One of the most interesting topics covered so far, to me, has been the argument of nature versus nurture. This argument is if certain things in a person’s life, like their personalities or psychological problems, are the result of genetics or how that person was raised. An argument can be made for both in what seems like every situation. We are discovering more and more everyday about the brain and just how much it does.

Last semester, I attended a lecture given by a professor from Harvard who discussed her findings concerning genes that directly affected a type of lab mouse’s behavior. Basically, she and her team discovered the exact genes that controlled things such as if this type of mouse would dig a hole to live in, how deep that hole would be, the angle of the entrance, as well as if it would have an exit. They were able to implement these genes into mice that did not have them, and the result was the mice demonstrated what the gene coded for. The significance of this discovery in terms of nature versus nurture is that I for one never imagined that something like this could exist, let alone be discovered. Now that it has been, it begs the question of how far can this trend of genes controlling actions go? Is there, hypothetically, a gene that is controlling what I think about during the day. I almost don’t want to find out the answer of just how much these genes can control.

On the other side of the argument, the argument that nurture shapes who we are is deeply rooted in our society. If you have ever heard something along the lines of “learn from your mistakes” you have heard a basic argument for the idea that nurture can shape who we are. This makes sense to me, because I know I am (at least partially) the person I am today because of the way I grew up. My personality has definitely been affected and changed, both for good and bad, due to my experiences. The way I think about nurture in our psychological life is that if we have the ability to change other things about ourselves, such as our physical health, why can’t we shouldn’t we be able to ourselves psychologically?

Obviously both sides of the idea of Nature vs. Nurture have merit. Clearly some things in life are due to one or the other; it’s the grey area in between where if could go either way that is what is being contested. As we advance in our learning about our own bodies that grey area is getting smaller, and that scares me in a way. Ignorance can be bliss in some cases, and the thought that I may not have as much control over myself as I currently think I do makes me want to really never find out the real answer.