Both/And Thinking: Bridging Nature and Nurture

The subject of biological vs. psychological and nature vs. nurture came up in one of my professional email groups. I always think in terms of both/and rather than either/or these days.

Here’s how I responded to the group:

I see all aspects of being human as existing on spectrums of sorts.  All these spectrums interact with each other so that experience is like a kaleidoscope perhaps…endlessly varied from human being to human being and even within the life of a solo human being…no moment is ever repeated…we are new in that way in every instant.

We cannot ever know all the ingredients that come together to make this or that human being the way they are…and for me this is part of the great mystery of life…we all partake and make the best of it.

You’ll see I don’t particularly like either/or thinking…it’s more like both/and…more inclusion rather than less…things that appear to conflict sometime coexist.

in a universe where everything matters the dualities we create collapse. Nature and nurture matter. Biology and psychology matter. The list can go on and on.

we return to one of the main memes of this site:

Everything Matters

Posts that take a look at things from a both/and rather than either/or perspective:

• The emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, social, political and ecological…(must be viewed as a whole if we hope to heal)
• To my friends and readers who take psych drugs (and to everyone on and off meds too)
• I shared at a NAMI meeting last night
• stop taking your meds, right now… (NOT!)

more both/and rather than either/or perspective

• Dogmatic anti-meds stance can be dangerous
• Informed consent and pro-choice when it comes to drugs and medications
• Psych Drugs Kill vs Psych Drugs Save Lives. What if Both Are True?

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