Nature or nurture?

[Dolby]

I've just read a few posts in CA regarding the Skierlik murderer and also pitbulls.

Some people blame Johan Nels parents for his excessive hatred ... and some blame the owners of pitbulls for them turning.

What do you believe? Will your 4 year old now murder or take drugs later on in life due to themselves - or how you're currently raising them?

 

[Hosehead]

I'd put it at 80% genetics and 20% society/cultural influence which will determine if my 4 year old becomes a murdering drug fiend or not. But judging the way he attacks sugar, I fear the odds are already stacked against him and all the generation skipping genes have already aligned squarely on his doorstep.

 

[Phronesis]

I'd put it at 80% genetics and 20% society/cultural influence which will determine if my 4 year old becomes a murdering drug fiend or not. But judging the way he attacks sugar, I fear the odds are already stacked against him and all the generation skipping genes have already aligned squarely on his doorstep.

Lol, don't be so harsh and preemptively judge people on the basis of their genetic make-up .
Scientists seem to struggle to come to a clear definition of what a gene is anyway.
Article:

The gene, in other words, is in an identity crisis.

And heritability?

Article from nature:

When scientists opened up the human genome, they expected to find the genetic components of common traits and diseases. But they were nowhere to be seen. Brendan Maher shines a light on six places where the missing loot could be stashed away.

Our genetic make-up only allows us to be ourselves, but we can still control our genes. It is a two-way street.

 

[Gazer]

Nature. I know 2 sets of twins, raised by the same parents and in exactly the same circumstances and in both cases they're like chalk and cheese. Besides looks there is NOTHING that would suggest they have a twin sibling

 

[Phronesis]

Nature. I know 2 sets of twins, raised by the same parents and in exactly the same circumstances and in both cases they're like chalk and cheese. Besides looks there is NOTHING that would suggest they have a twin sibling

Isn't that nurture? Same genes, different personality? Different personality as a result of different circumstances of growing up, even though it is in the same house (with same genes), each one experiences and expresses life differently.

 

[Gazer]

Isn't that nurture? Same genes, different personality? Different personality as a result of different circumstances of growing up, even though it is in the same house (with same genes), each one experiences and expresses life differently.

How about this scenario? It happened in my direct family...3 adopted kids abandoned by their (now deceased) mother and father. 2 kids (who are one of the set of twins i mention above) turn out decent lovely kids...the 3rd one is a replica of her mother's personality even though she didn't spend enough time with her as a child to adopt the same mannerisms and personality. almost like a reincarnation of her mother...that scarily similar. Is that nature or nurture?

 

[Phronesis]

How about this scenario? It happened in my direct family...3 adopted kids abandoned by their (now deceased) mother and father. 2 kids (who are one of the set of twins i mention above) turn out decent lovely kids...the 3rd one is a replica of her mother's personality even though she didn't spend enough time with her as a child to adopt the same mannerisms and personality. almost like a reincarnation of her mother...that scarily similar. Is that nature or nurture?

Oh, I see. My bad. Interesting though that nature played its part in the 3rd but not so much in the twins.

 

[Gazer]

Oh, I see. My bad. Interesting though that nature played its part in the 3rd but not so much in the twins.

The twins have their father's mannerisms and were infants when adopted so those couldn't have been learnt either.

 

[pos(t)er]

It's both: our genetic make-up(for lack of a better description, the word gene apparently not being accurate)dictates the way we will react to a given situation.

To quote an interesting saying i heard the other day(from a catholic priest, to boot) "Challenges in life don't make us stronger or weaker, but simply show us who we are."

To get back to Nel, the social enviroment he found himself in(farm killings, etc.)t, which is the nurture part, triggered his nature, which was to act in a aggressive way.

 

[Jewelbox]

I have a lot to say, but will rather not. Lets not judge Johan Nel or his parents, because we don't know why he did it.

 

[w1z4rd]

I've just read a few posts in CA regarding the Skierlik murderer and also pitbulls.

Some people blame Johan Nels parents for his excessive hatred ... and some blame the owners of pitbulls for them turning.

What do you believe? Will your 4 year old now murder or take drugs later on in life due to themselves - or how you're currently raising them?

I would say 70 to 80% genetics and 20 -30 % genome. I would say the more severe the environment... the more likely it is to effect the behaviour.


Some reading : http://64.233.183.132/search?q=cach...re+you+born+that+way&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=za
http://www.newscientist.com/channel...tructured-like-those-of-the-opposite-sex.html
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=123271&highlight=nurture
http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news/Genes-Affect-Drinking-Behavior-Of-Smokers-6444-1/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050616062331.htm
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/behavior.shtml
http://www.stanford.edu/~wine/202/g-and-b.html
http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/node/8437

In the case of the kid.. I would blame mostly the parents (racists are retarded though). In the case of pitbulls I blame mostly genetics.