Weekly Genetics Quote #20: The Universe in a Single Atom
This week’s genetics quote is from The Universe in a Single Atom : The Convergence of Science and Spirituality by The Dalai Lama.
…genetics can tell individuals and families that they have genes which may kill or maim them in childhood, youth, or middle age. This knowledge could radically alter our definitions of health and sickness. For example, someone who is healthy at present but has a particular genetic predisposition may come to be marked as “soon to be sick.” What should we do with such knowledge and how do we handle it in a way that is most compassionate? Who should have access to such knowledge, given its social and personal implications in relation to insurance, employment, and relationships, as well as reproduction? Does the individual who carries such a gene have a responsibility to reveal this fact to his or her potential partner in life? These are just a few of the questions raised by such genetic research.
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Genetics and Health » Genetics Interview #23: Dr. PZ Myers of Pharyngula
Nov 2, 2006 at 8:08 pm
[…] 5. The Dalai Lama referred to consciousness as something that is not possible to examine objectively with current scientific methods. Do you think that we’ll be able to understand everything in the universe eventually or are there some things that will always remain just unknowable? What of life’s greatest mysteries are you dying to learn more about? […]
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