Genes 2 Brains 2 Mind 2 Me

Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

Nope …

“On mathematical grounds, it is difficult to understand how 10-to-the-14th synaptic connections in the human brain could be controlled by a genome with approximately 10-to-the-6th genes.”

“… the classic dichotomy between “hard-wired” nativism and the “plasticity” championed by anti-nativists was woefully off the mark. Historically, “Anti-nativists”—critics of the view that we might be born with significant mental structure prior to experience—have often attempted to downplay the significance of genes by appealing to neural plasticity, viz. the brain’s resilience to damage and its ability to modify itself in response to experience, while nativists often seem to think that their position rests on downplaying (or demonstrating limits on) plasticity.”

Well, sort of … think of genes as used for pre-wiring while experience then shapes the pre-wired system.

“… it may be more profitable to draw a distinction, between prewiring and rewiring—each of which can be had in abundance without precluding the other.”