Quote:
Originally Posted by C.A.
The selfishness of genes is so powerful that there is even infighting between genes themselves, which is an extremely complex topic that I cannot properly explain.
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It doesn't sound complex to me, it sounds ridiculous. People got into this idea that "genes are selfish," took it to an extreme, and here we are.
Quote:
Originally Posted by C.A.
And if you say that approaching from the gene level is going about backwards, its like saying that examining the code of an algorithm is a backwards way of troubleshooting. Genes function exactly like computer code and all organisms are basically extremely complex computing machines. The most appropriate way to understand organisms is to understand them from their genes upwards.
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I'm not talking about trying to understand organisms as a whole, I'm talking about
behaviors of organisms. You are taking the position that genes are the driving force behind everything, which I am saying is incredibly simplistic. Part of the reason for that is due to epigenetics, a layer above pure genes that regulates genetic expression. Epigenetics are affected by your actions, your environment, and even your thoughts.
I don't mean to downplay genetics by saying this, but biology is more complicated than that alone. To take genetics and try to apply it to everything, as is happening here, is a misguided approach. To take genetics and prioritize over other disciplines of biology is also misguided. We know what genes do, and we know a good amount behind their regulation. To anthropomorphize them and give them an agenda is taking it too far. You can't explain everything behind the function of biological organisms through genetics.