From: Harvey Newstrom (newstrom@newstaffinc.com)
Date: Wed Dec 01 1999 - 23:09:17 MST
Evolution is so central to the transhumanist ideals. It frustrates me to
repeatedly see people spouting misinformation about evolution. The latest
example of this is the recent discussion about homosexuality on the
Extropians list. I can't believe how many people assume that there can't be
a gay gene because gays don't reproduce. They say, "If gays don't have
children, the gene would not get passed on to the next generation." This is
totally simply wrong.
For the record, I don't believe (or disbelieve) in a gay gene. I am merely
trying to show how a gene, such as a gay gene, that causes nonreproducing
individuals can still get propagated to future generations. Here is an
example of how an imaginary recessive gay gene could be propagated from
generation to generation, even though gays don't reproduce.
1. Imagine a simple recessive gene that causes gayness. Each person has
two of these genes, one from their mother, and one from their father. Each
strand of DNA from each parent either carries the gay gene (represented as
"G") or the non-gay gene (represented as "g"). Since the gene is recessive,
a person must have two gay genes to be gay. If there is one or more
straight genes the person is straight. The possible combinations of genes
are:
GG = straight individual
gG = straight individual, carrying gay gene received from father
Gg = straight individual, carrying gay gene received from mother
gg = gay individual, carrying gay genes received from each parent
2. Imagine a reproducing couple, each of whom has one gay gene. They are
both therefore straight.
3. They mate and randomly pass on one gene each: Gg x Gg =
One fourth of their children will be gay (GG) and will carry the gene.
One fourth of their children will be straight (Gg) and will carry the
gene.
One fourth of their children will be straight (gG) and will carry the
gene.
One fourth of their children will be straight (gg) and will not carry
the gene.
4. The straight carriers of the gay-gene can and do propagate every
combination of gay/straight genes possible to the next generation.
5. The cycle can repeat indefinitely with the following groupings for each
generation:
- there are many more straights than gays
- there are more straight gay-gene carriers than gay gay-gene carriers
- there are more straight gay-gene carriers than straight non gay-gene
carriers
- even if gays were to breed regularly, straights would propagate the
gay gene better than gays would
- gays are not required to breed to propagate the gay gene to subsequent
generations
- straight gay-gene carriers alone can produce all possible gay/straight
gene combinations in the next generation
This is just a simplistic example. Statistical studies on identical twins
has already shown that if there is a gay gene, it is much more complicated
than the simple example given here. However, the point is that it is easy
for a gene that causes (virtual) sterility to get propagated from generation
to generation.
Transhumanists have to lose the common misperception that genes that hinder
individual reproduction would be weeded out by evolution. If the gene can
exist in a dormant state, it won't affect the individuals passing it on.
The fact is,
most of the genetic propagation of recessive genes occurs from gene carriers
who do *not* exhibit the recessive gene's traits. I know this seems
counter-intuitive
to most armchair evolutionists, but that's how it works.
-- Harvey Newstrom <mailto://newstrom@newstaffinc.com> <http://harveynewstrom.com> Author, Consultant, Engineer, Legal Hacker, Researcher, Scientist.
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