> On Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:45:41 -0800
> Miles Jackson <cqmv at pdx.edu> wrote:
>
>
>> The existence of people with spinal cords, livers, etc is due to the
>> expression of genetic instructions in a socially conditioned
>> environment. Again, the fundamental error here is assuming that there
>> are some biological factors that exist as independent elements that
>> influence the development of human characteristics.
>>
>
> Sorry if this seems rude -- but the above borders on gibberish,
> and may indeed have crossed the border. "Independent"?
> Independent of what? And once again -- who is making these
> straw-man claims, or assumptions, to the extent that they are
> intelligible at all?
>
I'm not sure either what Miles means by "independent elements." I think that more productive than asking Miles to explain what he means by "independent" would be to ask him to show what he means. Miles, if genes have no "independent" effect on anything, can you think of anything in the real world that *does* have an independent effect on something else (in the sense you mean)?
SA