Inherently Good, or Learned?

[DantesInferno]

When humans are born, are they born with an intrinsic moral obligation to be good, or is said moral obligation imposed upon them by societal norms and conditioning? Do you believe people to be inherently good or bad?

Okay, I promise to stop thinking now...

[tazdev]

I believe that people are born inherantly indifferent and their level of morality is forced onto them by their parents.

Kids are very easily influenced when young so I believe that this is when morales are learnt.

[ragt20]

when u're born you're like an blank canvas........then as kids you absorb a lot of stuff from your surroundings parents/society etc and this moulds the beginings of your morals........that'll do for now...

[Setanta]

Not nature vs nurture again??

There's an interesting study we were talking about today at work... people that get transplants off take on part of the personality of the doner. Dunno if I believe it but it could be interesting.

[whttrshpunk]

Well here goes my opinion.
All humans are born with a built-in knowledge of what is right and what is wrong, granted most don't DO what is right, and some even claim that there is no right or wrong. However, they reveal their true beliefs by the way the act when someone doesn't do the "right" thing in respect to them. What if you were to borrow money from one of these "there is no right or wrong" people and never pay it back? I bet they'd get angry. So obviously they feel as if they have been wronged. Anyhow, once again I'm going to recommend you go to the library and get Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. He wrote a few chapters about this very same subject, asking the same question you asked Here are a few quotes(speaking about the "law" of human nature, or right and wrong):

"What was the sense in saying the enemy were in the wrong unless Right is a real thing which the Nazis at bottom knew as well as we did and ought to have practised?"

"Men have differed as regards what people you ought to be unselfish to, whether it was only your own family, or your fellow countrymen, or everyone. But they have always agreed that you ought not to put yourself first. Selfishness has never been admired."

He has some really good stuff in here, but perhaps you'll read it for yourself.If nothing else you could just make fun of me for reading some stupid "christian" philosopy book. Anyhow thats my take on it.

[SickLude]

We've all been around babies. Or at least if you have not, then ill size them down. First, you will probably notice how they are brutally honest. Stating whatever is on their minds without knowing of any consequence. They also do whatever it is they feel. This should entail that they basically do not know of anything, except rather, they know their emotions. Therefore, a purely emotional child would act according to how they felt; angry, sad, confused, or happy. So, with this said, it would probably suggest that children learn as they go, wether it be that the stove is hot or that taking what is not yours is wrong. I think children learn right and wrong as they grow, it is not inherent.