Nature Via Nurture: Genes, Experience and What Makes Us Human (original 2003; edition 2004)

by Matt Ridley

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Title:	Nature Via Nurture: Genes, Experience and What Makes Us Human
Authors:	Matt Ridley
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Tags:	non-fiction, pop science

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Nature via Nurture: Genes, Experience and What Makes Us Human by Matt Ridley (2003)

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An incredible popular-science book; it's on the same level as The Selfish Gene. Ridley gives a fascinating account of how our environment exerts a tremendous influence on our development through what are known as "promoter genes." Promoter genes pick up on our environment, and, in response, turn "on" and "off" other genes. Promoter genes have the power to retard our development, or allow us to grow into our full potential.

The central premise of the book is that this interplay between environment and genetics gives lie to, and turns upside down, the tired debate of "nature vs nurture." (

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AdamRackis | Aug 23, 2011 |

To me this book felt like a padded out version of Genome, incidentally an excellent book. If you have read Genome recently, then you will notice many, many facts being repeated here almost verbatim. On it's own, this book is probably great, but it is a lousy read if Genome is still fresh in your memory. (

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voodoochilli | Jul 13, 2011 |

Fabulous look into the relationship between genes and environment. Though it's left me more confused than ever. Though more informed than ever too. In summary, and as the title of the book sums up very neatly, there is no "versus" in the nature v. nurture debate. Great writer - the amount of information is enormous but the text is eminently readable all the same.

nocto | Dec 8, 2010 |

Enjoyed it from beginning to end. (

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rm80780 | Oct 11, 2010 |

As always, Matt Ridley does not disappoint with a thoroughly-researched popular science book.

Nature via Nurture is extraordinary in its scope and for such a fast-moving topic remains timely now, seven years after it was published, and will remain so for much, much longer.

Long live nature via nurture. (

)

fakelvis | May 31, 2010 |

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Nature via Nurture: Genes, Experience and What Makes Us Human

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2003

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Royal Society Prize for Science Books Shortlist (General, 2004)

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Wikipedia in English (7)

Brain

Genetics

Hugo de Vries

Nature versus nurture

Nature via Nurture: Genes, Experience, & What Makes Us Human

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Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Capture bond

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Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0060006781, Hardcover)

In the follow-up to his bestseller, Genome, Matt Ridley takes on a centuries-old question: is it nature or nurture that makes us who we are? Ridley asserts that the question itself is a "false dichotomy." Using copious examples from human and animal behavior, he presents the notion that our environment affects the way our genes express themselves.

Ridley writes that the switches controlling our 30,000 or so genes not only form the structures of our brains but do so in such a way as to cue off the outside environment in a tidy feedback loop of body and behavior. In fact, it seems clear that we have genetic "thermostats" that are turned up and down by environmental factors. He challenges both scientific and folk concepts, from assumptions of what's malleable in a person to sociobiological theories based solely on the "selfish gene."

Ridley's proof is in the pudding for such touchy subjects as monogamy, aggression, and parenting, which we now understand have some genetic controls. Nevertheless, "the more we understand both our genes and our instincts, the less inevitable they seem." A consummate popularizer of science, Ridley once again provides a perfect mix of history, genetics, and sociology for readers hungry to understand the implications of the human genome sequence. --Therese Littleton

(retrieved from Amazon Tue, 19 Apr 2011 06:06:01 -0400)

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Documents the 2001 discovery that there are fewer genes in a human genome than previously thought and considers the argument that nurture elements are also largely responsible for human behavior.

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