Stanford University: CIRGE Symposium June 6, 2006
Interpreting Complexity: the Scientific and Social Meaning of Behavioral Genetics
Human behavior is an object of both scientific inquiry and public fascination. During this six-hour event, panelists presented on, and engaged in a deliberative discussion about, emerging work in behavioral genetics and its impact on society. The panelists came from a wide range of fields – genetics, psychology, anthropology, law and philosophy.
Many questions were considered, including:
- What level of explanation should be used to talk about behavior and in which domains?
- How is behavior conceptualized and studied?
- What is the dynamic between changing social values and emerging behavioral genetic findings?
For more information, please see the symposium website at http://cirge.stanford.edu/behavioral_genetics_2006/
Behavioral and Psychiatric Genetics: Learning from History
Behavioral and Psychiatric Genetics (BPG) offers great promise for clarifying the causes of both normal behaviors as well as psychiatric disorders, and in the latter case serving as a more rational…
Received 09 December 2008 23:08 UTC; Posted 10 December 2008
Posted to: Genetics & Genomics
Behavioral Genetics and Equality
I will explore the implications of findings in behavioral genetics for two conceptions of equality: equality of opportunity and the equal moral worth of persons. New findings in behavioral genetics…
Received 26 November 2008 18:45 UTC; Posted 03 December 2008
Posted to: Genetics & Genomics
Challenging or Reinforcing Social Prejudice?
Behavior genetics holds out the hope of unbiased study of the biological bases of human behavior. Without more rigorous reflection on behavioral concepts, however, behavior genetics will succeed on…
Received 26 November 2008 19:03 UTC; Posted 03 December 2008
Posted to: Genetics & Genomics
Impact of Behavior Genetics on Medicine and Society
Understanding the role of genes in human behavior will impact both medicine and society, but not always in the manner expected. Knowledge about behavioral genes can be used for the good, for exampl…
Received 26 November 2008 18:22 UTC; Posted 03 December 2008
Posted to: Genetics & Genomics
Phenotypes, Social Constructionism and the Spurious Finding
Dr. Press discussed behavioral genetics through the lens of social constructionism. She also discussed the phenomenon of medicalization, focusing on the example of smoking as a behavior.To wat…
Received 26 November 2008 19:13 UTC; Posted 03 December 2008
Posted to: Genetics & Genomics
Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics: A Useful Distinction?
Dr. Hallmayer began with a discussion of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics’ work on genetics, mental disorders and human behavior. He further explored psychiatric genetics and urged against the ov…
Received 09 December 2008 23:00 UTC; Posted 10 December 2008
Posted to: Genetics & Genomics
Psychiatric Genetics: Methods, Findings and Ethical Issues
This talk has 4 major sections. First, I review the basic definition of a complex trait, especially as it applies to psychiatric disorders. Second, I outline the 4 basic paradigms of psychiatric ge…
Received 10 December 2008 02:15 UTC; Posted 10 December 2008
Posted to: Genetics & Genomics
Recent Use of Behavioral Genetics in Criminal Cases
Human behavioral genetics research has been introduced in the U.S. criminal justice system, and its use will likely become more prevalent in the near future. This presentation will discusses the re…
Received 26 November 2008 18:32 UTC; Posted 03 December 2008
Posted to: Genetics & Genomics
