The Nature/nurture Battle; What Makes Us Clever or Stupid?

Beginning of article

Byline: Peter Nelson

IS IT our upbringing, and the influence of our parents and environment, that make us the way we are? Or does our genetic make- up make us what we are from birt h? What makes us clever or stupid, criminal or law-abiding, relaxed or temperamental: Nature or nurture?

This is one of the great ba ttles of the psychological landscape. For a century, warriors from either camp have been slugging it out for the upper hand in the dispute.

According to a new book by science writer Matt Ridley,a raft of human traits may not be attributed to either nature or nurture,but to an interplay of both.

Perhaps this is too obvious to be worth an …