Final answer:
Research in neuroscience has led to a reassessment of human nature, highlighting the biological roots of our actions and morality, and challenging the concepts of free will, ethics, and accountability in light of our brain's evolved functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding how our brain enables our mind has significantly influenced my view of human nature and responsibility. With research in neuroscience suggesting our actions and moral judgments may be deeply ingrained and reflexive responses driven by brain structures like mirror neurons and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, it raises profound questions about free will and ethics.
For instance, if our morality is rooted in the biological machinery of our brains, developed through evolution for survival and reproduction, then our philosophical, scientific, or ethical achievements might merely be by-products of these natural functions. This can be juxtaposed with John Locke's belief that our minds are blank slates at birth, shaped entirely by experience. These viewpoints invite us to reconsider our notions of agency and accountability.
The dichotomy between views of the brain as a purely physical system following the laws of the universe, making human behavior predictable, and those that uphold the idea of a non-physical mind influencing the brain, poses a significant challenge. It suggests the need for a more nuanced understanding of human freedom and the limitations of our intelligence.