Are Humans Inherently Violent?

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Are Humans Inherently Violent? Human history and evolution has been shaped by war, aggression, rage, and violence. Biological anthropologists are still seeking out information to this day trying to decide on whether humans are inherently violent. Some biological anthropologists, such as Richard Wrangham and Dale Peterson, believe that humans and chimpanzees are very closely related species. So this correlates with humans having a very aggressive violent past dealing with defending territories, sexual selection, and natural selection. On the other hand, biological anthropologist, Robert Sussman “rejects the theory that human aggression is an inherited propensity, arguing instead that violence is a product of culture and upbringing” (Sussman, 15-16). Humans are a much more established than any other species, we learn from what we surround ourselves with. Therefore, humans are not inherently violent. Human aggression is all based off of our great ape ancestors. Although researchers have proven that the separation of humans and great apes took place only 15-20 million years ago, anthropologists still believe that “patterns of aggression were environmentally determined and culturally learned behaviors, not inherited characteristics” (Sussman, 27). One great key point that Sussman brings up in his argument is hunting. If it wasn’t for species hunting for food, we all wouldn’t exist today. Hunting is a natural way of life, there is no aggression behind it, and it is just a part of natural selection. Raymon Dart was one of the first people to discover the past of hunting through our ancient ancestors. He began researching australopithecines, initially thinking they were scavengers. He later on found out from fragmented and damaged bones that this species used tools to butcher and eat their prey (Sussman, 29). Species worked with what they had to gain food then, and we

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