Nature AND Nurture

The debate of nature vs. nurture is framed incorrectly because it is not one against the other that determines our abilities, but rather a combination of both.  Consider this idea, for example, in the context of tall people being able to dunk a basketball.  Not all tall people can dunk a basketball (not all tall people in the world know what a basketball is).  Some people are so tall that they can dunk a basketball with no problem, and others can do so with some practice.  Many short people, in contrast, can never dunk a basketball no matter how much they try. The ability to dunk a basketball is affected by a combination of tallness, access to the proper equipment (a basketball and a goal), and practice.

The effect of nature and nurture can be illustrated in a Cartesian coordinate system.  Suppose that the y axis represents nature and the x axis represents nurture.  The measurement system in this context is irrelevant: just realize that there is something that is natural ability and that this something increases in value as one goes up the y axis; also, there is something that is nurture and this something increases in value as one goes out the x axis.  How the values of nature and nurture are combined to represent an ability is also irrelevant in this context, just so it is accepted that they are combined in some way.

Figure A demonstrates a basis for representing nature and nurture in a Cartesian coordinate system.  Squares represent intensities and the example is three squares high by four squares wide.  The three-squares-high represent the amount of natural ability in schoolwork and the four-squares-wide represent the amount of schooling.  These are combined for a total of 12 squares of ability in doing schoolwork.  Multiplication is used in this example (3x4=12) but multiplication does not have to be the method used to combine nature and nurture, just so there is an understanding that nature and nurture is combined in some way.  Suppose that 10 squares total represent the threshold of an ability that indicates success.  Figure A represents someone with that ability in schoolwork with nature and nurture contributing nearly equal parts in this example.

Someone with very high natural ability in doing schoolwork could be represented in Figure A by having five squares high.  If this someone had the same amount of schooling (four squares wide) then the total ability of doing schoolwork would be (5x4=) 20 squares.  This would be much higher than the 10-square threshold.

Figure B illustrates someone with six squares (high) natural ability (tallness) and two squares (wide) of experience in dunking basketballs.  Although two squares of experience is relatively small, because of the six squares of tallness, this person easily surpasses the 10-square threshold of basketball dunking ability, with nature playing a much higher part than nurture in this example.

Figure C indicates the display for someone of otherwise small stature (one block high) who runs extensively (12 blocks wide) to pass the threshold of becoming a long distance runner, with nurture playing a much larger part than nature in this example.

Figure D shows an example where the threshold is not met with someone who has the natural ability (3 squares high) to play chess, but is never taught how to play the game.

Figure E also shows an example of where the threshold is not met by someone who is not good at math (1 square high) who gives up while trying to learn it (three squares wide).

General intelligence is also a combination of nature and nurture.  (See Intelligence is Invisible.)  A high Intelligence Quotient (IQ) will not help someone, for example, who does not learn disciplines such as logical methods and critical thinking.  The debate of nature vs. nurture is framed incorrectly because our abilities stem from a combination of both nature and nurture, not one or the other.

Take out the vs;
It's not a competition:
Nature AND nurture.

Suggested Comments:

Is it necessary to disrespect people with some skills in order to build up the self respect of people with other skills?