A man Steals from another man, He was raised in a loving environment given all the advantages in life but this man by Nature wanted to improve his situation by taking something from another individual just because he can.
Another man commits the same crime, he was abused as a child, neglected, given all the hardships in life, yet he by nature is incapable of committing this crime, and does it in order to ensure his own survival.
How does nature Vs. Nurture explain our actions and where can we lay blame for our actions? Is Nurturing just an excuse for not wanting to listen to our own consciences or voice of reason?
Or is it our Nature that is truly responsible for our decisions and actions.

Human beings are a combination of nature and nurture. Environment plays a part in how we think about the world, as does the nature of our genetic make up. It is difficult to know what the environment any individual grew up in. It may be, from the viewpoint of the adults closest to a child, a loving supportive environment. Do they know everything about that enviroment? Often the answer is no. Perhaps the child was sexually abused, and this is not known to the parents. They percieve a very different environment than the child does.

The genetic factors that influence behavior are also numerous. Some examples include Attention Deficit Disorder, Bipolar Disease, and Seasonal Affective Disorder. These are only a few of the ones we do know of and there are undoubtedly many others we don't know about yet.

All of these factors influence our behavior. There is also another factor, free will. To a great extent, but not perfectly, we can overcome and adapt to our environments. There is no simple answer, no black or white choice. There are infinite shades of gray.

Interesting assessment.... I however struggle with this question on a daily basis, and I believe that in a perfect world all different shades of gray would be considered. However I believe that inherently what we are is what our nature is. Yes, through our nurturing we can somewhat slightly alter and change who we are, or what we will become. But take for instance a boy who by nature should be a Sculptor, but he is forced to work in the mines ... is he a Sculptor still or has he now become a miner?

I think each of us has the potential to be many different things. We choose, or are forced through circumstance, into a path. Many individuals change paths during their lives. We learn from each experience. Your miner might spend years in the mines, learning how rock can be shaped and broken. It might later happen that he would leave the mines, and earn a living as a sculptor. The experiences he had in the mines might well influence his style and subject matter.

Something to consider here is how few great writers do great work when they are young. Usually writers struggle until they are middle aged. It isn't a lack of talent, it is a lack of experience at living. In order to create fictional worlds, one must understand the real world deeply. This often requires time and experience.

Most people, these days, have more than one career in their lifetime. People learn and grow as they move between various things that they may do.

Agreed, with his work in the mines would more then likely influence his style and subject matter, but the underlying question is are we still inheritely what are nature deems us to be or have we become something other then we were intended to become through our nuturing?

I think the question may be meaningless to me. I don't think we are "intended" to be anything, because that implies an intelligence outside ourselves that has a plan for our lives. I don't think that such an intelligence exists. Our environment may force us into a limited set of choices, but there is no predestination.

I think everyone has aspects of both that make up their personality, with varying degrees of each, in each of us. I think if we only had one of the two aspects we couldn't survive. The nurture part allows us to form orderly societies, write and obey laws, and engage in activities that require higher brain functions like artistic expression. The nature part gives us our survival instincts, our basic sense of self, and perhaps is responsible for our baser behaviors, like war, crime, and also our drive to procreate.

OK... I agree on both parts ... for example.. would a natural leader be influence by living his life among pacifist, as opposed to masochists society ... yes more then likely, but he is still a natural leader, as is a leader whether for the good for the bad, this person believes in his own morals and values, and he has a set reality that he believes is "normal" how we are nurtured gives us our parameters on our own realities. Weather this is the same for the next person or not. Well, ... there you have it.

Sorry. I forgot to mention that I also believe on a spiritual level that we are here for a specific purpose and that we need to accomplish a certain thing a certain task or "prophecy" to fulfill. I would also like to start a discussion of reincarnation because I believe that we are reincarnated until we fulfill this one purpose or task that was our "destiny." Well, there it is....

You all have touched on some very good points. Factor in the individuals accessment of what is reality. The personal view of reality and the individual's priorities would determine the order of nurture and nature. One individual may say "the hell with what is expected of me" and satisfy the "self" desires of fulfillment and personal satisfaction. There-fore the seeking of personal contentment would overcome the nuture.