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Calála's picture

Human Nature

When we were talking about human nature in class, we made the distinction between a binary argument for nature vs. nurture and a circular argument. The differences between these two ways to view the words nature and nurture struck me. Is human nature independent of how we are nurtured or socialized? Or does the nurturing lead to changes in human nature? Although I am wavering back and forth between these ideas, I think that the idea of nurture leading to changes in our innate nature is most convincing. Despite the fact that evolution is an extremely slow process, much too long-term for a generation to witness, I believe that depending on conscious choices about how we live and how our society behaves, we can change human nature over time. Looking at human nature in this way, leads to a loop between how we are socialized and how future generations behave.

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