Joe E. Dees <jdees0@students.uwf.edu> wrote:
> >As a result of these studies, the "rule of two
> >thirds" was proposed; roughly 2/3 of our behavioral differences
> >(preferences, abilities, attitudes, aptitudes, moods, etc. ) are due
> >to genetics, 1/3 are due to environment.
Robin Faichney <robin@faichney.demon.co.uk> replied:
> 1982 is eons ago, in terms of such research. A few
> weeks ago I heard a twins-studies specialist suggest
> that it was more like 50/50. Sorry I can't give an
> actual citation, though.
I am still dubious. Even at 50/50, that seems like a pile of a lot of
genetic influence. Still, if that's the way it works...
Not that the balance really matters anyway. If we are "determined" by a
mixture of our genes and our memes, of what significance is it to say that
the split is 50/50 instead of 67/33?
Do we have more "control" over our memes than our genes? What is freedom?
Who am "I"?
Who is John Galt? (please don't spoil the rest of the book for me!)
(note that these questions are not entirely rhetorical -- I would like to
see other's points of view!
ERiC