Innate Tendencies
Innate tendencies are constant features, buried deeply in the human psyche.
Innate tendencies are not rigid forms but are patterns of organization that
collect individual, biographic content. Innate programs are the form and
biographical details are the content. There are two essential principles:
1. Innate tendencies are a persistent motivational force even when new
learning overrides them.
2. New learning is added to, but cannot replace old tendencies.
Recurrent patterns of behavior in human societies reveal innate tendencies.
Similarities in emotional expressions in animal and humans reveal innate
tendencies. Brain function has evolved conservatively so that old features of
the reptilian brain remain intact in modern humans and the best new features
such as detailed, declarative languages have evolved naturally by the
elaboration of older communication systems shared by many animals. The more
cognition is studied in other animals, the more obvious it is that most
"thinking" is nonverbal and is well distributed in nature. We have to assume
that at some level or other, dinosaurs were thoughtful.
Other animals may not think in the same way humans do and no other animals
rely on language, but all animals communicate using different strategies for
encoding and decoding information. Most animals are specialized for specific
environments and, if we competed on their turf, they could probably beat us in
many ways. The mind of a Bonobo, chimpanzee and gorilla exists in
our mind; we have some modifications and a few added features. Old programs
include some of our most negative qualities such as predatory and territorial
aggression and anger. Some of our most positive qualities are also innate such
as the tendency to bond, care for infants and form cooperative social units with
altruistic features. The old brain remains in control of our bodies and often
controls our minds.
The mind of a Bonobo and a chimpanzee exists in our mind;
we have some modifications and a few added features. Old programs include some
of our most negative qualities such as predatory and territorial aggression and
anger. Some of our most positive qualities are also innate such as the tendency
to bond, care for infants and form cooperative social units with altruistic
features. The old brain remains in control of our bodies and often controls our
minds. Schools have emphasized learning reading and writing, but no school is
capable of designing and installing language processors in the brain. Schools
add content to and exercise the already-existing language processors. Children
learn spoken language naturally and spontaneously but, left on their own, most
will not read and write. Human destiny as a species still lies with the programs
in the old brain. Individuals can transcend the old programs by diligent
learning and practice but individual effort and learning does not change the
genome. Whatever we value about civilized human existence - culture, knowledge,
social justice, respect for human rights and dignity must be practiced anew and
stored as modifications of each person's neocortex.
Primate behavior
Human behavior can be understood in relation to the whole
spectrum of primate behaviors and social organizations. Humans appear to have an
eclectic combination of primate tendencies with elaboration of features such as
tool making, symbolic reasoning and spoken language. Linda Stone
suggests that: “Primates are a natural grouping of mammals that includes
prosimians, tree-dwelling animals such as lemurs and tarsiers, monkeys, apes,
and humans. Some of the physical characteristics that distinguish primates from
other mammals are binocular vision and the grasping hand with mobile digits and
flat nails. Evolutionary trends characteristic of the Primate Order are most
pronounced in humans and include prolongation of gestation of the fetus,
prolongation of the period of infant care, and expansion and elaboration of the
brain. An important feature in the social life of many nonhuman primates is
dominance and the formation of "dominance hierarchies."… a dominant animal wins
aggressive encounters with others and usually has greater access to resources
such as food, water, or sexual partners.“
Schools have emphasized learning reading and writing, but no school is
capable of designing and installing language processors in the brain. Schools
add content to and exercise the already-existing language processors. Children
learn spoken language naturally and spontaneously but, left on their own, most
will not read and write.
Human destiny as a species still lies with the programs in the old brain.
Individuals can transcend the old programs by diligent learning and practice but
individual effort and learning does not change the genome. Whatever we value
about civilized human existence - culture, knowledge, social justice, respect
for human rights and dignity must be practiced anew and stored as modifications
of each person's neocortex.
