The Misplaced Faith in Nurture
The nature vs. nurture debate persists in the public imagination as if it were an eternal philosophical puzzle driven by my misconstrued feelings. However, the scientific reality is clear: genes are the dominant, systematic force shaping who we are. Of course, the environment (ex. nurture) plays a role, but its influence is instead minor, inconsistent, and often overstated when discussing personality, intelligence achievement, or life outcomes like career success and health. I hope to demonstrate this truth and allow you to see the ridiculousness in giving nature and nurture equal weight as if it were that simple. To start genes are segments of DNA coding for proteins or regulating their production, serving as biological instructions for building and maintaining the body. A common misconception is the idea of a single "gene for" complex traits like intelligence or depression. Genetic influence is far messier, operating through pleiotropy (one gene affecting mult...