What elements of the nature/nurture question do you see being played out in the lives of the characters in Gattaca?

Gattaca addresses the danger of relying too much on nature, rather than nurture, in determining a person's ability or value. The Gattaca world encompasses a culture obsessed with genes. Individuals who were not genetically engineered are called "degenerates," relegated to menial work and other blue-collar jobs, and are the first suspected when laws are broken. Vincent is a degenerate who is forced to adopt the genetic makeup of another man in order to follow the dreams that would otherwise be out of his reach. Gattaca tackles the debate of nature versus nurture, showing nurture in the form of the human spirit, to be much more successful than a genetically "perfect" birth. This is illustrated in the game of chicken played by Vincent and Anton, both as children and as adults. Although their mother knows that Vincent "will do something" someday, genetics initially proves her wrong. This is evident when, at the beginning of the film, the valid Anton, continuously wins the game as he is stronger and "has no excuse to fail." However, the situation shifts when Vincent wins for the first time, proving the impossible, that the human spirit can overcome genetic imperfection. This is further shown in the scene where Vincent must cross the road without his contact lenses, in order to meet Irene on the other side. As Irene beckons Vincent across the busy road, it is Vincent's instinct and desire to be with Irene that sees him cross the road. His tools for Gattaca perfection, the contact lenses, have been discarded and Vincent is forced to rely on his humanness. Furthermore, using Eugenes example, he is born with the genetic makeup to always succeed, however once he comes second in an event. He is overcome by the pressure of perfection and tries to suicide, ending up with a disability. It is nurture that ultimately overcomes nature. The films tagline presents this idea, there is no gene for the human spirit.