A genetic predisposition is a genetic effect which influences the phenotype of an organism but which can be modified by the environmental conditions. Genetic testing is able to identify individuals who are genetically predisposed to certain health problems. Genetics (from the Greek genno γεννώ= give birth) is the science of genes, heredity, and the variation of organisms. ... The phenotype of an individual organism is either its total physical appearance and constitution or a specific manifestation of a trait, such as size, eye color, or behavior that varies between individuals. ... Devils Punchbowl Waterfall, New Zealand. ... Genetic testing allows the genetic diagnosis of vulnerabilities to inherited diseases, and can also be used to determine a persons ancestry. ... A disease is an abnormal condition of the body or mind that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress to the person afflicted or those in contact with the person. ...

Behavior

Predisposition is the capacity we are born with to learn things such as language and concept of self. Negative environmental influences may block the predisposition (ability) we have to do some things. Behaviors displayed by animals can be influenced by genetic predispositions. Genetic predisposition towards certain human behaviors is scientifically investigated by attempts to identify patterns of human behavior that seem to be invariant over long periods of time and in very different cultures. For example, philosopher Daniel Dennett has proposed that humans are genetically predisposed to have a Theory of mind because there has been evolutionary selection for the human ability to adopt the Intentional stance^[1]. The intentional stance is a useful behavioral strategy by which humans assume that others have minds like their own. This assumption allows you to predict the behavior of others based on personal knowledge of what you would do. Ethology is the scientific study of animal behaviour (particularly of social animals such as primates and canids), and is a branch of zoology. ... Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior considered as a branch of zoology. ... Daniel Clement Dennett (born March 28, 1942 in Boston) is a prominent American philosopher. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A hypothetical phylogenetic tree of all extant organisms, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence data, showing the evolutionary history of the three domains of life, bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes. ... The Intentional Stance is a theory of mental content proposed, developed and championed by the American philosopher Daniel C. Dennett. ... Mind refers to the collective aspects of intellect and consciousness which are manifest in some combination of thought, perception, emotion, will, memory, and imagination. ...

Powerful evidence for genetic predispositions towards certain patterns of human behavior comes from twin studies. The idea that human behavior can have a genetic basis has become controversial due to religious and politically-inspired positions with respect to common human behaviors such as homosexuality. Twin study - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings over time. ...

Genetic discrimination in health insurance

In the United States, individuals are at risk for loss of health insurance if they are discovered to have genetic predispositions for health problems. The National Center for Genome Resources found that 85 percent of those polled think employers should not have access to information about their employees' genetic conditions, risks or predispositions^[2]. The U.S. federal government has so far taken only limited measures against discrimination based on genetic testing^[3]. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

References

1. ↑  The results of this survey are discussed here (January 20, 1998).
2. ↑  A summary of U.S.A. executive orders and proposed legislation is compiled by the National Center for Genome Resources.
3. ↑  The Intentional Stance (MIT Press; Reprint edition 1989) (ISBN 0-262-54053-3)

1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Human nature.
• E. O. Wilson's book on sociobiology and his book Consilience discuss the idea of genetic predisposition to behaviors.
• The field of evolutionary psychology explores the idea that certain behaviors have been selected for during the course of evolution.
• The nature versus nurture debate.
• Behavioral genetics.

Human nature is the fundamental nature and substance of humans, as well as the range of human behavior that is believed to be invariant over long periods of time and across very different cultural contexts. ... E.O. Wilson with Dynastes hercules E. O. Wilson, or Edward Osborne Wilson, (born June 10, 1929) is an entomologist and biologist known for his work on ecology, evolution, and sociobiology. ... Sociobiology is a synthesis of scientific disciplines that attempts to explain behaviour in all species by considering the evolutionary advantages of social behaviours. ... Consilience, or the unity of knowledge (literally a jumping together of knowledge), has its roots in the ancient Greek concept of an intrinsic orderliness that governs our cosmos, inherently comprehensible by logical process, a vision at odds with mystical views in many cultures that surrounded the Hellenes. ... Evolutionary psychology (abbreviated ev-psych or EP) is a theoretical approach to psychology that explains many mental traits as adaptations in the sense of evolutionary biological, as a product of natural or sexual selection. ... Nature versus nurture is a shorthand expression for debates about the relative importance of an individuals innate qualities (nature) versus personal experiences (nurture) in determining or causing individual differences in physical and behavioral traits. ... Behavioural genetics (behavioral genetics) is the field of biology that studies the role of genetics in animal behaviour. ...

External links

• Genetic discrimination fact sheet from the National Human Genome Research Institute.