Genes, Determinism, and God

Description

Over the past centuries the pendulum has constantly swung between an emphasis on the role of either nature or nurture in shaping human destiny, a pendulum often energised by ideological considerations. In recent decades the flourishing of developmental biology, genomics, epigenetics and our increased understanding of neuronal plasticity have all helped to subvert such dichotomous notions. Nevertheless, the media still report the discovery of a gene 'for' this or that behaviour, and the field of behavioural genetics continues to extend its reach into the social sciences, reporting the heritability of such human traits as religiosity and political affiliation. There are many continuing challenges to notions of human freedom and moral responsibility, with consequent implications for social flourishing, the legal system and religious beliefs. In this book, Denis Alexander critically examines these challenges, concluding that genuine free will, often influenced by genetic variation, emerges from an integrated view of human personhood derived from contemporary biology. Cover Title Introduction Genetic Determinism in Contemporary Discourse The Influence of the Media on Public Attitudes Genetics, Education and Social Attitudes The Social Impact of Deterministic Beliefs ‘Genes, Determinism and God’ – an Outline 1. Human Personhood Fragmented? Nature-Nurture Discourse from Antiquity to Galton Astrology, Gods and God in the Ancient World Plato and Aristotle The Medieval and Early Modern Period Changing Views on Heredity Lamarck, Darwin and Galton 2. Reifying the Fragments? Nature-Nurture Discourse from Galton to the Twenty-First Century Genetics, Instincts and the Power of Nature Nurture Fights Back The Neo-Darwinian Synthesis and the Decline of Eugenics Eugenics and the Third Reich Dominant Nurture Makes Way for Resurgent Nature 3. The Impact of the New Genetics? How Contemporary Biology is Changing the Landscape of Ideas Eleven Key Aspects of Contemporary Biology Development The Variable Products of the Genes Transcriptional Regulation Epigenetics Transposons The Microbiome The Virome Integrating the Genome 4. Reshaping the Matrix? Integrating the Human in Contemporary Biology Human Development Fetal Development Post-natal Development Adult Development 5. Is the Worm Determined? Gene Variation and Behaviour in Animals Caenorhabditis elegans and their Feeding Behaviours Foraging and Memory in Drosophila Fruit Flies Pair-bonding, Vasopressin and Oxytocin in Voles The Genetics of Mammals Leaving Home So Can Animals Choose? 6. Prisoners of the Genes? Understanding Quantitative Behavioural Genetics The Assumptions and Practices of Behavioural Genetics What about Adding Up Gene Effects? Some Examples from Medical Genetics An Example of a Complex Human Trait Assessed by Behavioural Genetics A Methodological Critique of Behavioural Genetics Classifying Twins as Monozygotic or Dizygotic Are Identical Twins Truly Identical? What Does the Equal Environments Assumption Mean? An Interpretative Critique of Behavioural Genetics 7. Behavioural Molecules? Understanding Molecular Behavioural Genetics Human Genetic Variation The Three Main Approaches of Molecular Genetics Linkage Analysis Candidate Gene Studies Genome-wide Association Studies Medical Genetics Aggression and the Molecular Genetics of Candidate Genes Predisposition or Differential Susceptibility? The Way Forward for Molecular Genetics 8. Mensa, Mediocrity or Meritocracy? The Genetics of Intelligence, Religiosity and Politics What Is Intelligence? IQ and Intelligence Testing General Intelligence g The Genetics of Intelligence The Molecular Genetics of Intelligence The Heritability of Religiosity Heritability of Politics What Does It All Mean? 9. Gay Genes? Genetics and Sexual Orientation Defining and Measuring Same- Sex Attraction The Question of Choice Environmental Causes Psychoanalysis, Parenting and Phobia Childhood Abuse and Experience of Trauma Socialisation Biological Explanations Genetics – Twin Studies Genetics – Specific Genes The Fraternal Birth Order Effect Sex and Gender Atypicality Sex/Gender Atypicality – Hormones Sex/Gender Atypicality – Neurology Conclusions 10. Not My Fault? The Use of Genetics in the Legal System Types of Genetic Evidence Relevant to Criminal Trials Single-Gene Genotyping Family History/Pedigree Evidence Karyotyping Legal Contexts in which Behavioral Genetic Arguments Are Invoked Attempts to Negate the mens rea or ‘Guilty Intent’ As Supporting Evidence for a Traditional Insanity Defence As Mitigating Evidence Mitigation in Capital Cases Behavioural Genetic Evidence as an Aggravating Factor Molecular Genetics in the Courtroom Genetics and Human Responsibility in the Legal Context An Assessment 11. Causality, Emergence and Freedom? Tackling Some Tough Philosophical Questions A Developmental Dual- Aspect Monistic Emergentism (DAME) Complexity and Causality Is Free Will Falsifiable? 12. Made in the Image of God? A Conversation Between Genetics and Theology What Does the ‘Image of God’ Mean? The Conversation with Genetics The Image of God Is the Whole Person The Value and Status of Each Human Individual Subduing the Genome? The Celebration of Diversity in Community Moral Responsibility and Free Will Concluding Remarks Bibliography Index