The debate of nature versus nurture

The debate of nature versus nurture Debate on nature versus nurture focuses on individuals innate attributes also known as innatism as compared to personal experiences, also called empiricism, in influencing or determining personal differences in behavior and physical traits. Nature relies on the biological/genetical composition of individuals in determining behavioral as well as physical attributes on an individual. Genes originate from the parents and are unique between persons. The nurture orientation in shaping an individual focuses on the influence on a contextual environment of an individual in determining the attributes and character to be developed (Cummings, 2008). Introduction In context of homosexuality, the nature concept determines the possibility that a certain genetical combination during fusion of sex chromosomes naturally predisposes an individual to homosexuality. The implication is that a homosexual is born so and as such, any form of discrimination directed towards the homosexual is an issue of civil right since one did not choose to be so. On the other hand, the nurture concept displays homosexuality as a behavior instilled by the environment within which a person grows or interacts with. As such the parental, peer and other social environment, may contribute to homosexual attributes exhibited by an individual (Bozett, 1989). It can be easily understood that the physical characteristics are inherent from the parents, but its practically hard to comprehend that the behavior of an individual depends fully on the behavior of the parents such that it is genetically inherited. Studies indicate that a nature-given talent, ability or attribute can be e nhanced or inhibited by the environment in which a person grows in. As such both aspects of nature and nurture are in play in shaping an individual. Discussion Natures influence on homosexuality According to Shaffer (2008), siblings do inherit various physical characteristics directly from the biological parents. The traits may include eye color, height as well as predisposition ailments that are physical. Drawing from this later statement, human beings can as well inherit certain mental traits and attributes from biological parents. Mental characteristics may include susceptibility to attacks by certain mental disorders. Homosexuality, a personality attribute, is a mental state within a person that urges the person to have intimate relationship with individuals of the same sex/gender. As such, the mind of a homosexual houses an acquired composition or an orientation. The orientation to homosexuality may be coined in the autonomy or the divergent thinking characteristics all of which can be inherited from the parents. Indeed what society inculcates to people deprives people of their possible autonomy and divergence in thinking that would have developed them to completely dif ferent people. According to Nardi Schneider (1998), there is a biological relationship between personality of resultant sibling and the parents. For example, extroversion, which is the social and outgoing character in a person and neuroticism, which is the moody and over sensitivity behavior in a person. Furthermore, researches indicate that schizophrenia which is a psychological disorder characterized by confusion, delusions and scattered thoughts is genetically inherited. In fact, if a family member has the disorder, there is a possibility of there being others in the lineage. In addition, major depressions and alcoholism, which are psychological disorders has also been found to be hereditary whether the social environment is changed or not, (Soble, 2002). There is therefore a possibility of a gene that is independent of the larger society and defies the society to manifest itself in homosexuality. It is however important to note that from the Minnesota registry and Australian Registry twin studies, only thirty eight and thirty percent gay and lesbians respectively resulted from their twin brother/ sister being gay or lesbian (Brewer, 1999). From the studies, it can be deduced that the correlation is not perfect since it is not a hundred percent. As such, it may be suggested that g enes influence indirectly, though on average do not account for homosexuality sexual orientation. The aforementioned discussion leads to a conclusion that though the genetical passing over of human attributes contribute to homosexual habits; still there is/are other aspects in play to homosexuality. As such, while dwarfs, supermen and superwomen can blame their physical characteristic wholly on genetical combination, homosexuals cannot. The indication is that homosexuality is partly contributed by a decision and choice for it. Choice and decision comes to play with environment exposure which depicts the larger perspective of nurture. Nurtures influence on homosexuality The environment within which an individual grows and develops in has an influence on the resulting personality of such individuals (Mathew et al, 2003). Indeed, the development of language to be spoken is learnt from the interaction with the environment of an individual. The environment will include the physical as well as the social aspects of an individual. For example, a research conducted by Robinson in fiscal 1982 on the influence of nurture to homosexuality had the following details. Methodology The participants included two hundred and eighty five gay and forty seven lesbians from DIGNITY association, a homosexual association in USA. Each participant received a questionnaire via mail, responded to it and mailed it back to the researchers. The questionnaire assessed the couple status, past family life, demographic information as well as parental relationship with the individual respondents. The respondents were from diverse faith including Catholic, Protestant and atheism whose level of education was between high school and doctorate levels. Findings and discussion Seventy six percent of all respondents expressed their early life as full of care and love from their parents compared to twenty four percent who felt that their early life was unbearable. In addition, more than eighty percent expressed their parents approval of their behavior as they grew up as well as the current behavior as homosexuals. The findings reveal individuals whose family setups availed the care that children require while growing up. Socially, their parents supported them by offering approval of their conduct as they grew up. The implication is that homosexuality does not result from a neglected and unsociably individuals but from people who fit in the societal context. Furthermore, the participants expressed their parents satisfaction on the life and behavior of homosexuality that they had adopted. This further implies that homosexualitys acceptability was evident. The homosexuals who participated in this research indicate that the urge to homosexuality was not as a res ult of a mental force beyond their control but as a choice that they had made. Their level of education indicates that they would have changed their sexual orientation if they wanted but their energy was directed to making their relationship with homosexual partners stronger (Jones Yarhouse, 2000).). The deduction is that since homosexuality is a mental state in an individual and not a physical attribute, learned individuals, if they wish, can change if they suspect the behavior is a vice. The role of the environment comes to play in the sense the homosexuals gain acceptance by the parents and numbers. Moreover the religious faiths that represent a stronghold in many societies upheld homosexuality. Indeed, the support from the parents and the church accounts for a societys support. The aspects that the environment avails to human beings provide experiences for adoption in life (Schein Bernstein, 2008). These experiences shape the behavior of individuals. If the contextual society do not support expression of some behavior, the only possibility that such behaviour would sprout is if the behavior is genetically inherited or if the individuals displaying it are strong enough to accept the deviant labeling from the society. Conclusion In exploring the classification of factors that shape the behavior, many contemporary researches appreciate the role of both nature expressed in inherited genes as well as the nurture expressed as environmental experiences. Inherited mental characteristic need to be exercised and enhanced in the environment for it to be successfully propagated to the future generations. The culture which is the framework within which nurture takes effect definitely has a role to play in shaping up an individuals behavior. It is important for individuals to evaluate themselves and as independent entities compare their behavioral attributes to determine their compatibility with the environment. There may be instances when individuals display behaviour that is ideally unacceptable and hence such individuals would need to conform to the environment. In some other instances, individuals may need to explicitly explain their traits if they are ideally acceptable to fit them into the contextual environment. Either way, the influence of the environment display natural ways of eliminating expression of behaviour that is harmful in the environment. The genesis of homosexuality and indeed its acceptability remains both a nature and nurture contribution until other studies find it different (Boswell, 1981).

