PSYC 725 Quiz 1 Essay Question
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Liberty University *
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725
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Philosophy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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1
Uploaded by Springgirl80
Probabilistics and predetermined epigenesis aligns with the age-old debate of the
influence of nature versus nurture.
Probabilistics epigenesis argues the point that it
is neither gene or environment alone that makes up the individual, yet it is the co-
act of both genes and environment that contributes to what indeed molds an
individual.
However, predetermined epigenesis strongly disagrees with this
ideology.
Predetermined epigenesis debates that an individual's genes are the only
contributing factor in the make-up of an individual and there are absolutely no
outside influences that inserts itself into the developing process.
There are many
theorists that reject the theory of predetermined epigenesis, as they believe that if
we indeed follow suite of predetermined epigenesis then we would have the
capability to alter our futures.
Predetermined epigenesis enables the ability to
predict our outcome and several theorists state that this is not at all possible.
“According to this philosophy, we may seem to have a will of our own and the ability
to alter the course of events in our lives, but we do not” (Lerner, pg. 102, 2018).
Theorists that cling to the Probabilistics epigenesis go even further to say that our
“free will” is pseudo “free will.”
How is there the ability to have “free will”, if
everything about our lives is predetermined?
The theorists that argue that
probabilistic epigenesis fervently believe that we are indeed given free will and that
“free will” comprises of what’s embedded within our genes and what we are
exposed to within our environment.
Theorists such a West-Eberhard argue the point
that the human development is comprised of so much more than just our genetic
make-up.
We are imprinted by everything that surrounds us, whether intentionally
or unintentionally.
“In turn, West-Eberhard (2003) argues that “the universal
environmental responsiveness of organisms, alongside genes, influences individual
development and organic evolution, and this realization compels us to reexamine
the major themes of evolutionary biology in a new light” (Lerner, pg. 40, 2018).
The
question that continues to arise by theorist like West-Eberhard is, how we as
theorists and researchers unable to consider the world around us as a key factor in
human development.
Early theorists, scientists, psychologists such as Erickson, Watson, and Newton have
laid such strong arguments regarding predetermined epigenesis that many theorists
to follow remain loyal to such a theory despite new developments that would poke
holes into the theory’s rationality.
“To such psychologists all behavioral functioning
is a consequence of stimulation.
To understand behavior at any and all points in
development, all one must do is understand the laws by which a person’s responses
come to be under the control of environmental stimulation” (Lerner, pg. 103, 2018).
With the growing utilization of RDS metatheory, modern psychology continues to
expand its view into past theories and philosophies that introduce new questions,
new discoveries, and new theories that either strengthens past theories or debunk
those past theories.
Either way, past research will continue to be the catalyst of
debates regarding theories such as probabilistic and predetermined epigenesis for
centuries to come.
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