Comments on: Ideology in Your DNA? Not Quite.

By: On Morality and Politics « the 651st Word

On Morality and Politics « the 651st Word — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:33:52 +0000

[...] More research on the differences between liberals and conservatives. [...]

By: Josiah Rowe

Josiah Rowe — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:30:55 +0000

The notion that we're born with political leanings is nothing new. 126 years ago, Gilbert and Sullivan had a guard outside the Houses of Parliament reflect,

"I often think it comical
(Tra la la la, tra la la la)
That nature always doth contrive
(Tra la la la, la)
That ev'ry boy and ev'ry gal
That's born into this world alive
Is either a little Liberal
Or else a little Conservative."

By: Josiah Rowe

Josiah Rowe — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:30:55 +0000

By: Grant Smith

Grant Smith — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:08:13 +0000

More like “not necessarily.” Sounds to me like the researcher wanted to say whatever causes the difference is unknown, which isn't surprising, because that wasn't what was being studied. You wouldn't know that from the LA times article, but you wouldn't know it from this article either. The thing that one should be able to take away from this study is that there is a relationship between at least one specific behavioral characteristic and political affiliation. Whether or not these findings will be replicated remains to be discovered. The cause of this behavioral characteristic would have to be discovered through an entirely different experiment. What doesn't remain to be discovered though, is your opinion regarding the role genes play on behavior.