Saturday, February 14, 2004

This has to have been presented somewhere, but I never see anyone talk about developmental trajectories in nurture/nature discussions. The interplay between environment and genetics is not an algebraic relationship. We'll probably never master the science down to the most discreet measures, but we have to, by now, have enough of an understanding of genetics and developmental grown stages to know that slight alterations in environment don't simply add another variable to a structured set, but actually alter the patterns achieved in numerous areas from that point forward, like a multi-branched logorithm, as if I understand the math behind that statement anymore. That idea makes some social spending decisions easy - get kids young. Make sure they have good prenatal care, good education, good support during the critical early years especially. Cheaper than prison or the military, and it may help create the type of smaller scale sustainable communities within the context of our global economy. On the flip side, at what point do you give up on an individual? Do people get to the point where they've missed so many basics that they are functioning in a purely limbic mode perpetually? It's so hard to ponder, implement solutions and measure results within a few lifetimes. If there were some way I could be a benign vampire, and live for thousands of years, my mind boggles at the social science and engineering I could pursue. I guess universities and associations and think tanks do that to some degree, but I don't think the participants really understand and value the immortality of the organization, thinking and trying instead to answer questions and solve problems within the limited scope of a human lifetime. 2:51:57 PM