Ask HN: Nature or Nurture

3 points·ricberw··9 comments

Simple question, but a complicated answer. I’d love to get your thoughts on the matter.

Almost always both.

Environment triggers changes in gene expression and reverse is also true. There are multiple ways of how nature and nurture interact.

Take for example stress during childhood. It seems that stressful environment leads epigenetic changes an behavioral changes like lower impulse control, aggressive or more promiscuous behavior.

Is the change in behavior damage caused by the environment, or is it evolutionary adaptation to uncertain and dangerous environment? It's possible that dangerous environment triggers different epigenetic survival strategies? Breed faster, be more aggressive and do quick decisions.

Differentially Methylated Genes in Saliva are linked to Childhood Stress https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-29107-0

I'm not even sure if we can say "almost" as I have yet to see an example where it was NOT both

When you get brain damage that changes your behavior, it's for all intents and purposes 100% environment.

The brain responds to brain damage, an organism is not static. There will be epigenetic and neuroplastic responses.

"for all intents and purposes"

quoting yourself doesn't change anything. You could easily say "for all intents and purposes" that being abused as a child is purely nurture, but that doesn't make the statement any less wrong.

it's not one or the other but a complex interaction of both it is this in ALL cases, they are never isolated from each other

Humans: nurture. Cats: nature.

wrong, its both for both

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