Gandhian Values

Gandhian Values and its Relevance to me as a Future Leader : Ajay Dixit (10BEC1007) Amidst the atmosphere of tension, violence, differences of opinion, unemployment and inflation globally, today the question is being raised again and again about the relevance of Gandhian philosophy which is based on truth and non-violence. Anyhow, most of the people who oppose Gandhi's thoughts unfortunately are Indians and not foreigners. These people did not feel the relevance of Gandhian thoughts even when he was alive. This feeling of disagreement with Gandhian philosophy resulted in his assassination.Society is going through a degraded phase which should be revoked so that humanity sustains in this world for centuries. Today when we are surrounded by the forces of darkness, we need a leader like Gandhi, a man of rare courage, character, and charisma, who dares to tell the truth, who can overcome violence with nonviolence, and who shows us the way to light. Gandhi and his twin principles of satya (truth) and ahimsa (nonviolence) are more relevant today than any other time in human history, and the Gandhian style of satyagraha seems to be the only potent and pragmatic, moral equivalent of war in these troubled times.Gandhi not only said but showed us the way that, â€Å"nonviolence is infinitely superior to violence,† and the soul-force is far more potent than the brute-force. Gandhi was in favour of using the thoughts against the arms and not the arms against the arms, to fight injustice and inequality. He gave an armament to the humanity in which there was no need to raise arms or make enemies. He believed in changing the society with his thoughts and not with the power or force.After the heavy destruction of property and lives in the World War II, when there was no good in the war, at last in 1945, the United Nations Organisation made declaration according to the thoughts of Gandhi. That was, ‘war is no solution to any problem so all problems should be solved through mutual discussions'. All the members of the UNO signed this peace proposal. President of United States, Obama, has been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. Obama has fixed a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi in his office, where he is seen conveying the message of peace.Obama is impressed with those great philosophies of Gandhi in which Gandhi inspired the world society to face the crushing policies with peaceful ones. Obama accepts Gandhi as his idol and took inspiration from the picture of Gandhi in his office. He says that this picture of Gandhi always reminds him that true results don't come from Washington but from the public. Obama says that Gandhi was to select an alternative while getting India free from the British rule, & he selected courage in place of fear.Obama, who talks of the Great change in the world & finds solution of the problems while following the path of nonviolence, is feeling the relevance of Gandhian ideals in this age of violence & terrorism. Gandhi being a wors hipper of non-violence clearly understood that violence is no solution for any problem. As the terrorism and violence are widespread in the world today, there seems relevance of Gandhian principles everywhere. Almost all the countries of the world including America are facing the severest economic recession since World War II. Gandhiji was against the big industries and was worried about the increasing industrialization.He used to call the set up of industrialization as ‘satanic set up'. Gandhi was of the opinion that the industrialization set up was based on the exploitation of man by man. The inequality will increase in the industrialization set up and there cannot be justice. Today the increasing unemployment in India and more industrialization has reminded the relevance of Gandhian thoughts. Including India in so many countries today, small scale industries, cottage industries and industries run by the workers are lying shut and the persons involved in such industries have been badly affected.Where ever such industries are running; the poor labourers, common man and the worker groups are hardly able to make both ends meet. Gandhiji always considered the welfare of the poor as the centre of the war of independence. I think the best way to educate our children on Gandhian methods would be to explain the reasons for violence in the world, which is intolerance of people that look/speak/behave differently from us. Educating them about the oneness of all humans, regardless of race and religious diversity. Also, we should educate our children about the real message of world religions, and explain how religion has een historically (and is currently being) exploited for selfish political and terrorist agendas. Today, people who are active in politics, mainly have the motive of gains by getting political power. The so said political leader should have got power for social service or issues for development & progress or for eradication of illiteracy & unemploym ent, for providing health services or for giving basic amenities like roads, electricity and water. For these, they should go among the voters & get support for the works done by them. Exactly opposite, now there are attempts to get the power as ‘fruit' without doing any labour.The result of this shortcut adoption is that communalism and corruption is flourishing throughout India. Many other countries of the world are also feeling the heat of communalism & casteism. At some places, communal riots are instigated just for communal polarisation and thus to make easy & early way to power. At some places, differences of language, caste & creed are spread. At present, some narrow minded leaders of a particular state who are also heading regional political parties in India are using narrow thoughts to spread hatred against North Indians.It is not a type of work, labour or action but a simple trial to get the result or ‘fruit' of power. Such people leave policies, principles & e ven humanity. They don't hesitate to take decisions of the lowest level just to get the wicked motives. Gandhi never took decisions on the basis of majority. He looked all the communities equally may be the Hindus, the Muslims, the Sikhs or the Christians or any other. His valuable wealth was his thoughts of peace, love, harmony, truth & non-violence.But the people, whose politics was based on communalism, perhaps didn't like his policy of communal harmony. In the end, a fundamentalist Hindu shot him. But after his sacrifice, his thoughts became more popular. May be that, critics of that great soul are more in number in India but every visitor to India from a foreign country who may be a head of the country, pay a visit to Rajghat & pay obituary. Today, all over the world, where there are peace marches, all remember Gandhi. So there is no gainsaying that the thoughts of Gandhi are relevant even at present & would remain forever.

