 How would you like to find out that your kindergarten child has been identified as having a “biological predispositions to behavior problems” based upon low-seated ears... |
Is the human being in their thinking and acting a spiritually free being, or are they compelled by the iron necessity of purely natural law? There are few questions upon which so much sagacity has been brought to bear. The idea of the freedom of the human will has found enthusiastic supporters and stubborn opponents in plenty.
This is the opening of Rudolf Steiner's Philosophy of Freedom. From this opening, I take it, that at the time it was first published in 1896 a strong debate existed between free will and determinism. Does that debate rage today or is it over? Modern genetics seem to have settled the issue. Almost daily news reports declare: "You can't be blamed for your faults," its all genetic.
The idea that behavioral traits are determined by the twisted sequences of DNA lurking inside our cells - permeates popular culture. We read reports headlined, "Researchers identify the fat gene!" "Scientists pin down intelligence gene!" "Alcoholism gene found!" This is genetic determinism usually hooked up to environmental determinism to fully explain everyone’s behavior. Our life is set by our genes and upbringing. By the time our sons and daughters are ready to strike out into life on their own these reports are telling them over and over again that their life has already been determined through heredity and their social influences.
How would you like to find out that your kindergarten child has been identified as having a “biological predispositions to behavior problems” based upon low-seated ears, possibly indicating poor neural development or damage. Here is a recent article about scientific research that shows antisocial behavior in young adults can be written into their genetic code, and made worse by bad parenting.
Sidney Morning Herald April 10
Indicators that an antisocial child may turn into a life-long violent criminal can be picked up in kindergarten, according to research summarized in this week's New Scientist magazine… Children in this group lack empathy and guilt, are thrill-seeking, fearless and narcissistic, says psychopathy expert James Blair from the National Institute of Mental Health in the United States. Learning to fear punishment or recognize someone else's fear or sadness is difficult for psychopaths, he said.
I’m sure there may be some value in this science, but I also would expect severe genetic discrimination would occur at some point when assessing the child’s future potential. With a record that labels a child as “predisposed to being a psychopath,” how much of a future would a child have?
Who are the “enthusiastic” supporters of free will today to oppose the daily flow of information supportive of scientific determinism? Will our youth be presented with a strong case in favor of free will and a path to freedom? Or has science settled the issue?