From: Lee Daniel Crocker (lee@piclab.com)
Date: Tue Oct 08 2002 - 17:10:37 MDT
> (gts <gts@optexinc.com>):
>
> Every neuron in our brains contain our DNA. Every action of a given
> neuron is under the control of the genetic material in the nucleus of
> that neuron, such that every thought is under the control of our genes.
Now that's just complete nonsense. The only thing that neuron does
that's under the "control" of DNA is mitosis. All the /important/
things that the neuron does, like connecting and disconnecting from
other neurons, is controlled by the /environment/ of the neuron; some
of that environment (like the protein soup it finds itself in) may
also trace back to DNA in part, but a lot of it (like the signals from
the nervous system) don't. My DNA had nothing to do with fact that
the book I just read caused photoreceptors in my retina to send
signals to my language processing center which sent signals to my
hippocampus causing me to learn and remember concepts. My DNA
/enabled/ that behavior, but once it built the machinery, it had
nothing at all to do with how it got used.
-- Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com> <http://www.piclab.com/lee/> "All inventions or works of authorship original to me, herein and past, are placed irrevocably in the public domain, and may be used or modified for any purpose, without permission, attribution, or notification."--LDC
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