Evolution And History

Suggested Readings 51

Questions for Reflection

1. Have scientific understandings of the human genetic
   code and technologies such as DNA fingerprinting chal-
   lenged your conception of what it means to be human? How
   much of your life, or of the lives of the people around you, is
   dictated by the structure of DNA?


2. The social meanings of science can test other belief
   systems. Is it possible for spiritual and scientific models of
   human nature to coexist? How do you personally reconcile
   science and religion?


3. The four evolutionary forces—mutation, genetic
   drift, gene flow, and natural selection—all affect biological

variation. Some are at work in individuals while others func-

tion at the population level. Compare and contrast these evo-

lutionary forces, outlining their contributions to biological

variation.

4. The frequency of the sickle-cell allele in populations
   provides a classic example of adaptation on a genetic level.
   Describe the benefits of this deadly allele. Are mutations
   good or bad?


5. Why is the evolution of continuous traits more difficult
   to study than the evolution of a trait controlled by a single
   gene?

Suggested Readings

Alper, J. S., et al. (Eds.). (2002). The double-edged helix: So-
cial implications of genetics in a diverse society. Baltimore:
John Hopkins University Press.

This collection of essays examines the social consequences
of the new genetics in topics ranging from the discovery
of a “gay” gene to the social history of the unsuccessful ge-
netic testing programs for sickle-cell disease among African
Americans.

Berra, T. M. (1990). Evolution and the myth of creationism.
Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

Written by a zoologist, this book is a basic guide to the facts
in the debate over evolution. It is not an attack on religion
but a successful effort to assist in understanding the scientific
basis for evolution.

Eugenides, J. (2002). Middlesex: A novel. New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.

This fascinating novel explores the lives of a family carrying
a recessive allele that results in hermaphroditic phenotype
in the third generation. It demonstrates the intersection of
genetics and culture, deals with age-old questions of nature
versus nurture, and explores the importance of the cultural
meaning given any phenotypic state.

Gould, S. J. (1996). Full house: The spread of excellence from

Plato to Darwin. New York: Harmony.

In this highly readable book, Gould explodes the misconcep-

tion that evolution is inherently progressive. In the process,

he shows how trends should be read as changes in variation

within systems.

Rapp, R. (1999). Testing women, testing the fetus: The social

impact of amniocentesis in America. New York: Routledge.

This beautifully written, meticulously researched book pro-

vides an in-depth historical and sophisticated cultural anal-

ysis, as well as a personal account of the geneticization of

reproduction in America. It demonstrates the importance

of cultural analyses of science without resorting to an anti-

scientific stance.

Ridley, M. (1999). Genome: The autobiography of a species in

23 chapters. New York: HarperCollins.

Written just as the mapping of the human genome was about

to be announced, this book made The New York Times best-

seller list. The twenty-three chapters discuss DNA on each of

the twenty-three human chromosomes. A word of warning,

however: The author uncritically accepts some ideas (one ex-

ample relates to IQ). Still, there is much food for thought here.