A deceptively simple question

[Assent]

What can change the nature of a man?

If something can alter a person at his very core, what is it? Or can anything do that?

(In case you noticed that I used gender-specific language for once, I'm quoting from something; I will hopefully respond later with my source's answer)

[Confused]

I see that many of you are responding with humankind in general in mind, but this is not the question. You will note that it uses the singular, "a man," rather than the general, "mankind." The question is not asking how all of humanity can change, but simply how one person can change his or her outlook/responses/approach to the world.

If you were to befriend a person, and then meet that person again in five years and notice changes, do you think that that person has truly changed, or has he or she simply changed superficially, without becoming different in the most central way? And if you say that that person can change, what can change him or her?

Hmm, the last psychology class I took suggested that a personality is essentially set in stone by the age of 9. While various circumstances can arise that might make a person behave accordingly, the personality remains the same. For example, I raised myself from the age of 7. The coping mechanisms I developed for survival aren't exactly the most beneficial ones. They prevent me from really forming any long term attachment to any other person (aside from my children). Despite numerous attempts, I am unable to alter this coping mechanism. It is a part of my personality that is set in stone. That is why some criminal behavioral profilers state that although the DSMIV doesn't allow for a minor to be diagnosed as having "Antisocial Personality Disorder" (a fancy term for sociopathic, which has no current effective method of rehabilitation short of death), they instead label these children as having "Oppositional Defiance Disorder" which when evaluated as incarcerated adults for having committed some crime (sociopathic), ODD was almost always present as a child.

Now, behavioral psychologists (those who follow predecessors like Skinner) state that with early enough interventions, behavioral modifications may allow for some variances in the outcome of ODD, but last I had heard, there was no real statistical significance found in the studies conducted. This of course is all subjected to the normal standards of statistics in which not all variables can be controlled so some extraneous variable may contribute to behaviors as well (nature vs nurture).

So, what could change a man? A mans behaviors might change, but his personality will likely stay the same. If he beat up his girlfriends in high school, he probably beats his wife today. Odds are, your friends appearance may change, he may control some of his personality traits better (or worse), but he is still the same in his most elemental form.

[Assent]

What can change the nature of a man?

We cannot adequately answer this question unless you properly define what you mean by the nature of a man.

Again, this is personal here. Take yourself as an example. What is your "nature?" Would you be able to change it, and with what would this change occur? And if you could not change your own nature, why? Or when you know a friend or lover, could this person change his or her nature? Have you seen it happen? Are they still the same person, if only older and somewhat wiser?

[Beto]

What can change the nature of a man?

We cannot adequately answer this question unless you properly define what you mean by the nature of a man.

Again, this is personal here. Take yourself as an example. What is your "nature?" Would you be able to change it, and with what would this change occur? And if you could not change your own nature, why? Or when you know a friend or lover, could this person change his or her nature? Have you seen it happen? Are they still the same person, if only older and somewhat wiser?

This is particularly hard, since I think the question itself is logically flawed. Man's nature is one of permanent change. Every conscious moment changes a person, whether it is perceived or not. It may be incredibly subtle, but something is always different. That's why I personally think it's illogical to ask for a specific moment of change, as if we're "static" the rest of the time. If you don't define the "degree" of change you want, we can't answer the question.

[Greatest I Am]

What can change the nature of a man?

If something can alter a person at his very core, what is it? Or can anything do that?

(In case you noticed that I used gender-specific language for once, I'm quoting from something; I will hopefully respond later with my source's answer)

Knowledge changes our way of thinking. One new fact can make a big difference.

Regards
DL

[Assent]

This is particularly hard, since I think the question itself is logically flawed. Man's nature is one of permanent change. Every conscious moment changes a person, whether it is perceived or not. It may be incredibly subtle, but something is always different. That's why I personally think it's illogical to ask for a specific moment of change, as if we're "static" the rest of the time. If you don't define the "degree" of change you want, we can't answer the question.

Then your answer to my question is "everything." It is a valid answer, though others may disagree. We shall see.

[Beto]

This is particularly hard, since I think the question itself is logically flawed. Man's nature is one of permanent change. Every conscious moment changes a person, whether it is perceived or not. It may be incredibly subtle, but something is always different. That's why I personally think it's illogical to ask for a specific moment of change, as if we're "static" the rest of the time. If you don't define the "degree" of change you want, we can't answer the question.

Then your answer to my question is "everything." It is a valid answer, though others may disagree. We shall see.

Yes, you can say that. IMO to say differently is to say we are born "programmed" or "destined" to behave one way or another, as opposed to just "genetically predisposed".

[McCulloch]

What can change the nature of a man?

We cannot adequately answer this question unless you properly define what you mean by the nature of a man.

Again, this is personal here. Take yourself as an example. What is your "nature?"

That is a rather open ended question. It is my nature, for example, to autoregulate my body temperature at about 37°C. So for that particular aspect of my nature, only serious disease or death will change it very much.

It is also my nature to be skeptical of assertions made by religious people. I don't see that changing very much until I get Alzheimer's.

[Fallibleone]

If we take 'nature' to mean specifically traits of personality or character, my belief is that it may be possible to change it, but it is important to examine yourself properly so that you accurately understand what your nature is (I believe that this is an ongoing process - I'm not sure that anyone ever reaches the end - a full understanding of themselves). Someone might claim that they are not an angry person, that it is not 'in their nature' to lose it, when in reality they do indeed experience a great deal of anger which they fail to acknowledge as a part of themselves, and which they do not express, at least not as straightforward anger.

It used to be in my nature to become greatly offended or embarrassed by what others said of me, despite my insistance that it did not bother me. Recently I have spent a great deal of time examining this response and where it was coming from, and I have observed that the strength of my reaction is much reduced. I don't believe that I am suppressing it, I think it is more a case of not having the need to react so strongly in this way anymore. Time will tell.

[Assent]

My source actually has two answers, one given early, and the second at the end.

The first answer is: nothing. Human nature is indelible, and everything that seems to change it, be it love, perspective, age, wisdom, anything; these are just window dressing. At our very cores, we are the same person we were as children. Maybe we aren't making the same mistakes, but those who were quick to anger remain so, those who were morose remain so, and those who enjoyed dominating others on the schoolground still enjoy it.

Think of it like we were building materials; no matter how many times they are reformed, worked, or shaped, they remain glass, or steel, or wood.

[Beto]

At our very cores, we are the same person we were as children. Maybe we aren't making the same mistakes, but those who were quick to anger remain so, those who were morose remain so, and those who enjoyed dominating others on the schoolground still enjoy it.

I don't follow... people that were bullies at school might not be making the same mistakes (meaning they recognize bullying as a mistake) but they still enjoy doing it? I knew a few that are now very pleasant people. They would probably challenge this view.