Every human body contains 46 chromosomes in 23 pairs (with a few rare exceptions), each of which consist of thousands of genes along with some gobbledy-gook. They are all just chemicals-- the same four bases, along with a sugar-phosphate backbone-- and yet, they are so much more, since they and the proteins they code for are the essence of human life itself.
What is this strange stuff that we carry in every single cell nucleus? It shapes our very being from our body to our desires to our culture-- and is in turn shaped by the environment and the choices we make. What an intricate dance. Can we hope to understand even a few simple moves?
We can. Matt Ridley has written a fascinating, scientifically accurate, eminently readable book about the human genome. It rates a "strong +" for its willingness to embrace the complexity of genetics without apology or oversimplification. Ridley is passionate about genes, and you will catch the excitement too.
The format is clever. Ridley selected a key gene off each chromosome to discuss a larger concept-- for instance, the specific language impairment (SLI) syndrome that can occur from a defect on chromosome 7 is used as a springboard to discuss instinctual tendencies in general. (This is balanced by the chapter on chromosome 10, which explains how the environment can turn genes on and off). He explains carefully at the beginning that this is to some degree an artifice-- of course the chromosomes themselves do not each represent one of 23 key qualities of humanity. Still, he has done an admirable job pulling together the highlights of the genome and arranging them into a readable format.
You will learn about sexual dimorphism, memory, the "gobbledy gook" mentioned above, and other interesting details of the book that wrote you. Perhaps most importantly, you will realize how little we know about ourselves, even having deciphered the complete genetic code. The relationships between genes are incredibly intricate, and we know even less about the multitude of proteins that the genes code for (and that ultimately carry out all the instructions written in the genome). We have a long way to go. Humility would suit us.
Be prepared for a little of Ridley's personal philosophy also. He does not hesitate to offer his opinion on controversial issues. He is a big fan of reductionist genetic research, including tinkering with the genome if necessary. He is comfortable with the genetic basis for many qualities of culture and personality. You will become so too because Ridley offers a far deeper perspective than the two-dimensional "nature-vs-nurture" debate. The genome is so much richer than the understanding we had of it a few decades ago.
I like the new paradigms that are emerging to understand genetics. It's time to retire our old understanding and move into the new realm that has been revealed by recent research. I hope Ridley's book will serve as the beginning of a more sophisticated appreciation of genetics (and its relation to macroscopic phenomena such as whole bodies and societies).
Read this book to learn a little bit more about who you are-- and who the stranger next to you is.
Copyright © Kim Allen 2002
