106 REAL GENES, REAL INTELLIGENCE
dubious assumptions, but the real relationships among genes, the work-
ings of the cell, their environments, and their products. Th ese researchers
have shed bright light on the nature of development and the real origins
of function and variation. As a result, genes are being redefi ned and put
into context, tearing away the veil shrouding the mystical, animistic blue-
prints said to determine form and inequalities. Moreover, intelligence—
hitherto an anonymous statistical variable with vague defi nitions—is truly
coming to life.
LIFE WITHOUT GENESLet us begin with one revelation that is usually quite startling to the
unrefl ecting: living forms existed long before genes were available. Th e
widespread idea that life starts, is structured, varies, is controlled by, and
ends with genes carries a profound implication. Th is is that, at its origin,
genes must somehow have been there to kickstart life. How else could
undirected, unmanaged, physical forces have produced such im mensely
complex, living states from inanimate substances?
Th e prob lem is that the “genes as genesis” theory glosses over a couple
of tricky prob lems. One of these is the mystery of where the genes them-
selves came from. Francis Crick, the co- discoverer of the structure of
DNA, even suggested they must have blown in from outer space. But that
only displaces the prob lem without solving it. Just as problematic is that
strings of some original genes could not have just appeared de novo and
functioned in de pen dently. Th ey would have needed— in advance— hugely
complex supply chains of ingredients and enzymes (molecular catalysts)
to express their proteins and assem ble them into a coherent organism.
Ye a r s o f e ff ort in laboratories have failed to fi nd pro cesses through which
genes can make themselves, produce components of living systems, and
then string them together in just the right order at just the right time.
Th is standard, rather superstitious, model of the gene has persisted,
I suspect, for two reasons. One is that it has been a very useful vehicle of
social ideolog y, as mentioned earlier. It can be made to correspond so eas-
ily with our everyday social experience and social structures. Th e other
This content downloaded from 139.184.14.159 on Tue, 17 Oct 2017 13:52:50 UTChttp://www.ebook3000.com