Letter: Choice words

FOLLOWING the discovery of correlations between some genes and altruistic behaviour, your leader (9 February) rightly added that "background, environment and upbringing" also play their part in influencing our actions and attitudes.

However, the "nature or nurture" debate usually leaves out the key element that is neither: free will. For all of our predispositions, we still exercise a unique power as humans to choose between competing options.

Humans are more than complex electro-chemical machines. The secular materialist view of humans strips us of our dignity as free and morally accountable agents.

Richard Lucas

Colinton

Edinburgh