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THE GENETIC GODS, by John C. Avise
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They mastermind our lives, shaping our features, our health, and our behavior, even in the sacrosanct realms of love and sex, religion, aging, and death. Yet we are the ones who house, perpetuate, and give the promise of immortality to these biological agents, our genetic gods. The link between genes and gods is hardly arbitrary, as the distinguished evolutionary geneticist John Avise reveals in this compelling book. In clear, straightforward terms, Avise reviews recent discoveries in molecular biology, evolutionary genetics, and human genetic engineering, and discusses the relevance of these findings to issues of ultimate concern traditionally reserved for mythology, theology, and religious faith.
The book explains how the genetic gods figure in our development--not just our metabolism and physiology, but even our emotional disposition, personality, ethical leanings, and, indeed, religiosity. Yet genes are physical rather than metaphysical entities. Having arisen via an amoral evolutionary process--natural selection--genes have no consciousness, no sentient code of conduct, no reflective concern about the consequences of their actions. It is Avise's contention that current genetic knowledge can inform our attempts to answer typically religious questions--about origins, fate, and meaning. The Genetic Gods challenges us to make the necessary connection between what we know, what we believe, and what we embody.
Table of Contents:
Preface
Prologue
1. The Doctrines of Biological Science
2. Geneses
3. Genetic Maladies
4. Genetic Beneficence
5. Strategies of the Genes
6. Genetic Sovereignty
7. New Lords of Our Genes?
8. Meaning
Epilogue
Notes
Glossary
Index
Reviews of this book:
Our genes, [Avise] says, are responsible not only for how we got here and exist day to day, but also for the core of our being--our personalities and morals. It is our genetic make-up that allows for and formulates our religious belief systems, he argues. Avise does not eschew spirituality but seeks a more informed, less confrontational approach between science and the pulpit.
--Science News
Reviews of this book:
For the general scientific reader, the book is an excellent distillation of a broad and increasingly important field, a course of causation that cannot be ignored. From advising expectant parents to getting innocent people off death row, genetics increasingly dominates our lives. The sections on genetics are expertly written, particularly for those readers without in-depth knowledge. The author explains slowly and carefully just how genetics operates, using multiple metaphors. His genetic discourse proceeds in a neighborly fashion, as one might tell stories while sitting in a rocking chair at a country store. He seems to be invigorated by genes and just can't wait to tell about them.
--David W. Hodo, Journal of the American Medical Association
Reviews of this book:
As a whole, this book is quite informative and stimulating, and sections of it are beautifully written. Indeed, Professor Avise has a real gift for prose and scientific expositions, and I would suspect that he must be a formidable lecturer...At its core, [The Genetic Gods] is a survey, and a very nice one at that, of evolutionary genetics, the field of the author's major research interests. There is a strong sociobiological cast to the arguments, and the work and ideas of E. O. Wilson figure prominently. The presentation of evolutionary genetics is imbedded in a more general discussion of modern human and molecular genetics...However, this book is, most of all, a philosophical treatise that attempts, admittedly with the bias of a biologist, to examine the intersection of the fundamental premises of evolution and religion. Professor Avise has given us plenty to think about in this book [and]...it was a real pleasure to wrestle...
