐Immigrants •  Italian = 2.3m •  Spanish = 2.1 m •  German = 1.6m

Summary - NATURE

1. 2 m years of brain evolution 2. Genetic memory 3. Genetics and cultural values 4. Jung’s collective unconscious 5. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs 6. Babies with personalities 7. Mirror neurons 8. Triune brain Do you think there is a

nature based “human nature” that we are born with?

Are you any smarter than one of Socrates’ students 2420 years ago in Athens?

I have no faith in human perfec4bility. I think that human exer4on will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more ac4ve -‐ not more happy -‐ nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago.

― Edgar Allan Poe

Conservative Thought

6,000 Years ago

80,000 Years ago

250,000 Years ago

1 million Years ago

3 million Years ago

2 million Years ago


H Erectus

H Neanderthal

Homo Sapiens

Brain Size

600 cm3

1200 cm3

Great Leap

Forw

ard

Brain Expansion 850 cm3

1000 cm3

1350 cm3

1500 cm3

1500 cm3

1200 cm3


Homo

1250 cm3

Civiliza)on

Intellectual Development

Has humanity had any intellectual and moral development over the last 3,000 years? Probably not We know more about the material world – but do we know how ��to think any better? Still trying to figure these guys out!

427 – 347 BC 469 – 399 BC 384 – 322 BC

Intellectual Development

We are no smarter today than 6,000 years ago. Imperfect people •  Imperfect processing •  Lack of data

•  Can’t create perfect solu)on

Conserva=ves are suspicious of Progressive ambi=ons and solu=ons

*

Human Nature��Part 1��NATURE – The Brain

I inkubator

END

Conservative Fundamentals - Human Nature - NATURE

Documents

Transcript of Conservative Fundamentals - Human Nature - NATURE