Nature versus nurture is a popular phrase used to describe debates over the relative degrees to which one's genetic makeup (nature) and one's life experiences (nurture) influence one's traits or attributes.
Read more about this topic: Nature (innate)
Famous quotes containing the words nature and/or nurture:
“Our passional nature not only lawfully may, but must, decide an option between propositions, whenever it is a genuine option that cannot by its nature be decided on intellectual grounds; for to say, under such circumstances, “Do not decide, but leave the question open,” is itself a passional decision—just like deciding yes or no—and is attended with the same risk of losing the truth.”
—William James (1842–1910)
“Preschool children are more sophisticated than toddlers.... Your goal as a parent is to nurture the child’s desire to be a self-starter and help him begin to adopt some of your attitudes and values, but without humiliating the child or suppressing his newfound assertiveness”
—Lawrence Balter (20th century)