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When we say that “DNA is not destiny,” it means that what is in our DNA isn’t the end product because we can use Epigenetics to affect what genes may be turned off and on. Epigenetics “is the study of changes in gene activity that do not involve alterations to the genetic code but still get passed down to at least one successive generation” (Cloud, 2013). We can change our environment to reflect the changes in our genes. Some examples of these could include diet and exercise. This idea of Epigenetics changed the idea of genetics because it was once believed that once you had your genes you were trapped by which ones were turned off and on. The “Epigenome is sensitive to the cues from the environment” (Watters). It is the Epigenetics which …show more content…
Nature is all the evolutionary factors which affect our genes. Nurture is all the things which have affected us since conception. The research shows that our DNA (nature) doesn’t function autonomously without clues from the environment, so we need to use the environment to make the changes needed to pass the Epigenome onward (nurture). It appears that the accepted belief is that nature and nurture work together. This was not always the case. “Traditionally, researchers might have offered an explanation on one side or the other of the nature-versus-nurture divide” (Watters). The newborn either inherited the characteristic (nature) or learned it from their mother …show more content…
Biology can be viewed as being similar to the idea of nature while the environment is similar to the idea of nurture. A long time ago we agreed that biology choices might shorten our lives but would not change our genes. Also any effects on the environment on the genes would not happen too quickly. Epigenetics play an important role in making this relationship. An example would be when Bygren’s research showed that the boys who enjoyed overabundant winters produced children and grandchildren who lived shorter lives. Also research shows that the environment choices of smoking and eating too much will affect our biology and the biology or genes of our offspring. Another way that the environment (scientists in the lab) can affect our genes (biology) is that they can create drugs that will silence our bad genes which cause illness. There are many other examples which show that biology (or nature) and the environment (or nurture) have connections with each other. One example would be intelligence. The nature (biology) would be the family genetics which put you at a genetic potential to perform. There are also nurture (environmental) concerns such as good diet and exercise which can also affect intelligence. Another way that they interact is the development of a baby. It is the nature which is responsible for developing for a healthy fetus. It is the nurture which develops this fetus into the
The nature versus nurture theory is a way to distinguish whether certain traits or characteristics of individuals are impacted more by biological means or environmental means. What the “nature” part signifies in the the theory is that we are more impacted by heredity and biological effects of our personality and what defines us as a person. What “nurture” signifies is that environmental factors have a more powerful impact on our lives and personality. As we mostly know, most things aren’t black and white, and so it’s hard ro determine which type of factors is more effective. Most people believe that it’s a blend of both nature and nurture that makes us who we are.
Nature is biological while nurture is environmental. Although nature and nurture both played important roles in Phineas Gage's life, nurture had the biggest impact. Phineas Gage's was an American railroad construction foreman remembered for having survived severe damage to the brain. The accident destroyed much of Gage's frontal lobe, and severed his left eye. Prior to the accident Gage was able to do his job and was depicted as a pleasant man. However, after the accident his personality and behavior changed. He started to use profanity and became more irritable. After the accident he also was no longer able to do his job like before so he was fired. Thus, why I believe that nurture had the biggest impact on his life.
The author goes into details about Jeff’s family history and his exposure to low cholesterol is linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Having a history of cardiovascular disease may temp one to change their lifestyle and eating habits leaning towards a low carbohydrate and more natural diet. It took a turn in Jeff's case when the so-called healthily eating habits were not working in his favor. Moalem stresses on how epigenetics comes into play, Jeff’s pre-exposure to cardiovascular disease was readily detectable but predicting HFI was a challenge. He highlights other situations where he argues that organism genes may be altered and can be expressed differently in environments. Claiming that based on epigenetics, physical activities, experiences, diets, and other lifestyles choices is crucial when it comes to gene expression. Talking about the queen been and worker bees, he emphasizes the fact that they have the same genes. Moalem argues that the genes of these two creatures are expressed differently because of what the queen bee ate. Queen bees are genetically superior since in their diet as a larva they are raised on royal jelly thus their phenotype as expressed differently. In making these claims, he supports the new Idea of epigenetics, which asserts that the genes of a person are not their destiny since they are subject to
Li, Y., Wicha, M. S., Schwartz, S. J., & Sun, D. (2011, February 4). Implications of Cancer Stem Cell Theory for Cancer Chemoprevention by Natural Dietary Compounds. Retrieved December 12, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3248810/
What is the difference between Nature-Nurture? How does one define a broad topic such as intelligence? The Nature- Nurture issue is defined as the issue of the degree to which environment and heredity influences behavior. In Nature-Nurture we tend to look at what influences our behavior, growth and developmental. Many psychologist have different views on the way one growth and development are influenced. Some thinks it is because of the environment we live that causes us to grow and develop in a particular way and other psychologist presume it is because of our genetic, heredity. To better explain the nature-nurture, we look at nature wondering if we were mainly made from genes. While others look at Nurture, wondering if how we are made determined
Noted psychologist Jerome Kagan once said "Genes and family may determine the foundation of the house, but time and place determine its form" (Moore 165). The debate on nature versus nurture has been a mystery for years, constantly begging the question of whether human behavior, ideas, and feelings are innate or learned over time. Nature, or genetic influences, are formed before birth and finely-tuned through early experiences. Genes are viewed as long and complicated chains that are present throughout life and develop over time. Nature supporters believe that genes form a child's conscience and determine one's approach to life, contrasting with nature is the idea that children are born “blank slates,” only to be formed by experience, or nurture.
