Equality, science, and DNA
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/11/shhhh.html
To a significant but not overwhelming extent, who we are is encoded in our DNA. Some of it shows up readily to casual observation: race, gender, height, etc. Most of it is hidden, with no known physical sign. But the tools for examining DNA and linking it to disease risks, abilities, stress and addiction response, etc. are contantly growing more powerful. And that's great. I'd love to be able to eliminate genetic diseases, give every newborn (with willing parents) the intellectual potential to be a genius and the bodily potential to be an Olympic champion and live a healthy century.
But there is a tremendous danger to such work. History is full of examples where a "scientific" theory of racial variation was used to justify mistreatment of a disliked group (Race slavery, immigration quotas, etc), or even random individuals. Identical twins are from the Devil. Left-handed people are sneaky and devious. It seems a tough problem to explore such realms objectively, and surely scientists are no more immune to bigotry and prejudice than anyone else.
To a significant but not overwhelming extent, who we are is encoded in our DNA. Some of it shows up readily to casual observation: race, gender, height, etc. Most of it is hidden, with no known physical sign. But the tools for examining DNA and linking it to disease risks, abilities, stress and addiction response, etc. are contantly growing more powerful. And that's great. I'd love to be able to eliminate genetic diseases, give every newborn (with willing parents) the intellectual potential to be a genius and the bodily potential to be an Olympic champion and live a healthy century.
But there is a tremendous danger to such work. History is full of examples where a "scientific" theory of racial variation was used to justify mistreatment of a disliked group (Race slavery, immigration quotas, etc), or even random individuals. Identical twins are from the Devil. Left-handed people are sneaky and devious. It seems a tough problem to explore such realms objectively, and surely scientists are no more immune to bigotry and prejudice than anyone else.