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Funny.
As I grow to know myself better, I realize more and more I am a product of my environment - what you describe as nurture.
My genes determine underlying health concerns, such as my increased susceptibility to breast cancer or my likelihood of experiencing alzheimer's. My genes also determine my body chemistry, allergies and general mobility - which have shaped my life. Indeed, my general lack of disability at a young age permitted me to be nurtured in a certain fashion that would not have been available had I been different.
I respond to stimulus in the manner I have been trained or chosen to teach myself. I can adapt and learn only as much as my mind has been opened. I cannot do non-linear algebra because I have not been introduced to the conceps, but I am certain that if I were to undergo training I could indeed perform such a task. This training would then determine the opportunities available to me in schooling. I could, for instance, become more proficient at physics and I might be less inclined to enjoy the chaos that comes with the study of biology.
I am capable of reading because someone taught me. The symbols would not have made sense without this instruction. I would not have been toilet trained without the efforts of my parents, nor would I be capable of forming complex phrases. I would not intuitively understand how to operate a computer, nor would I be capable of speaking on a telephone. I mimic those around me. I developed their speech patterns and their manner of dressing, bathing, etc.
Yes, I can think on my own. But my thoughts are entirely dependent upon the structure that surrounds me. Without human interaction and societal conventions, I would not be the same person. I would not make calculated decisions because no one would have taught me to calculate. I would not be able to see because I would not have corrective lenses. In the absence of societal stimulus, I would be no different than a ferrel animal, living my days grazing on herbs and hiding from predators.
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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq
"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy
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