Overview
Hardly a month goes by without a media report proclaiming that researchers have discovered the gene for some complex human behavior or trait-intelligence, dyslexia, shyness, homosexuality. The practical implications of genetic research can bring great good-relieving parents of self-blame for a child's schizophrenia or autism and possibly treating genetic diseases in the future. Other findings-or pernicious interpretations of them-can cause great harm, for example, by establishing flawed connections between genetics, race, and educational attainment. Wrestling with Behavioral Genetics brings together an interdisciplinary group of contributors-human geneticists, humanists, social scientists, lawyers, and journalists-to discuss the ethical and social implications of behavioral genetics research. The essays give readers the necessary tools to critically analyze the findings of behavioral geneticists, explore competing interpretations of the ethical and social implications of those findings, and engage in a productive public conversation about them. This volume provides an accessible introduction to a fascinating and controversial science and the societal and individual implications of its continuing development.
Full Product Details
Author: Erik Parens (Senior Research Scholar, The Hastings Center) ,
Audrey R. Chapman (Joseph M. Healey Professor of Medical Humanities and Ethics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine) ,
Nancy Press (Professor, Oregon Health and Science University)
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
Imprint: Johns Hopkins University Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 2.50cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.522kg
ISBN: 9780801890918
ISBN 10: 0801890918
Pages: 376
Publication Date: 10 December 2008
Recommended Age: From 13
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Professional and scholarly
,
Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.
Reviews
What sets this collection apart from others is the way that contributions from a diverse authorship are integrated to form a coherent whole... Doubtless this book will soon become a classic within behavioral genetics and compulsory reading for the non-specialist seeking to understand the basic scientific, social, and ethical issues within the field. - American Journal of Bioethics Informative, provocative, and challenging, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand this emerging field. - Social Theory and Practice Promoting public conversation about behavioral genetics will be increasingly pertinent to creating enlightened, fair, and representative public policy... The 'wrestling' will go on for some time to come. - New England Journal of Medicine This volume presents a fair and honest treatment of the field that is both cautious at times and also optimistic and hopeful. - Metapsychology
Author Information
Erik Parens is a senior research scholar at the Hastings Center and a visiting professor in the Science, Technology, and Society Program at Sarah Lawrence College. Audrey R. Chapman is a professor of community medicine and Healey Chair in Medical Humanities and Bioethics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Nancy Press is a professor at the School of Nursing and the Department of Public Health at the School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University.
