HIST 20 Lecture 11: Studying Ourselves
Document Summary
Case study: genetics researcher he jiankui and taboo of designer babies. 2 twin girls dna to resist hiv infection. Changes in human embryos to make babies. Taboo of modified genetics of designer babies. Other traits: superrace beyond just disease prevention. Practitioners say yes should be studied by science. Turn back on biological determinism, evolutionary paradigm, distinction from biology. Crucial factor in professionalization process was a rejection of biological essentialism inappropriate for science to answer. Unwillingness to address questions change power of darwinism and evolution. By 1900: all is fair game, use science to answer questions. Study of mental processes: thoughts, emotions, behaviors. John locke: infant is a blank slate, tabula rasa, experiences writes on the slate and changes one to understand laws of nature, habits to operate in society. Mind is a learning machine does not specify mechanisms/processes. Like locke, human brain is passive learning machine environment. Structure predetermines how mind perceives and interacts with world.
