“Genes are recipes for both anatomy and behaviour.”

— Matt Ridley , book Genome

Source: Genome (1999), Chapter 2 “Species” (p. 37)

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Matt Ridley 65

economist 1958

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“Nobody doubts that genes can shape anatomy. The idea that they also shape behaviour takes a lot more swallowing.”

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“Neither in nature nor among human beings are either equal or randomly distributed outcomes automatic. On the contrary, grossly unequal distributions of outcomes are common, both in nature and among people, in circumstances where neither genes nor discrimination are involved… The idea that it would be a level playing field, if it were not for either genes or discrimination, is a preconception in defiance of both logic and facts.”

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Variant: Anatomy is destiny

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“Jacob and Monod found that in bacteria, genes are switched on and off by other genes. This led them to distinguish between effector genes and regulatory genes. Effector genes encode effector proteins… which mediate specific cellular functions. Regulatory genes encode proteins called regulatory proteins, which switch the effector genes on or off.”

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“Genes are recipes for both anatomy and behaviour.”

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