Balancing The Nature-Nurture Conflicts On Child Intelligence Through Islamic Paradigm

Abstract

Few topics in the social sciences came up with more controversies
than the influence of nature-nurture conflicts on child intelligence.
There has been an old debate among Psychologists, is intelligence a
product of nature (heredity) or nurture (environment). Psychologists
stalemate, Scholars like Descartes are the proponents of nature,
whereas people like Locke advocates nurture. Notwithstanding, Islam
believes that, “the horns of a dilemma are usually on the same bull.”
Therefore, this paper discusses the concept of intelligence is-à-is the
nature-nurture conflict reflecting the evidences propose by each of
the belligerent parties. Then it finally explores the Islamic worldview
which reconciles between the conflicting views that Allah is the
ultimate being that controls both the biological and environmental
factors on the child’s intelligence.

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