Friday, February 8, 2013

Nature vs nurture

Nature vs nurture. Why are we who we are? The sum of all of our parts and experiences? How much is predetermined at birth? What can we change or develop on our own? That's the question for today - admittedly more than can be completely discusseeed in a page or 2 when advanced degree dissertations are completed daily on this very same subject.   How will this gang of bloggers from a myriad of backgrounds respond?  Only one way to find out - read.

Nature: What role does our heredity play in or selves? What besides the obvious - hair color, hair presence at all, eye color, height, weight and the like are predetermined or at least enjoy preprogrammed tendencies? How about IQ? So-called free will? Is the family dynamic part of nature or nurture? How about homosexuality? Are rapists, serial killers and other criminal types the product of their genetic makeup or their environment? Both? To what degree does either component contribute? What happens when a child is uprooted at an early age and travels across several states to a new home. What if a basic identifier like name changes, Nothing nefarious intended - say a remarriage and the fact that the first group of kids he/she meets  call the child something different than he/she is used to.  What if Butchie/Charles becomes Chuck. Does it matter? What about free will? Is anything ever really free?

Nurture:  Life. What happens.  Peer pressure. The environment.  Where you live. What church you attend. Basic morality.

Cliff's notes time.  Gotta love those Cliff's note.

It seems clear to me that some behavior is predetermined by heredity.  Lynn's HD for example and her actions and ppersonality are closely linked.I - on the other hand am more a product of my environment. My friends had a great influence on me.  But was my selection of friends predetermined by my genetic makeup? Or rather was it something as basic as they were the first group of kids I met on the playground while my mom was inside enrolling  me in 5th grade? (it was in fact the latter).

Obviously religion plays a huge role in all of this. Western religion seems to say that we the people are incapable of leading a moral life without embracing the teachings of JC Superstar (no disrespect intended) - the most interesting, influential man to stroll on the third rock from the sun, and then there's Mohammed, Vishnu. Shiva, Zeus, Bagwan Shre Rajneesh, Thor, Ayn Rand, pick another - there are plenty about. Most western theologies tend to say the only path to everlasting life is their way.   I cannot legitimately speak to my eastern examples as I simply haven't the knowledge (and all you who say that never stopped me from opining before just hush!) It seems to me that even so-called atheists don't actually enjoy free will when they debunk religion. At least in this country they are products of a culture and society with roots in Judaism.  Clearly there are influences.

There's no such thing as a free lunch - as the old saw goes.  Ditto free will. Our free will is rooted in our genetic makeup and our life's experience. The choice we have is heavily influenced by our hereditary makeup and its interaction with our environment and life's experiences.  Wealth, education and social privilege  are not part of our genetic makeup but being born to wealthy parents is. A high IQ is not guaranteed at birth but it can be influenced  by wealth, education and social privilege. What one does with that IQ is up to the individual.  A relatively high IQ guarantees nothing perhaps but the ability to understand things.  For the record mine tests in the low 140s.  Clearly I am just a regular guy that possesses the ability to score well on goofy tests.  There are enough holes in my intellect to drive me through. 

I've rambled enough.  Nothing's been resolved but I will go on record as saying I believe homosexuality is not a lifestyle choice.  Until such time as the gay gene is ientified I'll stick with the notion that NOBODY in their RIGHT mind would choose a lifestyle so frought with challenges.  There simply aren't that many Don/Dame Quixotes out there.  Serial killers, rapists amd the like may not be born per se but I believe their tendencies are and here's hoping for some great life decisions that prevent the dominance of those tendencies. 


What do my cohorts (or consorts as Maxi says) have to say?  Dunno - you's better check  Delirious, gaelikaa, Grannymar, Maxi, Maria SF, Padmum, Paul, Ramana, The Old Fossil and Will and see for yourself. 





9 comments:

  1. I went a little off the rails today, but I know you will forgive me.

    The music cheered me up.

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  2. In my humble opinion, your concerns are resolved in my post.

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  3. As much as it pains me: Your reasoning is too complex to be able to answer it with meaning in what might explode your comment box. The short version you will find in my reply to Ramana's take on the subject.

    Other than that: As usual a heartfelt piece of yours, Shackman.

    U

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    1. U - this is an interesting subject, probably one I should have prepared for rather than just logging on and throwingthis out in about 10 minutes. Feel free to respond in eail to shackman@gmail.com - I am presently unable to see Rummy's blog as my personal PC is in the shop and for some reason my work PC treats Ramana's Musings like Facebook. Maybe shackland security knows something about our buddy.:)

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    2. Your buddy's posts are likely to explode in your face if they come through your work PC as its author is strictly anit work.

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  4. An integral part of my religion is that we have free will. God gives commandments, but we really do have the freedom to choose whether or not to obey. I don't believe live is predestined to be anything. It's all up to us to make it what we can. :)

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  5. Genetics and environment. That's what I put it down to, Shackman.

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  6. I think the debate was simpler before the science of epigenetics was thrown in and it is not a scientific area with wide lay awareness yet. I intend to throw that into the pot in a followup to my initial post on this.

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    1. It's never been easy if discussed thoroughly and completely Fos - too many prejudices. I'm a great devil's advocate on this one.

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