Summary of “Why Evolution is true” By: Jerry A. Coyne What is evolution; chapter I explains Darwin’s theory of evolution, which applies to all species, new species are descended from earlier forms. This means that organisms with similar characteristics are likely to have shared a common ancestor sometime in the past. The more traits shared by organisms, the closer their evolutionary relationship. This principle of “common descent” explains why anthropologists are interested in studying nonhuman animals, particularly primates (the mammalian order that includes monkeys, apes, and humans), with whom humans share the closest common ancestor. Some of our important human characteristics, such as a spinal cord encased in a bony vertebral column, and the concentration of nerve cells in a brain, are part of our vertebrate heritage, established in a common ancestor over 600 million years ago.
The major perspectives represent fundamental assumptions that underlie the research questions and methods that are used in order to answer the questions of psychology. Most all perspectives define psychology as the discipline interested in studying human behavior and mental processes, but that covers a lot of ground and the causes of behavior and mental processes are not always clear. ("Major Perspectives in Psychology", 2011). Psychodynamic Perspective:
The nature-nurture debate is all about whether genetics (nature) or our environment (nurture) is responsible for our behaviour and development. Early theorists believed that our personality, intellect, behaviour and gender role were determined by our genes and therefore could not be changed. But an increasing amount of evidence has proved these theorists wrong, and our development as an individual is learnt through the environment we live in. One developmental stage of an individual that psychologists have the nature-nurture debate about is the intelligence stage. The nature side of that intelligence is present at birth and we already have a set amount of intelligence.
This question brought about the thesis of his book, that environment is more persuasive on development of civilization than people may have once thought. In the first chapter of Guns, Diamond establishes two main arguments that will become crucial to his thesis later on in the book. First, he goes in depth about mass extermination and further extinction of large mammals that occurred in New Guinea and Australia which were important for food and domestication, and secondly he argues that all the first civilized peoples in the world each had the ability to out develop one another, but were hindered or helped by their environment. Diamond continues to provide evidence for his thesis that environmental factors play a
Nature vs. Nurture Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy on whether or not genes that we inherit affect us and how we live, or if it is the environment that we have been raised in. There are many different reasons for why one is more correct than that other. But, all of the reasons can be backed up with very good evidence and reasoning. Personality, development, intelligence, behavior and ability to do certain things make us the individuals that we are. But what influences those things?
What is Anthropology and what are the Major Subfields? When the question of what is Anthropology is raised amongst most individuals, the answer can sometimes be one that is unquestionably vague as Anthropology varies in different subfields. Anthropology is the study of humans, past and present to understand the complexity of various cultures. In addition, Anthropology builds upon knowledge from social and biological sciences as well as the humanities and physical sciences. Anthropology consists of four subfields which are Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, and Linguistic Anthropology.
Abstract Nature and nurture debate has become a big issue tackled since long decades up to present times because of many factors contributed to human development either through inherited genes or environment influences. In fact, after many researches and studies all conclude that we as human being are the product of not only of genes inheritance but by our environment factors as well. In the article "nature, nurture: not mutually exclusive” the psychologist, Robert Plomin, demonstrates that most human behaviors are directed by nature and nurture, he considers them to be two sides of one coin , and added that each participates a partial role in designing human behaviors and experiences. Accordingly, in his book Psychology, David G. Meyers states " our genetic predisposition help explain both our shared human nature and human diversity.” Besides, genes influence not only the behavior but the environment as well as , Thomas Bouchard in the article “Nature, nurture: not mutually exclusive” Says “twins and adoption studies have established that most traits and behaviors are partially influenced by genes”. He wanted to clarify that a solid interaction is cemented between nature and nurture when genetic factors affect the person's behavior, attitudes, experience and his life expectations as well.
Many research have been conducted to enquire into the cultural biasness in IQ testing which confirms of its thriving existence in the educational fraternity. Critics have argued that most of these tests are culturally biased. All may agree that we dwell in a culturally diverse world and no two cultures can be similar. One dictates the other, hence there is always unique differences amongst them. So the bigger question is whether IQ testing is fair in consideration of the vast differences amongst cultures.
Nature vs. Nurture Scientists believe that traits such as hair and eye colour are determined by specific genes encoded in each human cell. They now also believe abstract traits such as intelligence, personality, aggression and sexual orientation are also encoded in an individual’s DNA. This is known as the Nature theory, whereby it is the genetics and the characteristics that have been inherited from generations earlier that make the person behave the way they are. The Nurture theory however has a different approach to human behaviour, and although it does not completely discount genetic tendencies, the scientists studying this theory ultimately believe that genetics do not matter. They argue that our behavioural aspects originate only from the environmental factors of our upbringing.
This essay weighs on both sides of the scale, and it is generally concluded that rights are not universal even though they have been efforts to promote its universality. ESSAY: ARE RIGHTS UNIVERSAL? The universality of the concept sparks a highly debatable discussion. Notably, due to the nature of rights which is extremely diverse; for instance it ranges from natural rights to legal rights. One of the glaring statements that has often been made is the possibility of generalizing human rights without taking into consideration the difference in culture, tradition, religion more importantly human nature itself which vary from each one to another.