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A new debate from the Intelligence Squared series. 

What shapes us more: our DNA, or the way we’re raised?

 The nature-versus-nurture debate has drawn disagreement for thousands of years, and emerging genetic research indicates that the scale may be tipping away from parenting and toward biology; but not all trust the research.

 Is parenting, and all the time and resources that go into it, overrated?

The debate motion is: “Parenting is overrated.”

, professor of behavioral genetics, King's College London.

"...genetics is much more important than parents know. Parents don't have as much control as they think they do."

, professor of psychology, California State University, Fullerton & director, Twin Studies Center.

"Children are not blank slates; they come into the world with steady predispositions that parents respond to and do not create."

, psychology professor, University of Texas.

"...declaring DNA to be the only major systematic force in people’s lives isn’t only just scientifically inaccurate, but I think it’s potentially dangerous in its complacency..."

"...parental relationships are not static; they do evolve. They are complicated and idiosyncratic and unpredictable. But just because the effects of parenting are difficult to measure doesn’t mean that we should dismiss a child’s environment as random."

The Intelligence Squared debate is moderated by John Donvan.

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An Intelligence Squared debate about nature versus nurture.

The nature-versus-nurture debate has drawn disagreement for thousands of years, and emerging genetic research indicates that the scale may be tipping away from parenting and toward biology; but not all trust the research. A new debate from the Intelligence Squared series.

Intelligence Squared debate: Parenting is overrated

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