Knowledge: Nature against Nurture

Philosophers and scholars have always had different views on learning and education. We take Chomsky and BF Skinnner for example, both who have significant contribution in the study of how we acquire knowledge-one believing it is in our nurture while the other firmly standing with the belief that it must be nurtured. From the beginning, the question as to whether learning is an innate gift or a developed talent has always been a subject for debates. In reality, we still have not found the; answer that lets the ideologies meet halfway. We are still looking for the deal breaker.

Perhaps it is because of my profession that I am inclined to believe that man’s knowledge is supposed to be nurtured; that although we are all born with different sets of skills meant especially for us, we are designed to be blank canvasses or empty cups waiting to be filled. As it is man’s nature to be inquisitive, and so is his undeniable and insatiable thirst of learning. We never stop wanting to know more, explores farther, and reaches further. To me, there have long ceased to have a debate between the beliefs on how to acquire knowledge. It is because of the fact I am a teacher and I am automatically drawn believing that each person is a student. We all are.

When Noam Chomsky questioned BF Skinner’s idea on how to learn, specifically the language, he basically asked if we cannot be content with acquiring what we can by ourselves. He probably did not realize that everything and everyone around us is in a way or another nurturing us. That there is not such a thing as contentment with the natural state- otherwise, no one will have ambitions or goals to achieve, or places to visit, or people to meet. After all, we always hear people, telling us that our minds are gardens- we should cultivate them and not let negative thoughts go creeping and ruining our flowers. We have to keep nurturing ourselves so we may become more productive members of the society, nature against nurture-Nurture!