Free Will Unit4 DB - Assignment Example

Philosophy Free Will Unit4 DB I think genetics play a larger role in shaping the human personality and behavioral traits. The variation in behavioral traits throughout the population is partly due to genes. The pervasive role of genes in behavior mean that genes can play a extremely vital role in the bodys physiology and development, and the behavior manifests itself through the body as well as acting in response to and upon the environment surrounding. Therefore by inheriting genes, we don’t inherit traits in a fixed sense.

The effect of the set of genes we possess on our behavior is fully dependent on the context of our life as it gradually unfolds itself (Baker, 2004).My argument is empiricist. It is supported by some evidence including Psychiatric illness like Schizophrena whose findings after studies suggest a remarkably high degree of influence of genetics, mostly evidence that is additive with no shared influence of the environment. Mental ability, where the IQ is only governed by the environment at an early age, but genetic influence increases gradually while the effects of the shared environment drop to zero.

Social attitudes, where studies reveal that environmental influence on conservatism is only up to the age 19 after which genetic influences takes change (Bouchard & Thomas, 2004).My argument is based on findings from different researches taken by different institutions and which focuses on different areas. I have also provided supporting evidence of those findings. Therefore, my conclusion is that genetics affect the human personality and physiology more than the environment does and given that this argument is empiricist the freedom to choose among the two is restricted to a single option being genetics.

ReferencesBaker C. (2004) Behavioral Genetics: An introduction to how genes and environments interact through development to shape differences in mood, personality and intelligence. Retrieved March 4, 2013 from www.aaas.org/spp/bgenes/Intro.pdf Bouch ard J. & Thomas J (2004) Genetic influence on human psychological Traits: A survey. American psychological centre. Retrieved on March 4, 2013 from stormchan.org/study/src/1347441918244.pdf