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The ‘Geno-Economists’ Say DNA Can Predict Our Chances of Success

nytimes.com

1–10 of 82 posts

Re: The ‘Geno-Economists’ Say DNA Can Predict Our Chances of Success

#2
Oh, applying a poorly understood abstract concepts to poorly understood vastly complex and still intractable stochastic process, which is what real genetics is. (daily reminder - each gamete is unique perturbation of host's DNA)

If it is not an astrology then what is it?

Re: The ‘Geno-Economists’ Say DNA Can Predict Our Chances of Success

#4

I bet it can. It can also tell you how much you are likely to inherit and what network of people you are linked to as well.

> It can also tell you how much you are likely to inherit and what network of people you are linked to as well.

Only to the extent that your parents have the same DNA. The point is that economic success is strongly correlated to genetics independently of social position and nurturing.

Of course this will be controversial; it's the same kind of conclusion that spurred the Soviet Union to promote Lysenkoism and suppress Darwinism.

Re: The ‘Geno-Economists’ Say DNA Can Predict Our Chances of Success

#5

I bet it can. It can also tell you how much you are likely to inherit and what network of people you are linked to as well.

There are documented and robust genetic contributions to success (measured, for example, as income) even for adopted children.

Re: The ‘Geno-Economists’ Say DNA Can Predict Our Chances of Success

#7
Things are too conflated in society to really get around gene vs societal/circumstantial-pressures on success. However, I can see animal models with random assignment uncovering genes that help animals solve tasks. Comparing identified genes from animal models with frequencies in human populations would seem a fruitful path (even if we may not like some of the answers), that I am sure is being done already.

Re: The ‘Geno-Economists’ Say DNA Can Predict Our Chances of Success

#8
Unless we have a complete picture of "success", which means:

- How much of our behavior, habits, intelligence and success comes from the environment ?

- How much of stuff like education levels, income levels come from birth, social and environmental factors?

- How epigenetics shapes our life in a dynamic fashion? This field is pretty new, and we have just begin to understand it.

- What is intelligence or success in the first place ? How do you measure it that is all encompassing and diverse ? I have never seen a solid definition of that. Should we care about their definition of success? Can there ever be one definition of success for all groups? My own personal definition has changed over the years.

- Is Gene state correlated state or unchangeable predictors (which I extremely doubt in light of above points)

- Has there been a complete study of exceptions?

all of this is extremely reductionist at best and trying to push a malicious self serving agenda at the worst which can cause havoc in hands of any stupid policy makers.

From what I understand, we are very far off from getting a full picture of these questions. At least decades away if not more.

Re: The ‘Geno-Economists’ Say DNA Can Predict Our Chances of Success

#9

I bet it can. It can also tell you how much you are likely to inherit and what network of people you are linked to as well.

There are documented and robust genetic contributions to success (measured, for example, as income) even for adopted children.

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