I am dumb, I am aware. If twins have the same DNA, are they the same person from a biological standpoint?

  • cryshlee@lemm.eeOP
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    1 year ago

    Thank you for the reading! I didn’t know that your genes could be affected by your environment. I haven’t had a chance to read the article yet, but do you know if this would lend any credence to the nature vs nurture argument when it comes to personality, and whether socio-psychological factors in the environment can affect gene expression?

    • JoJo@social.fossware.space
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      It isn’t really nature vs nurture, it’s nature interacting with nurture. Steve Jones, the biologist explained it beautifully with reference to Siamese cats:

      Siamese cats are light brown with dark brown fur at the tips of their ears, feet and tail. But if you raise one in a very warm environment, they will be light brown all over. A very cold environment, they will be dark brown all over. There’s a gene switching the fur colour but its action depends on the temperature.

      There are many different ways genes and environment interact, there’s no real ‘argument’ here. It is simply true and, because genes and environment are often so closely linked, it’s often complicated and sometimes impossible to tease out what’s causing what.