Nature vs Nurture

Nature, Nurture, & Choice

Nirav Patel

MGT/521

March 16, 2010

Doug Threet

Nature as defined by the online dictionary means “The complex of emotional and intellectual attributes that determine a person's characteristic actions and reactions.” I believe nature means someone is born with talent or gifts. An example is Shaquile O’ Neil. He is seven feet tall, weighs close to 300 pounds, and is one of the greatest basketball centers of all time because his natural gift of size. Shaquile was blessed with the size but also had a father who pushed him therefore Shaq is a great basketball player.

Nurture on the other hand is defined by the online dictionary as “Something that nourishes; sustenance; to nourish, feed, educate, train; to help grow or develop; cultivate.” CITE I believe nurture means that a person acts or reacts in a certain way or because he was taught to act or react that way, whether deliberately taught or because he saw other people act that way. Shaquille O’ Neal ended up being one of the greatest centers of the National Basketball Association because he was taught by his father to practice regularly and work hard to reach his goal.

Choice I believe also plays a part in the development of people. According to the American Heritage Dictionary to choose means “To select from a number of possible alternatives; decide on and pick out.” Shaquile O’ Neil was born with his gift of size, basketball ran in his family, and he was taught by his father how to be a great basketball player. The bottom line is that Shaquile chose to become one of the greatest basketball ball centers of all time. He could have not listened to his father or coaches and ended up doing something different but his choice led him to become a Hall of Fame Player.

I believe nature, nurture, and choice all play an important role in the development of individuals. Normally, nurture and the environment one grows in play a role in choices. If a child grows up in...