One of psychology's principle arguments, to which the answer remains a mystery, is whether nature or nurture plays a larger role in developing one's identity. After thousands of studies and experiments on this issue, there is no disputable piece of evidence that gives one side a clear advantage over the other. When first looking at this situation, many may wonder how some people could ever be shaped into the savages they are today, and that is what Rollie Williams and a U.K. student address in the following articles. Through the use of kairos, exigency, and Aristotle's appeals of logos and pathos, these authors make an almost irrefutable argument that one's identity comes down to winning the "lottery of life".

In "Case Study on the Nature vs. Nurture Debate," the student employs Aristotle's appeals of pathos and logos to express how nurture plays the supreme role in the development of an individual's personality and character.  Within this essay, the author highlights the life of a girl named Genie. Throughout her early childhood, Genie was raised in an environment that was severed completely from society. Her primary human interaction was with her abusive father who did not speak to her, but rather "barked and growled at her" ("Case Study"). A social worker found thirteen-year-old Genie after her mother requested help from child services. Scientists like Eric Lenneberg believe that, "the critical period in development happens before puberty and if a child has not learned how to speak by then, he/she will never achieve normal language abilities" (Lenneberg et al in "Case Study"). If this is true, it would suggest that since Genie was deprived of normal human interaction which included verbal communication as a young child, she would never be able to effectively learn to communicate, thus indicating the huge impact one's environment has on development. Many scientists followed Genie's progress after she was removed from her horrific environment to see if she would begin to learn, but due to the trauma of her early years she never fully recovered. Over time with clinical intervention there were positive breakthroughs in Genie's development. One special event occurred when Genie showed an emotional attachment to one of her doctors. Many well-known scientists theorize "that an infant's need to form attachments is innate" (Klaus and Kennel qtd. in "Case Study"). For Genie, it is assumed that her mother was never there for her after birth, and her cruel father never cared for her causing her to live years in abuse. By using this study, the author is able to create a strong amount of pathos throughout the essay. While so many people care about frivolous things such as how they look and how much money they make, some people like Genie would probably give anything just to live a normal life. With this said, a man named David Rigler set out to care for Genie so that through development therapy she might acquire normal human attachment ("Case Study"). After years of being cared for, many tests were conducted to evaluate her mental capabilities and unfortunately they suggested she suffered from a form of retardation. Many believe Genie's isolated childhood environment left her alone and without social interactions for so long that it resulted in her missing the ability to create bonds during her formative puberty years and left her mentally hindered.

The significant findings within this case study increase the authors' abilities to incorporate numerous rhetorical strategies to help better support their arguments. Aside from the appeal to pathos, another rhetorical strategy the authors of "Case study on Nature vs. Nurture Debate" make good use of in their article is Aristotle's appeal to logos. While the use of pathos is the most noticeable appeal within this essay, the facts which support the numerous studies cited enhance the credibility and reliability of their argument. When the authors mention an experiment that was conducted, they then support their claim by incorporating the results from the study. As demonstrated, through the use of logos, the authors are not only able to support their argument through emotions, but also through the use of logic and facts.

Similar to the authors of "Case Study on the Nature vs. Nurture Debate," Rollie Williams' picture gallery Lottery of Life uses kairos and pathos to strengthen his argument that the environment in which someone grows-up is the most influential factor in creating their identity. Williams believes the way to win the lottery of life is to "Get born in the right country" (Williams). Within his picture gallery, he illustrates from different perspectives ordinary actions like running. For example, one of the pictures shows a group of people running after a recent bombing in the Middle East and beside it is a lady running by a beautiful cornfield (Williams). Similarly, another Lottery of Life picture shows a young African American boy holding and shooting an AK-47 in the same way another boy, sitting on a gorgeous lake, holds a fishing pole while he sits and waits for a fish to bite (Williams). Within these few pictures, the photographer makes a strong point about the effects of the environment on one's identity and behavior. The boy with an AK was not born a savage, but instead he was trained to kill. These contrasting images appeal to the emotions of all who view the pictures because they make a compelling suggestion that each of the boys could be one in the same with the only difference being the environment in which they were born. Similarly, the running picture illustrates this same belief and also adds kairos by using a picture of a recent bombing. It might have not been as compelling if the author had used a picture of a random catastrophe from centuries ago. By using a recent event, the writer is able to call attention to this debate and highlight its affect on millions of people every day and the dire need for change. By the use of kairos and pathos, both authors are able to create undisputable arguments for their belief that one's identity is not dominated by his/her gene makeup, but rather by how they are raised.

While the authors of "Case Study on the Nature vs. Nurture Debate" uses logos as a device to better support their argument, Williams uses the device of exigency to express the urgency of these situations. As mentioned in the paragraph above, the writer uses current tragedies to incorporate kairos within his pictures. Similarly, this also enables him to stress the demand for change. If mankind allows people to continue to be shaped by the environment in which they grow-up, many children will never have the opportunity to be educated. Even worse, many might become the bloodthirsty killers depicted in Williams Lottery of Life gallery. Williams could have used an example of a child being raised in the slums of a major city to illustrate the effects of poverty on an individual's chance for success, but he instead exhibits extreme conditions to emphasize the call for immediate action. While it may seem hard for ordinary Americans to fully grasp the dire need for transformation that sentiment might change if for just a moment we see the world from Williams' perspective in his gallery Lottery of Life.

The mentioned sources give us great insight into how the authors utilize rhetorical strategies to better support their arguments. By analyzing these two articles, one can see how the authors incorporate each strategy in a unique way to sway the opinion of the reader. By the use of kairos and exigency, the authors were able to use relatively modern examples to express the urgency of this situation and call attention to the destructive impact it has throughout the world. Similarly, through the use of pathos and logos, each author is able to appeal to the emotions of his or her reader while also providing logical evidence to show the influence of one's environment on their identity. By dissecting in great detail two of the ten sources, I will be more prepared in continuing my analysis for my final project. I have also been able to form a stance on the debate and I believe I have the sources and evidence necessary to support my claim.
