do you believe in biological determinism?

[pyx]

Biological determinism, the idea that most human characteristics, physical and mental, are determined at conception by hereditary factors passed from parent to offspring. Although all human traits ultimately are based in a material nature (e.g., memorizing a poem involves changing molecular configurations at synapses, where neurons interact), the term biological determinism has come to imply a rigid causation largely unaffected by environmental factors.

 

[_Gollum_]

I don't precisely agree with the definition you posted, but the more I've thought about this issue, the more comfortable I've become calling myself a determinist. Environmental factors play a huge role in anyone's life, obviously, but if you had different biology, those environmental factors would affect you differently.

 

[pyx]

I don't precisely agree with the definition you posted, but the more I've thought about this issue, the more comfortable I've become calling myself a determinist. Environmental factors play a huge role in anyone's life, obviously, but if you had different biology, those environmental factors would affect you differently.

what part of the definition do you not agree with?

 

[_Gollum_]

what part of the definition do you not agree with?

Mostly the "rigid causation" part. I'm not confident enough in this belief to feel comfortable attaching the word "rigid" to any part of it.

 

[divinemistress87]

I believe some of my depression is biological and passed down from genetics. I didnt have a bad childhood yet I was so depressed, wanted to die and would cut myself

 

[Forever Sleep]

I think it only partially determines who we become. I suppose it can limit our potential- certainly. But still, I think upbringing and experiences in life play a massive role too. Not sure about percentages. I may be 50/50 split on the influence of nature and nurture.

 

[DarkRange55]

Genes set the stage, but the environment influences the outcome.
For instance, a cat that has starved as a kitten will often eat to obesity when food is available.

There also is a lot of interplay.
Genetics may cause one to seek an environment that reinforces a genetic tendency (the cat seeks an environment where food is plentiful.
The starvation heritably alters the expression of genes so that the cat's kittens are warned to prepare for scarce times.
Over many generations the food pattern gets encoded in the genes of cats.