The “Hyde Park” Cacophony of Genetics

Dr. Noach Efron
Chair, Department of Science, Technology & Society
Bar Ilan University
Ramat Gan, Israel

Discussing the relationship between science and religion, Noah Efron examines several case studies to deal with the question of nature versus nurture. Does biology or upbringing most influences a person’s development? One case discussed is the instance of identical twins separated shortly after birth and raised in different continents. While research highlights the twins’ commonalities to prove that biology plays the dominant role in human development, it ignores stress the stark differences in their character. Are studies like these useful in obtaining a relevant conclusion or are they bias?

Efron further notes the trends of ideological changes that occur from facing new technological issues. Basically, what it means to be human is constantly changing. He brings up challenging questions, such as what ethical considerations should remain when confronting issues such as genetic testing and modification, and where does religion fit into this equation?