- Sales Rank: #2578816 in eBooks
- Published on: 2009-06-30
- Released on: 2009-06-30
- Format: Kindle eBook
From Publishers Weekly
Addressing himself to the "open-minded reader who would appreciate a simplified discussion of recent evolutionary-genetic findings," Avise, professor of biology at the University of Georgia, states that genes control so much of our behavior, health and thoughts that they can be considered "gods," with more say in our everyday lives than those of the world's major religions. "Genes are tangible entities, with profound influences on humanity. Indeed, over the last century, the genetic gods would seem to have wrestled from the supernatural gods considerable authority over human affairs. Does any room remain for a metaphysical god?" Although Avise takes this metaphor too far, his account of the role genes play in shaping the human condition is wholly involving, paying particular attention to issues of reproduction, aging and death. In addition to presenting ample biological information in a form accessible to the nonspecialist, Avise does a superb job of discussing many of the ethical implications that have arisen from our growing knowledge of human genetics. Just a few of the topics covered are genetic engineering, the patenting of life, genetic screening, abortion, human cloning, gene therapy and insurance-related controversies. 21 line illustrations.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Avise (genetics, Univ. of Georgia) explains thoroughly how evolution operates on a genetic level. His goal is to show that humans can look to this information as a way to answer fundamental questions of life instead of looking to traditional religious beliefs. Unfortunately, what could have been a fascinating and provocative book for informed lay readers turns out to be a rather average academic tome, written in a dense, scholarly style that is sometimes hard to get through. Although Avise includes some very interesting discussions of ethical concerns related to genetic issues, his book is recommended only for academic collections and some larger public libraries.?Eric D. Albright, Duke Medical Ctr. Lib., Durham, NC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
Our genes, [Avise] says, are responsible not only for how we got here and exist day to day, but also for the core of our being--our personalities and morals. It is our genetic make-up that allows for and formulates our religious belief systems, he argues. Avise does not eschew spirituality but seeks a more informed, less confrontational approach between science and the pulpit. (Science News)
For the general scientific reader, the book is an excellent distillation of a broad and increasingly important field, a course of causation that cannot be ignored. From advising expectant parents to getting innocent people off death row, genetics increasingly dominates our lives. The sections on genetics are expertly written, particularly for those readers without in-depth knowledge. The author explains slowly and carefully just how genetics operates, using multiple metaphors. His genetic discourse proceeds in a neighborly fashion, as one might tell stories while sitting in a rocking chair at a country store. He seems to be invigorated by genes and just can't wait to tell about them. (David W. Hodo Journal of the American Medical Association)
As a whole, this book is quite informative and stimulating, and sections of it are beautifully written. Indeed, Professor Avise has a real gift for prose and scientific expositions, and I would suspect that he must be a formidable lecturer...At its core, [The Genetic Gods] is a survey, and a very nice one at that, of evolutionary genetics, the field of the author's major research interests. There is a strong sociobiological cast to the arguments, and the work and ideas of E. O. Wilson figure prominently. The presentation of evolutionary genetics is imbedded in a more general discussion of modern human and molecular genetics...However, this book is, most of all, a philosophical treatise that attempts, admittedly with the bias of a biologist, to examine the intersection of the fundamental premises of evolution and religion. Professor Avise has given us plenty to think about in this book [and]...it was a real pleasure to wrestle with the ideas he was presenting. I would suggest that other readers give it a try. (Charles J. Epstein Trends in Genetics)
[Avise's] account of the role genes play in shaping the human condition is wholly involving, paying particular attention to issues of reproduction, aging and death. In addition to presenting ample biological information in a form accessible to the nonspecialist, Avise does a superb job of discussing many of the ethical implications that have arisen from our growing knowledge of human genetics. Just a few of the topics covered are genetic engineering, the patenting of life, genetic screening, abortion, human cloning, gene therapy and insurance-related controversies. (Publishers Weekly)
Avise explains thoroughly how evolution operates on a genetic level. His goal is to show that humans can look to this information as a way to answer fundamental questions of life instead of looking to traditional religious beliefs...Avise includes some very interesting discussions of ethical concerns related to genetic issues. (Eric D. Albright Library Journal)
Knowledge of the human genome enables us to inquire: To what extent do genes and environmental interactions shape us in terms of our emotions, personalities, behaviors, moral values, and religiosity? How did these genes and their relationships to external factors come to occur? In The Genetic Gods Dr. John C. Avise provides a most intriguing and thought-provoking address of these questions…a good read for persons interested in understanding some of the possible far-reaching consequences of the human genome project in the context of an evolutionary world-view and some of its possible implications for science, religion, and human affairs. (Hessel Bouma III Calvin Theological Journal)
Most helpful customer reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Engaging exploration of genetics and attendant ethical issue
By Dennis Littrell
John Avise's engaging book is both an overview and an introduction to recent genetic research as well as an assessment of the social, ethical and religious ramifications stemming from our manipulation of the genetic code. The terminology is a little formidable in spots, and there is perhaps more genetics being explained here than most general readers would want, but these are minor obstacles when one considers the reward: listening to an expert talk about what's happening in genetics today while considering the implications. I was very impressed with Avise's level-headed and balanced assessment of the controversies. This is a sophisticated book, deeply considered and carefully expressed.
