Brain complexity: baby brains under study (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, January 26, 2018, 14:32 (2493 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: Simple: at birth the genetics are a potential, nurture is a potential and experience is yet to come. All contribute to the development of personality as life continues. Blank slate at birth. You are arguing that all these potentials, not yet existing in practice mean the personality is already formed! I'm looking at this as a process, starting from zero personality to fully formed personality at age 25.

dhw: Arguing that some characteristics are inborn is a million miles away from arguing that the character is already formed! In my view, a personality is actually never fully formed, since our full potential could only be revealed by every imaginable experience, and some experiences (material or immaterial) could well cause a complete change of personality. So I’m arguing that the process starts with certain in-built characteristics, and then nurture (for a limited period) and experience (unlimited) provide an on-going and never-ending process of development.

A personality is fully formed by 25, but I agree with you it can modify over the years with experience and new events.

dhw: According to the article I quoted, “the idea that a child is born completely free of any predisposition” (i.e. your blank slate theory) “…has all but been completely discredited.” And it refers to genetics as “preprogramming”. You are, of course, free to stick to a concept that has all but been completely discredited, but I’m afraid I cannot see any sense in your argument that although 40% of personality (your figure) is genetic, the baby’s genes do not yet exist “in practice” and are only a blank slate potential. The inborn traits will only be revealed in time (very short in some cases), but that does not mean they are not already there.

We are arguing over potentiality, and we actually agree. I've said the programming in the genes exists, but has to be actuated from a zero start. The newborn starts at zero, obviously.