*This was originally written as an assignment for my Developmental Psychology course. We were supposed to write a ‘blog entry’, so I thought I would make it an actual blog entry. :)*
There is the debate of Nature verses Nurture in multiple areas across every area of thinking. Educators are debating the topic, just as Psychologists, Philosophers and others are. So, what are these thinkers debating on, and what are their arguments? The argument is over whether personality, worldview and all other aspects of individuals are developed solely through biological factors, influences from others or, as we will look at last, a combination of both.
In first place, what are those on the nature side of the argument all about? These thinkers see that a person’s development is derived completely from biological factors; their DNA. The DNA we were born with determines not only our hair, skin and eye color and gender; it also determines our character trait, the way we think about things, our intelligence and so much more. It determines what kind of person we are, and causes everything about us to remain static; unchanging. In second place, how do those on the nurture side of the argument view this? These thinkers say that our personality, gender, mind and everything else about us are completely developed through the influences of people in our lives and events we have experienced. One well known thinker who thought this way was John Locke. He introduced the ‘Tabula Rasa’ (blank slate) idea, which says that our minds are born completely blank and we have to learn everything and experience everything. Simply, we are shaped by our environment. Another historical thinker who thought this way was Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He concluded that we are born with innate goodness, and learn everything bad from people and experiences in our lives. Now, what about those who say a mixture of both determines who we are? These individuals begin by saying that we are born with certain characteristics that will not change throughout our lives. The basis of our personality as well as our gender and the groundwork for the way we think are determined by our DNA. But, there are also many other factors that influence us; that is where the nurture component comes in. The best illustration of this view is through the results of twin studies. Identical twins have been separated at birth and then reunited again later in life, and we can see that their genes, genders, and even the basics of their personalities and some of their likes and dislikes are the same. But, their life experiences have been different, and those events have caused them to develop differently and view some things in life differently. (See the video below to learn about a twin study. I was introduced to this topic through my philosophy class last year, but had not thought much about it, other than forming a general opinion about the debate. This topic has not impacted me greatly, but learning about it in class has caused me to think about it on a deeper level. My opinion is that both nature and nurture influence us. We are all born with original sin (St. Augustine and Genesis) and our DNA determines our personality, gender and the groundwork for the way we think. But, there are also numerous other factors that help shape us and make us who we are, such as diet, family life/structure, socio-economic status, life events and experiences and so much more. I do not think that this debate will ever be settled unless both sides are willing to compromise and realize that they are both partially correct.
There is the debate of Nature verses Nurture in multiple areas across every area of thinking. Educators are debating the topic, just as Psychologists, Philosophers and others are. So, what are these thinkers debating on, and what are their arguments? The argument is over whether personality, worldview and all other aspects of individuals are developed solely through biological factors, influences from others or, as we will look at last, a combination of both.
In first place, what are those on the nature side of the argument all about? These thinkers see that a person’s development is derived completely from biological factors; their DNA. The DNA we were born with determines not only our hair, skin and eye color and gender; it also determines our character trait, the way we think about things, our intelligence and so much more. It determines what kind of person we are, and causes everything about us to remain static; unchanging. In second place, how do those on the nurture side of the argument view this? These thinkers say that our personality, gender, mind and everything else about us are completely developed through the influences of people in our lives and events we have experienced. One well known thinker who thought this way was John Locke. He introduced the ‘Tabula Rasa’ (blank slate) idea, which says that our minds are born completely blank and we have to learn everything and experience everything. Simply, we are shaped by our environment. Another historical thinker who thought this way was Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He concluded that we are born with innate goodness, and learn everything bad from people and experiences in our lives. Now, what about those who say a mixture of both determines who we are? These individuals begin by saying that we are born with certain characteristics that will not change throughout our lives. The basis of our personality as well as our gender and the groundwork for the way we think are determined by our DNA. But, there are also many other factors that influence us; that is where the nurture component comes in. The best illustration of this view is through the results of twin studies. Identical twins have been separated at birth and then reunited again later in life, and we can see that their genes, genders, and even the basics of their personalities and some of their likes and dislikes are the same. But, their life experiences have been different, and those events have caused them to develop differently and view some things in life differently. (See the video below to learn about a twin study. I was introduced to this topic through my philosophy class last year, but had not thought much about it, other than forming a general opinion about the debate. This topic has not impacted me greatly, but learning about it in class has caused me to think about it on a deeper level. My opinion is that both nature and nurture influence us. We are all born with original sin (St. Augustine and Genesis) and our DNA determines our personality, gender and the groundwork for the way we think. But, there are also numerous other factors that help shape us and make us who we are, such as diet, family life/structure, socio-economic status, life events and experiences and so much more. I do not think that this debate will ever be settled unless both sides are willing to compromise and realize that they are both partially correct.
The following link is an example of a Twin Study
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