Aspects of Humaness

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Degree Bioethics Flashcards on Aspects of Humaness, created by katy.lynock on 20/05/2013.
katy.lynock
Flashcards by katy.lynock, updated more than 1 year ago
katy.lynock
Created by katy.lynock almost 11 years ago
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Plausible Evolutionary Models 5 HS males and females at the opposite ends of the spectrum Conflict resolving feminine males? Women like empathetic qualities in men Repro. :) of carriers of HS promoting genes Female relatives of HS males 'super fertile' some evidence of more kids
Fraternal Birth Order 10 Male HS increases by 1/3 for each successive older brother No effect older sisters Only full older brother not adoptive No psycho social explanation Male embryos express HYag on Y chromo Successive preg. = ab boosted Somehow ab interfere with sex orientation Only happen in genetically predisposed to HS males eg Rhesus negative mum
HS - Maternal Factors 7 Sex steroids such as testosterone encountered prenatally may affect HS HS males - low test. HS females - high test. Little support for HS males Congenital adrenal hyperplasia - TS instead of cortisol Can be corrected post natally x5 HS females with CAH mums Androgen insensitivity syndrome - lack of TS receptors - HS females v.v. rare
HS Pheramones 5 2 candidate human pheramone AND TS derivative EST oestrogen derivative Elicit responses in brain areas associated with sex Innate or learned?
HS - Nueroanatomy 3 Specific brain regions differ in size in male and females HS males show female characterisitics in brain structure Evidence V. WEAK
HS - Genetic Imprinting 2 Diff. methylation and activation/inactivation of genes May account for HS discordance in MZ twins
HS Conclusions 8 Weak evidence for any one biological mech Weak for psychosocisal factors - sexual orientation not fixed HS not matter of choice = no grounds for discrimination HS choice = discrimination due to religious/political Genetic testing Predisposition due to multi genes for HS Abort +ve foetuses unethical as no certainty HS not a disease
HS - Genetic Factors Hamer et al 4 DNA from HS males show maternal inheritance Focus on males to X chromo from mum Association of HS at Xq28 NOT CONFIRMED
Genetic Factors Mustanski 5 Whole genome of HS makes with HS brothers 10q26 - only inherited from mum xq26 not significant overall Don't identify genes - multiple genes involved Several variant DNA regions which may be associated with HS
Richard Dawkins View of Humaness 3 Bodies are survival machines built by selfish genes to ensure own replication Human value depends on reproductive success, good genes build good bodies Value in memes, units of culture we pass on to others - concepts/tunes/phrases KONY
Limits of Dawkins View of Humaness 5 Bad genes and faulty bodies = eugenic screening and abortion Value of life JUST number of offspring? - homosexuals, infertile people? Meme concept elastist - very few people contribute to meme spread Memes work at small scale eg family What IS a meme unit?
