human natureArticle Free Pass human nature, fundamental
dispositions and traits of humans. Theories about the nature of
humankind form a part of every culture. In the West, one
traditional question centred on whether humans are naturally
selfish and competitive (see Thomas Hobbes; John Locke) or
social and altruistic (see Karl Marx; Émile Durkheim). A broader
problem is that of determining which ostensibly fundamental
human dispositions and traits are natural and which are the
result of some form of learning or socialization. Recent
research in genetics, evolutionary biology, and cultural
anthropology suggests that there is a complex interaction
between genetically inherited factors and developmental and
social factors. Basic drives shared with other primates are
related to food, sex, security, play, and social status.
Language use by humans is now generally recognized as
genetically enabled, though the acquisition of any specific
language also requires appropriate environmental stimuli. Some
common behaviora