Nature Vs. Nurture Controversy

Everyone displays behavior in unique ways. There are those who exercise excessively and those who are generally inactive, those who like to outshine and those who feel comfortable in the shadows of others, those who enjoy eating too much and those whom don’t eat enough. There are thrill-seeking adventurers and those prefer the comfort of their home, the timid and the bold, and every other possible mixture. “Living with Our Genes” argues that genes are the single most important factor in the variability of human behavior. Many scientists believe that genetic discoveries will turn out to be the most significant accomplishments of the twentieth century. For them, when all the genes containing human chromosomes have been mapped, a new era in biology, …show more content…
They predict that scientists will soon be able to genetically engineer human behavior. Since the authors devoted a large part of their book to analyzing how genes guide human activities as thrilling, worrying, aggression, addiction, sexual behavior, thinking, eating, and aging, they tend to emphasize the nature side of the nature-nurture controversy. However, in their treatment of these topics they bring out the complexity of human behavior and criticize those who think that a single gene exists that will explain each type of human behavior. Past studies supported the idea that inheritance plays a major role in why we feel or behave the way we do. Now, scientists are developing an impressive collection of research to identify the individual genes that guide human behavior. “Living with Our Genes” will help readers understand their particular genetic make-up and decipher the mysteries of genetically inherited behavioral traits. Chapters are organized by various traits or characteristics so that readers can quickly turn to the issues most pressing in their lives, whether it's body weight or