1. How would the nature vs. nurture debate be affected by the changing character in war that we have seen in the last 50-60 years?

Question 1

What is the nature vs. nurture debate in relation to violence?

Answer 1

The argument that either we are predisposed to act violently as it is part of our genetic makeup vs. the argument that violence is socially learnt through things such as a countries norms or even media displays of violence on a TV.

Question 2

Define violence

Answer 2

Violence: An action or structural arrangement which results in physical or mental harm against one or more persons

Question 3

Define conflict

Answer 3

An incompatibility between two or more groups that involves a threat to at least one actor’s needs or interests.

Question 4

How has war changed over the last 50-60 years?

Answer 4

• Move from Interstate to intrastate
• Move from traditional motivations (territory, economic) to religious reasonings (arguably cannot begin a war alone)
• Introduction of HI and HR’s -> Non-intervention and sovereignty redefined
• Increase in empathy and morality amongst the ‘West’

Question 5

What would be an overview of how violence has changed in the last 4,000 years?

Answer 5

• Cavemen and Middle Ages hugely violent (Middle ages seemed to enjoy it)
• Rapid decline of violence
• Introduction of state system + Laws
• Multilateral overarching international systems (Concert of Europe, UN, EU)
• Positive sum game (both benefit from lack of war)

Question 6

What are the key theories and theorists you will use?

Answer 6

Nature:

• Zimbardo: Stanford Prison Experiment
• Lorenz: Genetic
• Gurr: Frustration-Aggression

Nurture:

• Margaret Meade: Primitive societies
• Bandura: Bobo Doll
• Seville Statement
• Milgram: Obedience shock experiment
• Asch: Conformity Line Test

Question 7

How would the NATURE argument attempt to explain the current goings on in war?

Answer 7

• It is not that we are not innately violent, just that society has restrained this violence through IO’s such as the UN and peacekeeping missions which are now global

Question 8

How would the NURTURE argument attempt to explain the current goings on in war?

Answer 8

• Due to how we see war as being today, with the massive decrease in violence and a focus on religious values there is obviously a decline in violent tendencies and war themselves as we are socially learning that it is bad

Question 9

What are the 3 types of violence?

Answer 9

Individual Violence:
- Inflicting violence upon an individual

Institutional Violence:

• Non-interpersonal
• Carried out by agents from groups

Example: Police brutality in the U.S. => This is not done interpersonally, rather; it is carried out on certain groupings

Structural Violence:
- The entire structure produces violence through individual and institutional means

Example: Workers within a factory not being able to obtain their basic needs due to the structure of the factory

Question 10

Which author developed the idea of violence being in our genes and instinct and what did they argue?

Answer 10

Human Genes, Drives and Instincts (Lorenz)

• Behaviour is programmed within our genes
• Aggression is instinctive and not learnt
• Hydraulic Mechanism: build of aggressive emotion like a dam

Question 11

Which author developed the idea of violence being in direct link to Frustration and what did they argue?

Answer 11

Ted Gurr

Aggression is a product of frustration, because…

• You are unable to reach your goals (this becomes worse the closer you get to your goals)
• Unexpected occurrence of the frustration = leads to aggression

Question 12

What are the 3 functions of aggression Lorenz highlights?

Answer 12

The three functions of Aggression:
- Balancing the distribution of the species across territory: Violence and aggression pushed human beings around the planet to maximise use of planets environment

• Selection of the strongest for reproduction to carry strong genes
• To defend the young one must be strong

Question 13

What did Bandura learn from his studies?

Answer 13

Social Learning and Conditioning
(Bobo Doll test by Bandura)

• Children reproduce adult behaviour
• Therefore violence in humans is LEARNED
• War: Individuals fight not in some cases for ‘Democracy’ or even their country, it may be to not let your GROUP/TEAM/SQUAD/PLATOON down.

Question 14

What are the basic arguments of Hobbes in his ‘State of Nature’?

Answer 14

We are wolves to each other. We wish for alpha. We are not the same animal that Aristotle spoke of. No morality. Hobbes believed there was no higher telos.

• The rise of modern individualism: Hobbes
• From desires and aversions to the social contract
• From natural rights to human rights

Question 15

What are key differences between the West and the Middle East?

Answer 15

• Democracy vs. Non-democratic (LDPT)
• Economic stability vs Not
• Religion overrides Human Rights
• Institutions vs. Weak (EU, UN, Economic trade)

Question 16

Main argument
Nature?
Counter?

Answer 16

Nature: that institutions set up over the last 50-60 years post-world war 2 such as the EU have shackled the Western Worlds innate lust for aggression through integration. These institutions have developed a moral compass which has helped us control our aggressive tendencies

That is why we see more violence in the East, a place whereby these institutions still lack the power to control them; although it is beginning with R2P and the loss of state sovereignty.

Counter: if the urging to become violent was so strong and innately within us then surely institutions would not stop this violent nature? (LDPT = too soon?).

Margaret Meade study

Question 17

Main argument
Nurture?
Counter?

Answer 17

Nurture: As mentioned, the rapid decline in warfare evidently suggests that mankind is coming to the realisation that violence is fundamentally bad and counter productive. These violent tendencies have reduced due to social interaction and the moral

Question 18

Overview of Seville Statement?
Who?
Analysed what?
Concluded what?

Answer 18

• 20 Leading scientists from 12 different countries of numerous fields of work
• Analysed 50 scholarly workings and discussed the findings of each to decide whether man is innately violent
• Concluded that it is not in the ‘minds of men’ to be biologically violent; although genes do vary and they are not saying people are not attracted to the idea