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I have been listening to the scientists. Recent studies have shown that two identical twins - even when having very different backgrounds - are overwhelmingly similar in their tastes. Advantage nature.
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If you look more closely at the twin studies, you'll see that some traits are more heritable than other traits and tastes. For instance there is quite a range for various properties of intelligence. Or humor. Plus, keep in mind that many of these separated twins are raised in quite similar environments - most likely middle class, English speaking, etc. Take a newborn orphan twin from war-torn Congo and raise him in the US, leaving his brother behind - then come talk to me. Or take a twin and give him NO FAMILY WHATSOEVER and see if his personality develops in the same way. Nor are teratogenic effects ruled out - the twins shared the same womb. Maybe one would call this 'nature' but it is not genetic.
All it proves is that genes have some hand in shaping the totality of human personality. This is obvious, come on. It does NOT prove genetic determinism - otherwise you'd have no variances across all particular characteristics of personality. You say human nature does not change - you would HAVE to hold this radical genetic deterministic position.
Genes and environment operate in a complex dynamic - there is more evidence now that a large combination of genes operate to produce even one aspect of personality. Also, thresholds are important - a certain threshold of environmental stimuli is necessary to cause the over- or underexpression of certain genes, such as perhaps in the case of schizophrenia. Or are we to say that in recent years Americans are getting fatter, and their IQs on the whole are increasing, solely because of genetic drift or selection??? Others are getting with the program; you should too.
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