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Kevin Mitchell on How The Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are

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Manage episode 226159881 series 2469274
Content provided by Ilan Goodman, Ilan Goodman: Neuroscience, and Philosophy podcaster. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Ilan Goodman, Ilan Goodman: Neuroscience, and Philosophy podcaster or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

My guest in this episode is a neurogeneticist who is unafraid to tackle some of the most politically charged questions in science. Dr Kevin Mitchell is an associate professor at the Institute of Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. His recent book INNATE sets out to show ‘How The Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are’, and in it he offers his take on the latest research into the biological underpinnings of intelligence, gender, sexuality, and psychiatric disorders.

We start off discussing the complexities of figuring out how genes link to psychological traits and how random ‘noise’ in the process of development may be crucial.

14:54 What’s the best metaphor for describing how genes work? Should we think of them as a blueprint, a program, a recipe or even a database?

21:52 I probe Kevin for his explanation of the Mystery of Missing Heritability. Why has molecular genetics not been more successful?

30:39 We tackle the brain differences between men and women, and explore the biological basis of homosexuality. Did you know we can deliberately breed homosexual rats?

45:44 We discuss Kevin’s view that psychiatric conditions are genetic and that genetics can transform the field.

58:11 Kevin leaves me with a brief, provocative outline of his view that we can have free will despite being in some sense biologically determined creatures.

Check out Kevin's book Innate: How The Wiring of Our Brains Makes Us Who We Are and also his blog Wiring the Brain.

Follow us on Twitter @NSthepodcast

  continue reading

14 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 

Archived series ("Inactive feed" status)

When? This feed was archived on May 02, 2023 13:07 (12M ago). Last successful fetch was on December 08, 2022 17:41 (1+ y ago)

Why? Inactive feed status. Our servers were unable to retrieve a valid podcast feed for a sustained period.

What now? You might be able to find a more up-to-date version using the search function. This series will no longer be checked for updates. If you believe this to be in error, please check if the publisher's feed link below is valid and contact support to request the feed be restored or if you have any other concerns about this.

Manage episode 226159881 series 2469274
Content provided by Ilan Goodman, Ilan Goodman: Neuroscience, and Philosophy podcaster. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Ilan Goodman, Ilan Goodman: Neuroscience, and Philosophy podcaster or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

My guest in this episode is a neurogeneticist who is unafraid to tackle some of the most politically charged questions in science. Dr Kevin Mitchell is an associate professor at the Institute of Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. His recent book INNATE sets out to show ‘How The Wiring of Our Brains Shapes Who We Are’, and in it he offers his take on the latest research into the biological underpinnings of intelligence, gender, sexuality, and psychiatric disorders.

We start off discussing the complexities of figuring out how genes link to psychological traits and how random ‘noise’ in the process of development may be crucial.

14:54 What’s the best metaphor for describing how genes work? Should we think of them as a blueprint, a program, a recipe or even a database?

21:52 I probe Kevin for his explanation of the Mystery of Missing Heritability. Why has molecular genetics not been more successful?

30:39 We tackle the brain differences between men and women, and explore the biological basis of homosexuality. Did you know we can deliberately breed homosexual rats?

45:44 We discuss Kevin’s view that psychiatric conditions are genetic and that genetics can transform the field.

58:11 Kevin leaves me with a brief, provocative outline of his view that we can have free will despite being in some sense biologically determined creatures.

Check out Kevin's book Innate: How The Wiring of Our Brains Makes Us Who We Are and also his blog Wiring the Brain.

Follow us on Twitter @NSthepodcast

  continue reading

14 episodes

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