Epigenetics is the study of both heritable and non-heritable changes in gene translation, which do not stem from mutation. Epigenetic alterations to DNA may occur in several different ways; histone modification, DNA methylations, expression of microRNAs, and changes of the chromatin structure (Ntanasis-Stathopoulos et al). Depending on their presentation, they may be passed on to offspring. The exact mechanism of heritable epigenetic modification has not been discovered, but all of these alterations may have some impact on a wide range of disorders and have far reaching implications in the medical field. The study of epigenetics seeks to answer the age old question of whether nature or nurture is responsible for our phenotype, and it has arrived at the answer that in fact, both are. The discovery of epigenetic changes may lead us to cure many disorders, and even personality problems.
The ‘Nature versus Nurture’ argument can be traced back several millenniums ago. In 350 B.C., philosophers were asking the same question on human behaviour. Plato and Aristotle were two philosophers who each had diverse views on the matter. On the one hand, Plato believed that knowledge and behaviour were due to inherent factors, but environmental factors still played a role in the equation. Conversely, Aristotle had different views. He believed in the idea of “Tabula Rasa”- the Blank Slate theory supported the nurture side of the argument and put forward the view that everyone was born with a ‘Tabula Rasa’, Latin for ‘Blank Slate’. He proposed that “people learn and acquire ideas from external forces or the environment”. Was he right when he proposed that the mind is a blank slate and it is our experiences that write on these slates? This theory concluded that as humans, we are born with minds empty of ideas and at birth we have no knowledge or awareness of how we should behav...
Nature and Nurture are both things that work together they aren’t just separate jobs. They each may do a bit of different things but all in all they both work together and they do things with each other and may also do some things alone.
Nature and nurture works together in some aspects. For example, a child who is born with type one diabetes. Type one diabetes is genetic. It can be inherited from a predisposition of the gene. Type one diabetes is when the pancreas doesn 't produce
Now, we know that diets can affect our genes, but how can life experiences affect our genes? There is a lot of possible evidence for the change in genes caused by experiences, but there isn’t a lot of research being done on how. Some of this
Nature is described as our physical attributes and genes from when we are born. Our genetics that make us who we are include our eye colour, height and hair colour, as well as our natural talents, abilities and our intelligence level.
Nature vs nurture debate is one of the oldest arguments in the history of psychology. It is the scientific cultural, and philosophical debate about whether human culture, behavior, and personality are caused primarily by nature or nurture. Nature and nurture are both equally important. They are the two are major influences that affect the person you grow to be and will determine what your children will be tomorrow. Nature refers to heredity, which are traits and features that are inherited from your parents and ancestors. At birth you, as a person, inherits 50% of each parent 's genetic material that are passed along through the chromosomes found in the DNA. Hair color, height, body type, and eye color are some examples of characteristics
The controversy of nature vs. nurture has been going on for many years, and a
Epigenetics literally means “above genetics”. Epigenome doesn’t change your DNA, but it decides how much or whether some genes are expressed in different cells in your body. What happens to your genes over the course of your life and whether these changes can be passed out to your children and even grandchildren. You have billions of cells in your body, and each contains your DNA, the same exact blueprint of your genetic code. But just because the cells have the DNA doesn’t mean they know what to do with it. They need outside instructions from carbon & hydrogen compounds called Methyl Groups. The way this groups control the gene is by binding to a gene and saying do not express this gene. Also genes controlled by Histones, it is proteins that the spools that DNA vines itself around. And they can change how tightly or loosely DNA is round around them. So Methyl Groups are like a switch and histones are like a knob. Simply, DNA is hardware and epigenome is the software of a human being.