Quote Originally Posted by cupcakezombie View Post
I think you are pointing to the Nature Nuture thing in another way. I agree that the environment we are placed in does have an effect on how genes are expressed/turned on, but the genes are there from birth. Taking your blind example, you are saying if someone is deprived of light, the sight genes don't get activated, but if one of the genes for sight is not present, no amount of exposure to light or visual stimuli is able to change that. The environment can not change what is present.
The difference between horses and humans at birth is also due to the environment and survival. While the ability of a horse to able to run and eat on day one is really important to its survival, there are a lot of environmental factors that will affect it's temperament etc there after. But neither humans or horses can change the colour their eyes etc.
I really like this debate because I think it relates to the zombies/zombie types and how they develop. Especially in regards to the little/big ones and other types of zombies. Is the difference due to different strains or are there environmental factors causing some of them to get bigger (kind of like building their muscles.). We know that the smart ones were most likely smarter in life, but noone would grow as big as a behmouth. Is whatever causes zombieism causing the growth or activating something in the body that causes growth? Could only a certain type of person become a certain type of zombie? Was there something special about the guy who became a not so little one in the last episode?
That is essentially what I am saying, it's not Nature Vs Nuture, it's both. Both environments play a significant role in your genetic development and your genetic development greatly affects how you react in a variety of different situations. If cruelty is a strength in your particular environment then you will receive a chemical reward in your brain from cruelty. That kind of reward mechanism is what is shaped largely in the post-utero phase of life.