What philosophy suggests that individuals are shaped significantly by their environment and experiences?

The philosophy of Tabula Rasa posits that individuals are born as a "blank slate," with their environment and experiences playing a crucial role in shaping their behavior, personality, and understanding of the world. This concept implies that people acquire knowledge and develop traits primarily through their interactions with the world around them, rather than being innately predisposed to particular characteristics or abilities. This idea emphasizes the influence of social and environmental factors on individual development and is foundational in various educational and psychological frameworks that advocate for the impact of experience on learning and growth.

In contrast, other philosophies mentioned offer different perspectives. Social Darwinism focuses on the survival of the fittest within social contexts, suggesting that societal progress occurs through competition. Nativism argues that certain skills or abilities are innate, contradicting the blank slate concept. Constructivism, while also emphasizing the role of experiences in learning, focuses more on the individual's active role in constructing knowledge rather than the passive reception of information, as implied by Tabula Rasa.