Genetic predisposition
Encyclopedia
A genetic predisposition is a genetic
affectation which influences the phenotype
of an individual organism within a species or population but by definition that phenotype can also be modified by the environmental
conditions. In the rest of the population, conditions cannot have that effect. Genetic testing is able to identify individuals who are genetically predisposed to certain health problems
.
by attempts to identify patterns of human behavior that seem to be invariant over long periods of time and in very different cultures.
For example, philosopher Daniel Dennett
has proposed that humans are genetically predisposed to have a theory of mind
because there has been evolution
ary selection for the human ability to adopt the intentional stance
. The intentional stance is a useful behavioral strategy by which humans assume that others have mind
s like their own. This assumption allows you to predict the behavior of others based on personal knowledge of what you would do.
It has been proved that there's no genetic predisposition for learning a particular language.
, which was signed into law by President Bush on May 21, 2008, prohibits discrimination in employment and health insurance based on genetic information.
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
affectation which influences the phenotype
Phenotype
A phenotype is an organism's observable characteristics or traits: such as its morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, behavior, and products of behavior...
of an individual organism within a species or population but by definition that phenotype can also be modified by the environmental
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
conditions. In the rest of the population, conditions cannot have that effect. Genetic testing is able to identify individuals who are genetically predisposed to certain health problems
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
.
Behavior
Predisposition is the capacity we are born with to learn things such as language and concept of self. Negative environmental influences may block the predisposition (ability) we have to do some things. Behaviors displayed by animals can be influenced by genetic predispositions. Genetic predisposition towards certain human behaviors is scientifically investigatedEthology
Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, and a sub-topic of zoology....
by attempts to identify patterns of human behavior that seem to be invariant over long periods of time and in very different cultures.
For example, philosopher Daniel Dennett
Daniel Dennett
Daniel Clement Dennett is an American philosopher, writer and cognitive scientist whose research centers on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and philosophy of biology, particularly as those fields relate to evolutionary biology and cognitive science. He is currently the Co-director of...
has proposed that humans are genetically predisposed to have a theory of mind
Theory of mind
Theory of mind is the ability to attribute mental states—beliefs, intents, desires, pretending, knowledge, etc.—to oneself and others and to understand that others have beliefs, desires and intentions that are different from one's own...
because there has been evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
ary selection for the human ability to adopt the intentional stance
Intentional stance
The intentional stance is a term coined by philosopher Daniel Dennett for the level of abstraction in which we view the behavior of a thing in terms of mental properties...
. The intentional stance is a useful behavioral strategy by which humans assume that others have mind
Mind
The concept of mind is understood in many different ways by many different traditions, ranging from panpsychism and animism to traditional and organized religious views, as well as secular and materialist philosophies. Most agree that minds are constituted by conscious experience and intelligent...
s like their own. This assumption allows you to predict the behavior of others based on personal knowledge of what you would do.
It has been proved that there's no genetic predisposition for learning a particular language.
Genetic discrimination in health insurance
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination ActGenetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 , is an Act of Congress in the United States designed to prohibit the improper use of genetic information in health insurance and employment...
, which was signed into law by President Bush on May 21, 2008, prohibits discrimination in employment and health insurance based on genetic information.
See also
- Human natureHuman natureHuman nature refers to the distinguishing characteristics, including ways of thinking, feeling and acting, that humans tend to have naturally....
- E. O. Wilson's book on sociobiologySociobiologySociobiology is a field of scientific study which is based on the assumption that social behavior has resulted from evolution and attempts to explain and examine social behavior within that context. Often considered a branch of biology and sociology, it also draws from ethology, anthropology,...
and his book ConsilienceConsilienceConsilience, or the unity of knowledge , has its roots in the ancient Greek concept of an intrinsic orderliness that governs our cosmos, inherently comprehensible by logical process, a vision at odds with mystical views in many cultures that surrounded the Hellenes...
discuss the idea of genetic predisposition to behaviors - The field of evolutionary psychologyEvolutionary psychologyEvolutionary psychology is an approach in the social and natural sciences that examines psychological traits such as memory, perception, and language from a modern evolutionary perspective. It seeks to identify which human psychological traits are evolved adaptations, that is, the functional...
explores the idea that certain behaviors have been selected for during the course of evolution. - The nature versus nurtureNature versus nurtureThe nature versus nurture debate concerns the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities versus personal experiences The nature versus nurture debate concerns the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities ("nature," i.e. nativism, or innatism) versus personal experiences...
debate - Behavioral genetics
- Predispositioning TheoryPredispositioning TheoryPredispositioning theory in the field of decision theory and systems theory is a theory, that focused on the intermediate stage between a complete order and a complete disorder....
- Genetic discriminationGenetic discriminationGenetic discrimination occurs when people are treated differently by their employer or insurance company because they have a gene mutation that causes or increases the risk of an inherited disorder. People who undergo genetic testing may be at risk for genetic discrimination.The results of a...
- Psychiatric geneticsPsychiatric geneticsPsychiatric genetics, a subfield of behavioral neurogenetics, studies the role of genetics in psychological conditions such as alcoholism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. The basic principle behind psychiatric genetics is that genetic polymorphisms, as indicated by linkage to e.g...
- Gene-environment correlationGene-environment correlationGene-environment correlation is said to occur when exposure to environmental conditions depends on an individual's genotype.-Definition:...
- Medical genetics of Ashkenazi Jews
- eugenicsEugenicsEugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
- Eggshell skullEggshell skullThe eggshell skull rule is a well established legal doctrine used in some tort law systems, with a similar doctrine applicable to criminal law.-The law:...
- MODYModyMody may refer to:* Maturity onset diabetes of the young * Hormusjee Naorojee Mody...
- AllergyAllergyAn Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...