TY - BOOK ID - 85644735 TI - Are we slaves to our genes? PY - 2020 SN - 1108566529 110866444X 1316999092 1108426336 PB - Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, DB - UniCat KW - Genetic engineering. KW - Designed genetic change KW - Engineering, Genetic KW - Gene splicing KW - Genetic intervention KW - Genetic surgery KW - Genetic recombination KW - Biotechnology KW - Transgenic organisms KW - Genetics, Behavioral. UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:85644735 AB - There is a common misconception that our genomes - all unique, except for those in identical twins - have the upper hand in controlling our destiny. The latest genetic discoveries, however, do not support that view. Although genetic variation does influence differences in various human behaviours to a greater or lesser degree, most of the time this does not undermine our genuine free will. Genetic determinism comes into play only in various medical conditions, notably some psychiatric syndromes. Denis Alexander here demonstrates that we are not slaves to our genes. He shows how a predisposition to behave in certain ways is influenced at a molecular level by particular genes. Yet a far greater influence on our behaviours is our world-views that lie beyond science - and that have an impact on how we think the latest genetic discoveries should, or should not, be applied. Written in an engaging style, Alexander's book offers tools for understanding and assessing the latest genetic discoveries critically. ER -