Social class and participation in further education

At the first portion of this appraisal I need to indicate out the most of import points discussed at the article â€Å" Social category and engagement in farther instruction: grounds from the Youth Cohort Study of England and Wales † written by Ron Thompson. Before I carry on with my treatment, I have to squeal that this article had a great impact towards my personal thought refering the educational reform that is taking topographic point in Cyprus. I have found a batch of similarities refering our educational systems and its jobs with the one the writer is discoursing. At this paper, the writer examines the category distribution of immature people, aged 16-17 old ages, in colleges of farther instruction ( FE ) by utilizing informations from the Youth Cohort Study. He finds, contrary to popular perceptual experiences of FE colleges as being for ‘lower category people ‘s kids ‘ , middle-class pupils every bit good as propertyless pupils are good represented. In contrast, this does non connote that FE colleges are establishments of pick because middle-class representation is frequently related to take down accomplishment and, for low-achieving propertyless pupils, go forthing instruction wholly is more likely than entry to FE. In recent discourse on the instruction of immature people and grownups, and as Avis reference out, recounts how educational research from the 1980s, on the manner in which pupils ‘ experiences in instruction served to reproduce class-based orientations towards waged labor, came to be superseded by a place that, whilst supplying more complex histories of larning experiences, favoured procedures related to individualisation instead than the structural footing of category inequality. Furthermore, Avis calls for structural histories of societal inequality – including race and gender every bit good as category – to be placed one time more in the foreground, whilst retaining an consciousness of the complexness of educational and societal dealingss. ( Avis, 2006, p.344-345 ) Even though the writer efforts to highlight category in relation to educational patterned advance by concentrating on the engagement of 16-17 twelvemonth olds in farther instruction ( FE ) colleges in England and Wales, nevertheless these colleges are frequently conceptualized as mostly propertyless establishments, both historically and culturally, and as enduring from a marginalisation that belies the recent important additions in authorities disbursement on FE. As Richardson mentions the predominating attitudes to the sector that so far as those in Whitehall and the media are concerned, the cardinal but mute point about colleges of general FE in stratified England remains that they are tiring, difficult to understand and something best suited to ‘other people ‘s kids ‘ ( Richardson, 2007, p.411 ) . Not merely Richardson mentioned this but besides Raggatt and Williams ( 1999 ) are conveying similar points, observing a systemic disregard of FE that is class-based and related to images of FE as a 2nd pick establishment concerned with low-status vocational or reme dial classs. ( 455 ) UK authorities have topographic point a cardinal function refering the FE in the 21st century. The FE sector in England and Wales occupies an uneasy link of policies associating to societal inclusion and planetary fight. FE is holding a cardinal function in the creative activity of future high-skills, knowledge-based economic system and as lending to societal coherence, indirectly through wealth-creation stimulated by high accomplishments and straight by agencies of educational proviso aimed at deprived persons. However, these places have been questioned by many research workers, and the ‘competitiveness colony ‘ has acquired a hegemonic position within instruction and is responsible for much of the rhetoric permeating authorities policy. In pattern, FE is positioned within womb-to-tomb acquisition and as a supplier of academic and vocational classs whose common characteristic is their lower position compared with those offered by more esteemed establishments, such as universities, sixth-form colleges and school 6th signifiers. But as Bathmaker reference, many immature people, inscribing on a class in FE is a silent recognition of their lower position as pupils and of the fact that certain chances are closed to them, they ‘follow a peculiar path, non so much because they know what they want to make, but because they know what they can non make ‘ ( Bathmaker 2005, 86 ) . These pupils are improbable to reflect the authorities ‘s placement of FE within its rhetoric of ‘learning society ‘ . Indeed, their attitudes to larn may be seen as ‘reflecting non so much