Genetic Determinism

Genetic modification and genetic determinism

In this article we examine four objections to the genetic modification of human beings: the freedom argument, the giftedness argument, the authenticity argument, and the uniqueness argument. We then demonstrate that each of these arguments against genetic modification assumes a strong version of genetic determinism. Since these strong deterministic assumptions are false, the arguments against g...

Genetic determinism or genetic discrimination?

Digital versus analogue genetic determinism

Relating genotypes to phenotypes is problematic not only owing to the extreme complexity of the interactions between genes, proteins and high-level physiological functions but also because the paradigms for genetic causality in biological systems are seriously confused. This paper examines some of the misconceptions, starting with the changing definitions of a gene, from the cause of phenotype ...

Origins of Genetic Determinism in Medieval Creationism

The discovery of statistical laws of heredity by Gregor Mendel was an important advance in biological science. However, Mendel's opinion that the entire character was transmitted was not derived from his data and instead reflected prior beliefs outside the domain of science. It is argued here that Mendel, a monk and later abbot of an Augustine monastery, was influenced by St. Augustine's theory...

[The genetic determinism of polygenic diseases].

Progress in molecular biology has opened the way to identifying genes involved in predisposition to multigene diseases. The two methods currently used for this purpose--analysis of candidate genes and systematic genomic screening--have given interesting but only very partial results. The problem is complicated by the large number of genes involved, their low penetrance, and linkage disequilibrium.