Professor Suegene Noh’s talk, titled “How Current Genomes are Shaped by Evolutionary Pasts”, acted as a catalyst between the disciplines of genetics and biology in conjunction with the humanities. Much of her discussion explored how science and technology can inform our culture’s ways of thinking, describing, and understanding biological basis of change. Specifically, Professor Noh explored the ways in which social involvement of social pressures influence the biological selections for or against certain organisms, or specific traits expressed by those organisms. This discussion specifically has allowed me to question the influence of social involvement on gene expression. As concluded in her talk, “genes induced by social conflict show evidence of positive selection”. This talk showed vast similarities to a course I currently take that focuses on the connections between biology, society, and addictive behaviors. I am thinking about the importance of social interaction, and in this case conflict, on processing ability and acceptance into society. The knowledge that the brain controls many biological substrates of gene expression that directly correspond to behavior allows me to believe that gene expression is influenced heavily both in regards to the “nature”, but also very much by the “nurture” of life.
To Question Science (Is Good)
In the past, the subject of race has been viewed as an innate biological difference, often with the ill-intent of declaring one racial group superior to another. It would of course make sense then, that the first civil rights movements would be centered fully around the cause of destroying that idea of ‘difference,’ and emphasizing how every person is the same in their basic humanity. I have seen lots of posters, slogans and examples explaining racial diversity in a sort of cute, motivational-speaker-type manner, such as a popular elementary school lesson explaining it by showing that white eggs and brown eggs are identical once you crack them open. This emphasis on ‘sameness’ claims and constantly reaffirms that race is just a social construct, an unreal, non-scientific category that humanity made up in its constant attempt to overcome others or put things in boxes. Continue reading “To Question Science (Is Good)”