Argument - Effect of Cultural Patterns on Gene Selection

On p.103 Shenk talks about a Kenyan tribe that has a long standing tradition of training all of the young children to run over a hundred miles per week. Shenk also states that because running was used in raiding cattle, the better a man could run, the more cattle he owned. As running faster gave men an economic advantage, they could now marry more women and the more he could pass down his genetics to his children. This shows that while genes can determine a persons ability, the surrounding society has an influence on what genes are passed on. Discuss the natural selection of certain genes through economic or social influence. Discuss how this affects the argument of nature vs. nurture as it brings up a completely separate element of genetic social Darwinism. (Liz Gorelick - lizgorelick@yahoo.com)

Argument - Heredity altering lifestyles

In chapter ten (pages 155 to 163) Schenk describes how flowers with the same genes can look different due to the environment and lifestyle provided to that flower. Lamarck was one of the first to suggest an "inheritance of acquired characteristics" and was mocked for what was deemed as" crude, pre-Darwinism conception of evolution" (155). We know now, however, that Lamarck wasn't that far off in his concepts, biologists starting to accept that biological heredity and evolution are very intertwined, and that although natural selection isn't invalidated, it is now a lot more complicated (161). 

But how exactly can ones life style affect their heredity? Can your perfecting a talent make it easier for your children and grandchildren to also learn that skill? Or can bad choices, such as substance abuse or lack of any higher education affect your descendants 2, 3, 4 generations down the line? How intertwined can lifestyle truly be with our evolution as a race?

(kenny@shimanek.org) Kenny Nelson

Argument- What made IQ score increase?

In the argument section, page 43, Shenk wrote that 98 percent of IQ test taker now days score better than the average test taker in 1900. IQ test stands for intellignce quotient test and it measues a person's cognitive ability compared to te population at large. IQ test is something that can't be studied.
If this test i something that can not be studied, what do you think is the catalyst for the dramatic improvements in the IQ test scores? Does school educaton help people to improve their IQ test score?

Argument: Cattle-raiding Kenyans

On page 108 Shenk brings up an alternate view of cattle-raining Kenyans shared by developmental biologists; that is, instead of the quickness genes being passed on and driving natural selection towards better runners,  “crucial external ingredients” such as as “propitous attitude and habits”, “access to the best trainers”, and “leisure time to pursue training” are passed along.

Relate to the biological themes of evolution and change. Using examples from modern society and/or science are the “external ingredients” or “quickness genes” more influential? How could this apply to the biological system of a positive feedback loop?

Argument: The Beauty of Effort

On page 126, Shenk notes that "to see the evolution of a particular work of art is to behold how nothing slowly and painfully becomes Something." Additionally, he references legendary musician and artist Brian Eno, who made the memorable claim that "it would be very interesting for people to see how beautiful things grow out of s**t" (Shenk 126). He explains how beautiful forests start from tiny seeds, but asserts that "the most promising seed in the wrong situation turns into nothing."

How does Eno's metaphor apply to "prodigies" such as Mozart and even the common man. How can this apply to the theme of Interdependence in Nature. What kind of environment best allows the human "seeds" to thrive? How does intense effort allow "nothing" to become "something?"

Laura Perlman  (laura4@comcast.net)

Evidence

Shenk mentions how important practicing is on the changing of the body," Researchers have recorded a constellation of physical changes...in the muscles, nerves, hearts,lungs, and brains of those showing profound increases in skill level in any domain( 65)." 


Why do you think practice so important to Shenk's argument? Is there proof of mental and physical changes in the body from practice? Also why is it that some people have to practice for a longer period of time to get the same task done, while for other's it's more simpler? How does practice change parts of our body as Shenk mentions and how does evolution play a role in this?  Support(using biological theme) and give examples. 

EVIDENCE- What does personality have to do with the genius in us?

Shenk expresses, that even if people are cloned, they won't be exactly the same, and that their personalities would be different (74).  But on page 75, he talks about two identical twins named, Jim Lewis and Jim Springer, who both lived away from each other but had such similar lives. Without having the same personality, how does one have the same events that occur in each others lives?

Would you think that they should have an intelligence test on both of these identical twins along with a personality to test to see if having same genes proves the theory of having different personalities correct or wrong? Also for the animals that are cloned, is there specific tests that can tell your personality?

Ganga (gangasruthi@gmail.com)