As I understand it, we are born with about 23,000 genes. Like a placeholder, genes don’t do anything until the environment acts on them and sets off a chain reaction. Something happens in the environment, and gene A adapts by doing this, which causes gene Z to do that, which causes a chemical reaction, which causes gene A to do something different, which causes gene R to do something else. At the tail end of thousands of internal interactions comes our physiological development and eventually our behaviour.
We can see the consequences of these interactions, but it is currently impossible to see, track, measure or observe all the interactions between 23,000 genes, all the chemical variations our bodies can produce, plus all the possible environmental conditions. For example, measuring the environmental stimuli alone, would have to include temperature, light, sound, colour, proximity, timing, air currents, etc. Even barometric pressure can affect sensory perception in eyes and ears. Likewise, the alignment of planets, moon, sun and tilt of the earth affects the force of gravity pulling on our bodies and organs at any given moment in time.
That is the reason, twin studies have always been so controversial. If you dig into them, you will find that the twins they’ve studied were raised in very similar circumstances. For example, they studied 10,000 twins born and raised in Denmark. However, no one has studied 10,000 twins separated at birth and raised on different continents (where very different cultures and environments might have resulted in entirely different gene responses).
Near as scientists can tell, gene, chemical and environmental interactions affect physiological development. While scientists can identify the brains of psychopaths, they cannot explain why one psychopathic brain belongs to a neuroscientist, while another belongs to a serial killer. Unless, or until, we develop the technologies necessary to measure all these interactions in real time, we need to be careful we do not fall into the eugenics trap.
Eugenicists claim that something they can see (like behaviour and physical traits) is attributable to something they cannot see, let alone understand (a gene or chemicals produced in our brains). Guesses, assumptions and hocus pocus passed off as science is the essence of eugenics.
You strike me as such an earnest person, I’m not surprised that my comment surprised you. You’ve worked hard to learn as much as you can on your own. While I respect your efforts, I’m suggesting that you’ve reached the limits of your ability to self-learn. Before you address genetics, you need a solid background in math, chemistry, physics, and biology. If you continue to conflate social/political issues without a solid grasp of science – you are, indeed, practicing eugenics.
For now, I’m suggesting you make a clear distinction between science and observation and stay in the observation lane. I’m not interested in being right, or getting you to agree with me. I am interested in persuading you to question your own ability to understand science.
As you continue your education and begin studying science, I think you will look back on our conversation with a different point of view.