built-in capacities of single scholars, as a response to their placement in an instruction and preparation hierarchy. ( 252 ) Something that needs to be mentioned at this point is that the category distribution of immature people, aged 16-17 old ages, across the varied locations of post-16 instruction is examined. However, the great bulk are following full-time classs. For the higher societal categories, this is chiefly in schools and sixth-form colleges ; for the lower societal categories, attending at an FE college is non much less likely than attending at a school or sixth-form college combined. In old educational attainment is taken into history, the distribution of immature people in full-time instruction reveals that the category composing of FE is constructed as much from middle-class failure as from propertyless disadvantage. Working-class 16-17 twelvemonth olds in full-time instruction with five or more GCSE base on ballss at classs A*-C are twice every bit likely to go to an FE college as those from the highest societal category with the same scope of makings. At the same clip, 16-17 twelvemonth o lds from higher societal categories with fewer than five A*-C classs are more likely to be in FE colleges than similar propertyless pupils. ( 180 ) In decision, the societal composing of 16-17 twelvemonth olds in FE colleges in England and Wales derives from the interaction of two chief effects: the increasing likeliness of go toing such establishments with falling category place ; and an increasing engagement rate in post-compulsory instruction with go uping category place. These effects are strongly modified by old educational accomplishment, so that high-achieving working-class immature people are less likely to go to FE than their category place might bespeak, and low winners from the in-between category are more likely to happen themselves in a farther instruction college than might be expected. However, a important category consequence remains: in the higher class of attainment, working-class 16-17 twelvemonth olds are more likely to go to FE than equals from the in-between category, whilst in the lower class the contrary is true. Gender differences are besides mediated by category to some extent Furthermore, research that makes seeable middle-class immature people in the FE system alongside their working-class equals could assist to reply the inquiries raised.

Collegiate Aviation Programs and Their Under Representation of Female Students Free Essay Example, 2250 words

The researcher states that despite all the setbacks faced by the female aviators, professional organizations have come up in support of women in aviation, and furthermore these same women have made contributions as well as achievements as individuals. The success of most women in aviation has been due to the contribution of several groups. These groups generally contribute by way of funding towards hundreds of educational programs, which include aerospace workshop, touring of airports for school going children, fear flight clinics for passengers, and seminars for flight instructor and aviation training. They also offer scholarships grants for various fields in aviation. That being said, a shortage of pilots remains. A shortage of pilots is giving less experienced pilots a chance at flying passenger aircraft. With the ongoing shortage of pilots, most airlines have lowered their level of experience requirements for new pilots. Most aviation experts feel that lowering the minimum requi rements for flight experience will produce unsafe environments where inexperienced pilots will always be reacting to emergencies. Therefore, as the ratio of female pilots remains quite low in the aviation industry, which has a chance of creating negative opinion towards flight careers for female pilots within the industry? We will write a custom essay sample on Collegiate Aviation Programs and Their Under Representation of Female Students or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now It is evident that in fields that are dominated by males, sex stereotyping exists. This creates barriers for women that operate in limited ways. As the continuity of negative opinion towards female pilots continues, it creates reluctance for females to pursue careers in the aviation field. This effect can create repetitive cycles, which ends up leading to a continued lower ratio of female pilots. This then becomes a problem that must be researched on within the aviation industry to understand ways to reverse the situation of low female representation. The author continues to point out that although the present literature has not been sufficient in understanding pilot perceptions towards females in understanding the low ratio.