Watson, J. D. (September 1997) Genes and politics. Journal of Molecular Medicine, 75 (9). pp. 624-36. ISSN 0946-2716 (Print)
Abstract
The science of genetics arose to study the transmission of physical characteristics from parents to their offspring. When closely studied, much variation exists for virtually any characteristic, say, in size or color, among the members of all species, be they flies, dogs, or ourselves, the members of the Homo sapiens species. The origin of this variability long fascinated the scientific world, which already in the 19th century asked how much of this variation is due to environmental causes (nurture) as opposed to innate hereditary factors (nature) that pass unchanged from parents to offspring. That such innate heredity exists could never be realistically debated. One need just look at how characteristics in the shape of the face pass through families. Ascribing, say, the uniqueness of the Windsor face to nurture as opposed to nature goes beyond the realm of credibility.
| Item Type: | Paper |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Chromosome Mapping DNA, Recombinant Dissent and Disputes Eugenics/ history Euthanasia, Active Evolution Genetic Determinism Genetic Diseases, Inborn Genetic Research Genetics, Behavioral Genetics, Medical/ history/legislation & jurisprudence/ trends Germany Group Processes History, 20th Century Human Genome Project Humans Intelligence Tests/history Internationality Mental Retardation/history Politics Prejudice Selection (Genetics) Social Perception United States Variation (Genetics) World War II Biomedical and Behavioral Research Eugenics Record Station (Cold Spring Harbor, NY) Genetics and Reproduction Human Genome Project Lysenkoism NCHGR Program on Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Nineteenth Century Twentieth Century World War I |
| Subjects: | bioinformatics bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification evolution |
| CSHL Authors: | |
| Communities: | CSHL labs |
| Depositing User: | Kathleen Darby |
| Date: | September 1997 |
| Date Deposited: | 07 May 2014 17:16 |
| Last Modified: | 07 May 2014 17:16 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/30019 |
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