What makes humans unique? 5 Manipulate environment BEAVERS Complex language ability - abstract concepts, ideas via writing DOLPHINS Co-op and diversification of roles with human societies - cumulative culture Large brains and upright gait - hands Beyond genes - cultural factors needed to explain success
5 Lifestyle choice? Underlying biological mechanisms Factors envi or genetic - rule out choice? Genetic - how does a gene prevail that doesnt repro. Genes for homo - parents seek parental testing of foetuses
Twin Studies Bailey and Pillard 6 Homophile publications MZ twins 52% both gay - not that impressive DZ twins 22% Siblings 10% 3-5% prevalence in general pop. SELECTION BIAS
Twin Studies Kendler 4 NON-SELECTED GROUP OF TWINS LOW STATISTICAL POWER HS - 3.1% males, 2.5% females HS MZ 31%, DZ 13%, 8% DZ twins Suggest genes do play some role
Nature - Genes are us 5 Solely determined by the genes we inherit Tell us who we are Clone = identical copy of original nuclear donor 'My genes made me do it' - violence linked to extra Constrained by evolution
Nurture -Blank Slate 5 Emphasis totally envi eg Raise child as girl Make them 'white kids' from Aborigines or Native Americans You CAN be who we want Denies evolution inheritance as important
Solely Product of Genes 5 Ill/infertile - should we pass on genes? Making problems for later Selective with foetus with 'bad genes' to weed out less fit - EUGENICS Nazi view now medical tech. we can help them survive
Solely Product of Culture 4 Human rights social/cultural construct eg Middle East say human rights Western construct No moral absolute - slavery, sexism/homophobia Multicultural society - pick and mix from moral options BOTH EXTREMES RULE OUT POSSIBILITY OF BASIC MORAL MORALITY, COMPASSION OR CARE FOR OTHERS
EO Wilson 1 Cultural evolution linked to evolution of genes governing brains and behaviour
Richard Dawkins Nature and Nurture 4 Genetic evo. slow process and independent of cultural evo. Both genes and memes under nat. sel. Memes evo. much faster Both genes and memes translate directly to who/what we might become
John Bowler Critic of Richard Dawkins 2 Human choice plays big part Gradual process of development
Gene-culture co-evolution 2 Dairy farming and lactose tolerance In Western societies, gene for lactose tolerance remains switched on
Aspects of Humaness - Terminology 8 CONSCIOUS SUBJECTS - self aware and own choices EMBODIED SUBJECTS - unity of body, mind and spirit PART OF MATERIAL WORLD - not independent from planet (Gaia) INTER-RELATIONAL WITH OTHERS - intrinsically linked with other human beings INTER-DEPENDENT SOCIAL BEINGS - teacher, nurses, gov. We are not self-sufficient, beyond family. HISTORICAL BEINGS - molded by past and make choices about the future. EQUAL BUT NOT UNIQUE - value of a person is more than just a list of our achievement REACH BEYOND OURSELVES - curiosity / God
Treating Others - Kant 5 Deontological THE WAY IT SHOULD BE People ends in themselves Slavery - means to an end Reality - politics nor business live up to these ideals
Machiavilli 8 THE WAY IT IS Pragmatic With royal family in statoral Italy Do what you need to do to stay in power Wrote a handbook Do whatever it takes Good of state > subjects REALPOLITIK - what politics do worldwide
Machiavelli (M) vs Kant (K) 5 K - duty towards other people not dependent on conditions K - people ends not means M - morality depends on the situation you are in M - occasions when rules must act cruelty to a person/group = fear - deterrant M - treat people as ends = anarchy chaos
Who we are - NATURE and nurture 4 Genetic inheritance Identical twins = >70% concordance on traiets eg IQ + personailty = 30% discordance Dizygotic (genetically different but share womb) concordance can be over 50% Sibling = 50% genome
Who we are - nature and NURTURE 7 Environment and upbringing Prenatal and postnatal effects Identical twins grow less similar over time Clones less similar than identical twins - womb and recipient egg cytoplasm differently Materanl abs - can influence later disease susceptability Influence of cultural memes - religion/education/culture
Types of Monozygote Twinning Early 3 Early 2 blastocysts one from each fragment of embryo 2 each has own inner cell mass 2 amniote cavities and own placenta
Types of Monozygote Twinning Later 3 Single blastocysts 2 inner cell masses Single placenta with 2 amniotic cavities
Types of Monozygote Twinning Not early or late the other one 3 Inner cell mass splits shed amniotic cavity Siamese/conjoined twins
Monozygotic Twins MZ 4 Individuality start at conception - MZ One person? Conflicts common sense MZ accidently arise (split in 1st 14 days) = human individuality established after 14 days PRO-LIFE - okay MZ twinning is GENETICALLY DETERMINED
Human Genome Project HCP 6 2001 20,000 genes - same as nematode 1.1% seq. codes for protein Same gene alternate splicing = many proteins No evidence humans have unique genes compared to other primates Disputed evidence for direct gene transfer for bacteria
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