It will never be nature alone.

Strangely enough most of the research mentioned in the most recent postings at brainworld are items I have run across in various other studies as well as in a class I took on emotions and motivations. They may be new presentations, but they are building on established ideas in psychology and neuroscience.

Neuroscience/neurochemistry only explains a part of things, it really doesn't have the entire answer any more than any other aspect of brain or psychology studies. We can figure out what parts of the brain are activated, and what chemicals and neurotransmitters produce what general affect, but there is the ever elusive component of what finally makes someone act one way with a similar balance of activity, and another person act another way.

Interpretation and the "patterns" of cognition that we learn through our experiences and by observing the actions of others are ultimately the final arbiter and those are unique and individual just as the balances of body chemistry are individual. Thoughts and emotions can be changed simply by deciding to change them. I can't see that we can ever predict or know what someone else is thinking- perhaps at best only the generalities about it, or maybe sense the emotions they are feeling at any given moment. Mostly I think that is probably a good thing.. though there are times that I would like to be able to read someone else's mind.
;)