Can Genes Determine Complex Behavior?

Can Genes Determine Complex Behavior?

“You’re just like your father” or “the spitting image of your mother” — we often hear these phrases when people notice familiar gestures or the way we argue.

When it comes to height, blood type, or eye color, things seem clear. But when it comes to personality, we prefer to believe that we are the authors of ourselves — not simply copies of our parents.

But how free are we from heredity?

Are talents for mathematics, personality traits, or a tendency toward aggression inherited?

Where does the influence of genes end in this biological blueprint — and where does our own identity begin?

On May 9 (Saturday) at 19:30, biologist Simkha Borman will explain how the chemistry of DNA transforms into our feelings, and why searching for a “gene of genius” is just as hopeless as searching for a “gene of autism.”