The famous psychologist Jerome Kagan once said: “Genes and family may determine the foundation of the house, but time and place determine its shape » (Moore 165). The nature versus nurture debate has been a mystery for years, constantly raising the question of whether human behavior, ideas, and feelings are innate or learned over time. Nature, or genetic influences, are formed before birth and are refined through early experiences. Genes are considered long, complex chains that are present throughout life and develop over time. Proponents of nature believe that genes form a child's consciousness and determine their approach to life, unlike nature's idea that children are born "blank slates", only to be shaped by nature. experience or education. Education is made up of the influence of millions of complex environmental factors that shape a child's character. Conservationists do not believe that character is predetermined by genes, but that it is formed over time. Although often separated, nature and nurture work together for human development. Human consciousness is neither innate from birth nor entirely shaped by experience. Rather, genetic and environmental influences combine to form human behaviorism, character and personality traits that constantly change and develop throughout life. The debate between nature and nurture has existed for thousands of years. years. Ancient philosophers Plato and Aristotle based their argument on contradictory beliefs about the basis of human knowledge. Plato believed that wisdom was innate, that all men were born with knowledge and that their experiences only reminded them of what they once knew. Aristotle challenged this, believing that information should be obtained through experiments. He sees...... middle of paper ....... February 4, 2014. Gallagher, Winifred. Rapt: attention and focused life. New York: Penguin, 2009. Print. Goleman, Daniel. “Major personality study finds traits are mostly inherited.” The New York Times. The New York Times, December 1, 1986. Web. February 7, 2014.Moore, David Scott. The dependent gene: the fallacy of nature/nurture. New York: Times, 2002. Print. “Nature vs. Nurture – Overview of the Twin Study. » Nature vs. Nurture – Overview of the Twin Study. Np, and Web. February 17, 2014. “Neuroscience of Intelligence.” Neuroscience of intelligence. Np, and Web. February 28, 2014. Pinker, Steven. The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature. New York: Viking, 2002. Print. Segal, Nancy L. Intertwined Lives: Twins and What They Tell Us About Human Behavior. New York: Dutton, 1999. Print “What is Epigenetics?” » Epigenetics? Np, and Web. February 4. 2014.