Dr. Stuart Reichler’s Spring 2007 Bio 301L
Homework #4
due 30 April 2007 at 11am
We have discussed the connection between nature and
nurture in class, and almost everyday researchers are finding more
genetic and environmental connections to human traits. As we
learn more about the factors that lead to various traits, we are
gaining the ability to make more accurate predictions about people's
traits based on information such as their genes and environment.
This type of information is already indirectly asked for by insurance companies and doctors when they ask
about the health of your ancestors, and/or where you are from.
What should we do with the
information that is being collected about people's genes,
environment, and various traits? Can
estimations about someone's risk for a disease
or certain behavior be accurately made? If not, will these types
of estimations ever be accurate? Do these estimations present a
danger? Can jobs, insurance or school admittance be denied based
on a prediction of future risk? This assignment should not exceed
three pages, and obviously you cannot answer all of these questions in
three pages, so giving a complete answer to any one or a subset of
these questions will be acceptable.
Be certain
to cite any outside sources that you use. Using outside sources
is fine,
but
not citing those sources is plagiarism. This
assignment should not exceed three
pages. This
homework will be graded on a
scale of 0-4 points. Remember that your
top three homework scores will be used to determine your grade with a
maximum of 12 points possible. If you already have 12 homework
points, you do not need to do this assignment. The
typed/word-processed paper should be printed and turned in during class
on April 30, 2007 at 11am in class.
I will subtract 0.5
points for each day late.
If you have any questions, please ask.