SCIENTISTS are hard at work to try to find genetic causes for
alcoholism, homo***uality, promiscuity, violence, other aberrant
behavior, and even for death itself. Would it not be a relief to find
that we are not responsible for our actions but are merely victims of
biology? It is human nature to blame someone or something else for our
errors.
If the genes are to blame, scientists hold out the possibility of
changing them, eliminating undesirable traits through genetic
engineering. The recent success in mapping the entire human genome has
given such aspirations new impetus.
This scenario, however, is based on the premise that our genetic
endowment is, indeed, the villain responsible for all our sins and
errors. Have the scientific detectives found enough evidence to make a
case against our genes? Obviously, the answer will profoundly affect how
we see ourselves and our future.
|
