Nature refers to the genetic and biological factors that shape who we are. In the nature–nurture debate, “nature” captures inherited traits and predispositions encoded in our genes and other biological processes, while “nurture” covers environmental influences such as upbringing, education, culture, experiences, and social context. The modern view sees these forces as interacting rather than in opposition: genes can influence how individuals respond to environments, and environments can affect gene expression through mechanisms like epigenetics. In short, nature provides the biological groundwork, and nurture shapes how that groundwork is expressed across development and behavior.