The author is the distinguished Professor of Genetics at the University of Georgia and an evolutionary biologist who really knows his stuff. "The genetic gods" in the title is a metaphor of course--he even refers jokingly to "protein angels" on page 208--his point being that we are to some very real extent at the whims of our genes, just as the Greeks once thought they were at the whims of the gods on Mount Olympus. However don't imagine that Avise is presenting a genetic-centered reductionist approach in this book. He wants to emphasize that the genes are subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, influencing our lives, but that is far from the whole story. Avise suggests that the proper way to look at the culture verses genes debate is to think of culture as an "epigenetic phenomenon...itself a product of biological evolution," and that "genes and culture coevolve" (pp. 158-159). The environment shapes us, but we in turn condition the environment. As Avise expresses it, "the individual's mind to a considerable extent creates itself through the environments it conditions" (p. 159). In our attempt to understand how the mind works and to account for human behavior, Avise's states that a "myopically reductionist approach that neglects multiple levels of biological, personal, and social causation" is inadequate, as are "uncritical holistic approaches alone" (p. 165).
This just makes sense and it also makes moot the sometimes heated "culture verses genetics" debate, which is similar to the old "nature verses nurture" false dichotomy. Quite simply, how can we separate the effects and influence of the environment and culture from that of the genes, and vice versa?
Professor Avise does not shy away from a position on whether we should intervene genetically when something is amiss. While some people believe that "developing embryos are governed by intelligent and caring supernatural forces," Avise insists that "they are governed by natural gene-environment interactions that unfortunately can" go horribly awry as in the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome or in Down's syndrome (p. 199). In such cases, he asks, "Should we then take the reins?" His careful answer on the next page is yes, but with the understanding that "the interests of the individuals most closely involved...should take legal precedence over those of more distant parties."
Avise believes that ethical questions about genetic engineering should be considered by all members of society, not just scientists or theologians or lawyers (p. 202). He believes in a case-by-case appraisal (p. 201). "The only approach," he avers, "is that in which the moral authority of a god is asserted." He wryly observes, that since there is such a diversity of opinion, "any supernatural deity either has been strangely silent on such issues or else has conveyed vastly different messages to different listeners."
This book requires an effort on the part of the reader, there is no doubt about that. This is no breezy Time Magazine treatment. But I think what we can learn from Professor Avise on a topic of such overriding human interest is well worth the effort.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Musings on Selfish Genes
By Roshan Kamath
John Avise presents a review of contemporary molecular biology which is quite accessible to the 'lay' reader with some prior exposure to the general area of evolutionary-genetics. The discussions are somewhat philosophically charged (i.e. they do not remain necessarily technical) and touch upon social, emotional, and theological issues too. However, there is no attempt at actively engaging the theistic implications of modern genetics; the book remains focussed on the biological & behavioural aspects.
Avise basically elaborates on notion of the "Selfish Gene" which seeks to 'immortalize' itself by using individuals as 'ephemeral' vehicles for perpetuation. Using this point of view, the book reviews the basic doctrines of genetics & evolution, the genesis & replication of life/genes, genetic disorders & benefits, gene replication strategies (including sexual reproduction & death), nature vs. nurture issues, and gene-therapy.
Avise's style is engaging, clear, & succint - and never pedantic. The accompanying glossary is very useful for non-biologists to fallback onto when reading the more technical sections. I only wish that the notes for each chapter had been foot-notes rather than being located to the end of the book (but this is a purely personal preference).
Overall I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in acquainting herself with recent advances in molecular biology, evolutionary genetics, and genetic engineering - and its implication to modern human thought, philosophy, and civilization.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
An essential read for everyone with concerns about humanity and biodiversity.
By harry becker
The kind of book that everyone should read. Essential ingredient of humanity's continuing enlightenment. Produced by someone with deep insight into the enormous scope of evolution and genetics. In the same category I would mention - amongst many others - the authors Richard Dawkins, Steve Jones, Jerry Coyne, Nick Lane, Nessa Carey and Lewis Wolpert.
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