The Biology Of Immoral Behavior

I see a number of causes for human behavior - morality (or a sense of right and wrong), chemical dependence (or biological influences), and genetics (or specific programming associated with survival of the fittest). Each operating collectively toward a dominant influence in any given situation which would require some action - some behavior. They are often in conflict. “They know not what they do” is essentially the tale of those whose instincts and programing and/or chemical dependencies have eliminated moral choices. For example, sadistic tendencies simply being an extension of normal behavior in animals for which humans still require reenactment toward satisfaction of programs. The serial killer merely exhibiting normal behavior (a need to kill) which in the pre-conscious human was not in any way outrageous (as you rightfully believe it should be in the post-conscious human). Take a simple example - football (or the Romans feeding people to lions) - do you see the vicarious extension of being an animal in the love of these things?

There are many programs which relate to hoarding in a variety of animals - squirrels for example hoard nuts without any moral thought regarding the other starving squirrels in the forest. Gluttony, which is a sin in many religions, is something readily participated in by various animals - including humans. The idea being that hoarding wealth is an extension of ingrained programing and not (as you might suggest) some "personal whim". It is only by application of our morality that we can over come these basic desires and instincts.

Clearly there are examples of people who have chemical addictions who have eliminated their ability to choose an alternative behavior. That's one notion I have. I also believe that repeated behaviors grounded in pure programs reinforce themselves and become habitual. The reason for this (I can speculate) is either biological or some pattern in the neurons which is imprinted. I am basing these ideas on empirical evidence. For example, many studies conducted on serial killers indicate that they start this imprinting by killing insects, smaller animals, etc. as children. This seems to suggest a correlation between the behavior and the continued actions as such. I also believe that this imprinting is progressive - meaning that the more you engage in it the greater it becomes. See for example sexual addictions. Finally, I also believe that environment can facilitate this imprinting. Exposure to behavior facilitating a small need which when acted upon can create inescapable patterns Therefore many people are in fact making what we might label immoral choices without any real choice at all.