Inteligence Squared U.S. Debates: Is Parenting Overrated?

Airs Sunday, January 12, 2020, at 6 p.m. What shapes us more: our DNA, or the way we’re raised? This debate, commonly recognized as “nature versus nurture,” has drawn disagreement for thousands of years. So which one matters more? Emerging genetic research indicates that the scale may be tipping toward biology. Others strongly disagree, saying that parenting is very important, and the individuals who rear us influence our development, growth, and, ultimately, our lives. The debaters are Robert Plomin, Paige Harden, Nancy Segal, and Ann Pleshette Murphy.