96 



The Journal of Heredity 



ing in the same community at the same 

 time, the ultimate achievement of any 

 given individual is due to his original 

 ability, probably to the extent of 60% 

 to 90%, and to actual difference in op- 

 portunity or external circumstances 

 only to the extent of 10% to 40%,." 



"The facts of heredity bear down so 

 heavily," he continues, "that the im- 

 pression gained of the large part played 

 by it leads one almost to a fatalistic 

 philosophy. One is almost inclined to 

 believe that persons become what they 

 do largely on account of their heredi- 

 tary capacities, and that they are not in 

 the least responsible for their own out- 

 come; that if a person is born with 

 great capacities he will achieve high 

 distinction, and if he is born with 

 mediocre or slender capacities he will 

 not achieve anything beyond his limits, 

 no matter what he may do. 



"While it is certainly true that no 

 one may achieve a position higher than 

 his original capacities will permit, it 

 does not follow that a mechanical, 

 fatalistic \'\c\v needs to be taken. Na- 

 ture predominates enormously over 

 nurture only in the relative and not in 

 the absolute sense. 



THI<: POSSIBILITIES OF NEWTON 



"This distinction must always be 

 borne in mind in studies of heredity. 

 In fact, in the absolute sense, nurture 

 predominates enormously over nature. 

 A Newton born among Australian 

 bush men would no doubt have become 

 a remarkable bushman, but never a 

 world-renowned scientist. The neces- 

 sary stimuli of en\ironment must be at 

 hand to train and deveh^p original 

 capacities. 



"The difference between relative and 

 absolute achievement may be illus- 

 trated in any of the experimental 

 results concerning the effects of ecjual 

 practice, cited in a preceding section. 

 The fact that all individuals improve 

 by practice shows absolute gain in 

 performance or skill. The fact that 

 the gifted ones maintain their lead, or 

 even gain in their lead, is relative 

 achievement. Before practice, no child 

 can write; after practice, all normal 

 children can write with more or less 

 excellence. This is absolu-te gain. 



Before practice, some children have 

 greater original capacities for learning 

 to write; after practice, these same 

 children maintain the same superiority. 

 This is relative gain. 



"A Newton and an ordinary bush- 

 man born and reared among bushmen 

 would probably be superior and ordi- 

 nary bushman respectively. A Newton 

 and an ordinary bushman born and 

 reared in New York City at the begin- 

 ning of the twentieth century would 

 probably become, respectively, the 

 one a great scientific, professional, or 

 business man, and the other an ordi- 

 nary person, able to get on, earn a living, 

 and enjoy life within the ordinary 

 limits. 



THE PRESSURE OF CIVILIZATION 



"The original abilities of ancient 

 civilized peoples were probably very 

 little different from the original abilities 

 of modern civilized peoples. The dif- 

 ferences are probably due to the trans- 

 formation of the environment, which 

 is constantly being brought about 

 through the efforts of man. A Newton 

 born in a modern civilized community 

 would have greater and different stim- 

 uli than one born in an ancient or 

 uncivilized community. His ultimate 

 eminence would be determined by his 

 environment. 



"The pessimistic air may be further 

 dispelled by noting the fact that hardly 

 one person in a thousand makes all the 

 absolute gain possible for him even in 

 a single capacity. It has been proven 

 over and over again in numerous abili- 

 ties which have been used daily in one's 

 occupation that by a little special prac- 

 tice each day their efficiency can be 

 enormously improved. Consequently, 

 while the pos.sibilities of each indi\i(lual 

 are limited by his original inherited 

 equipment, each one may develop his 

 capacities far beyond the normal de- 

 gree of attainment. 



"While experimental e\ idence intli- 

 cates emphatically that under equal 

 opportunities the more gifted surpass 

 the less gifted, yet rarely does anyone 

 do his best or attain his limit even in a 

 single capacity. Life is a matter of 

 com|)etiti()n: let everyone compete to 

 the fullest extent of his inherited 

 ability." 



