Debate on the Essence of Human Beings - Essay Example

The nature versus nurture debate illustrates whether a human being is just formed by pieces of flesh with biological predispositions and genes responsible for his behaviour, or whether there is also an intellectual soul residing in him that can learn and acquire behaviours and attitudes that are not innate. Every human being has some inborn or hereditary qualities that are passed over to him through genes; but, there are a lot of other qualities that he learns over time through knowledge and experience. Whether humans are a result of hereditary information or they are modified by the environment in which they live, is the essence of the nature versus nurture theory (Shaffer, 2009, p.11). Some researchers support the argument that nature is responsible for the makeup of an individual’s behavioral patterns which can be modified through interaction with society. They suggest that human beings are not happy or sad because of their environment but individuals are different from each other because of their genetic makeup granted to them by their parents. Opponents of this approach argue that behavioural patterns have nothing to do with genes because a human being can be modified into whatever kind of person the nurturer wants him to grow into.

My friend’s parents were both doctors and they wanted their daughter to become one too. The girl herself had very much willingness and interest toward becoming a doctor and everybody knew that she had an inborn talent and ability to excel in the field of medicine. However, when she passed high school, she had not enough marks to get into medical school. She took admitted to a computer science university and made up her mind to study hard and show the world that she can do it. And unbelievingly, she kept on passing with good grades in a field which was just opposite to her inborn talent and abilities. This example supports the nurture part of the debate. However, there is another observation of mine which is that every offspring is like his or her parents in attitude and behaviour. My sister is talkative because my mother is. I am witty like my father. I sleep with my back facing the ceiling just like my father. My mother was very studious when she was a child and my siblings and I are following her in this regard. This supports the nature part of the debate.

I conclude from an in-depth study of this debate that both nature and nurture interrelate with each other and work parallel to each other in defining an individual’s behaviour. It is incorrect to hold any one of the two responsible for how human beings grow and behave. Genes hold very much importance in the personality development of an individual but one cannot discard the importance of nurture. If an individual does not get the right kind of environment to grow, then the genes fail to develop the right kind of personality required for the survival of the fittest. Also, if the environment is right and the individual does not have that inborn talent and capacity to outgrow, then the environment alone has very little effect. Thus, both nature and nurture must work together to bring the best out of a human being.