The Genetics Of Violence
Introduction
We, in the 1990’s, are slowly and inevitably being faced with the
sociological and biological implications of impending genetic power. This power
is analytical, in such cases as the Human Genome Project, which will hopefully
succeed in mapping out the genetic code for the entire human genetic composition.
Moreover, this power is preventative and participatory in that it can be, and is
being, used to control the behavior of humans and other animals. This new power,
in the eyes of many, is as risky and potentially hazardous as atomic energy: it
must be treated carefully, used under close supervision, performed under
professional consent and observation, otherwise, people will ...
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of aggression, child testing programs, drug manufacturers, civil
rights activists, lawyers, and anxious citizens await the resulting testimony of
the scientists. The social implications of the genetic search for aggressive
tendency is seen by some as a great step forward, by others as a dangerous power
with the ability to give birth to another Holocaust, and by still others as
racist.
At one time, it was believed that one’s character could be determined
from the bumps in one’s skull. Much later, in the 1960’s, as science marched on
in its regular pace, it was theorized that carriers of an extra Y (male)
chromosome were predisposed to criminality. Today, we are faced with the power
to determine and alter one’s character through genetics. We must collectively
decide whether the ultimate price, not of money but of natural evolution, is
worth the ultimate result.
Behavioral Genetics and Aggression
One day in 1978 a woman entered the University Hospital of Nijmegen, the
Netherlands, ...
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three important neurotransmitters that trigger or inhibit the transmission
of nerve impulses. One of these neurotransmitters is norepinephrine, which
raises blood pressure and increases alertness as part of the body’s "fight or
flight" mechanism. Brunner believes that the lack of this neurotransmitter
could cause an excess of chemical messages to the brain, in times of stress,
causing the victim’s fury. The men’s urine found extremely low levels of the
breakdown products of the three neurotransmitters, which are the breakdown
products after MAOA has done its work.
Another of the chemicals is serotonin, which inhibits the effects of
spontaneous neuronal firing, and consequently exerts a ...
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The Genetics Of Violence. (2006, December 24). Retrieved November 22, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Genetics-Of-Violence/57630
"The Genetics Of Violence." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 24 Dec. 2006. Web. 22 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Genetics-Of-Violence/57630>
"The Genetics Of Violence." Essayworld.com. December 24, 2006. Accessed November 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Genetics-Of-Violence/57630.
"The Genetics Of Violence." Essayworld.com. December 24, 2006. Accessed November 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Genetics-Of-Violence/57630.
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