Re: The Violence Problem

Kathryn Aegis (aegis@igc.apc.org)
Sun, 21 Dec 1997 18:52:29 +0000


David Musick:
>Anders suggests that violence comes from our deeply (biologically)
>ingrained aggressive drives. I agree with this.

I think that we have had this discussion before, but once again I
am compelled to state: Psychologists, biologists, and social
scientists are not yet ready to state definitively what 'causes'
violence, partly because it has origins in a complex of factors:
brain biology in *some* humans, cultural acceptance, the need to gain
and maintain power, and inability to control anger.

Please, could we apply the same academic rigor to this topic that we
apply to others! I've got three bookshelves on the subject,
entire libraries exist on it, and none of those scholars is willing
to make the generalized statements on the topic that are being made
here. If we decide ahead of time what 'causes' violence, then we
automatically shut off possible methods of dealing with it.

Thank you,

Kathryn Aegis