Re: S J Gould on new genome findings

The Nazis attempted to carry out their biological reductionist theories, and
thousands of people died in medical experiments and forced breeding placed.

But I would argue that more people were killed as a result of the "bad
ideology" of the Nazis than from those gruesome, inhuman experiments. It was
the ideology that justified not only those experiments, but much of the war
effort that killed tens of millions.


Alan Spector

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----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard N Hutchinson" <rhutchin@U.Arizona.EDU>
To: "Boris Stremlin" <bc70219@binghamton.edu>
Cc: "WORLD SYSTEMS NETWORK" <wsn@csf.colorado.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2001 9:40 PM
Subject: Re: S J Gould on new genome findings


> Boris-
>
> Perhaps my message was too condensed.
>
> My point is that if Gould is right, we have nothing to fear from genetic
> engineering.  Personally, I'm still very worried about what it might lead
> to -- I'm afraid the reductionist biology agenda might be much more
> dangerous than simply a bad ideology.
>
> RH
>
>
> On Mon, 19 Feb 2001, Boris Stremlin wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 19 Feb 2001, Richard N Hutchinson wrote:
> >
> > > I only hope Gould is right, but unfortunately capitalism is pouring
> > > billions into the search for traits and behaviors encoded in genes,
and
> > > the reductionist approach may bear ominous fruit...
> >
> > Three quick points -
> >
> > 1) The finding that the number of genes is approximately 1/4 to 1/5 the
> > size previously estimated is not Gould's, but that of the "reductionist
> > establishment"; he is merely commenting on its obvious significance.
> >
> > 2) the fact that reductionism may bear ominous fruit in some cases is no
> > reason to accept a reductionist world-view.
> >
> > 3) "capitalism" has also poured billions into neo-classical economics,
to
> > ominous ends in some circumstances.
> >
> > --
> > Boris Stremlin
> > bc70219@binghamton.edu
> >
> >
>