Genes create bias

[Crux_Cheetah]

Have you ever thought our genes impose bias upon us? It seems like our environment influences us too, but as our environment changes our outlook changes. Our situation influences us too, but our environment can influence our situation, and if we're lucky enough to make the right decision, our situation changes for the better. But in the case of our genes, we can't escape them until we die. So they guide all of our decisions until we die. So maybe: genes × the environment = the situation
I don't know but what do you think about whether genes impose bias upon us, or not?

 

[Architect]

You are primarily your brain. That is, you could have been shorter, taller, different color hair or eyes, different colored skin and you'd still be yourself. Heck people paint themselves up differently, get boob jobs, etc and don't change as proof enough. But the contents of your mind capture 99% of it.

Now the majority of your genome is concerned with your brain, yes, but it's actually just the physical programming of how to create neurons. I don't have the numbers handy but the informational content of the brain is many tens of orders of magnitude greater than that of your genome (which is just a few tens of megabytes of data). Thus, your genome has little to do with the actual neural nets you've laid down.

Now having said that there are some boundary conditions; the most important being your sexuality. Much of our behavior is driven by that genetically programed imperative. So there are mitigations on this, but you said bias which implies a fairly subtle thing, and it seems clear then that genetics wouldn't greatly affect our non sexual biases.

 

[Turnevies]

Now the majority of your genome is concerned with your brain, yes, but it's actually just the physical programming of how to create neurons. I don't have the numbers handy but the informational content of the brain is many tens of orders of magnitude greater than that of your genome (which is just a few tens of megabytes of data). Thus, your genome has little to do with the actual neural nets you've laid down.

I don't agree exactly for chaos theory reasons. A minor difference in the hard-wiring of your brain that originated from genetic reasons, can change the framework through which you interpret information, which in turn can change your perceived experiences and change your character even more.

Even if your genome wouldn' have a direct influence on your brain whatsoever, even the difference between being born as a beatiful or an ugly child can have a significant influence on your youth and thus your personality.

 

[Haim]

Now the majority of your genome is concerned with your brain, yes, but it's actually just the physical programming of how to create neurons. I don't have the numbers handy but the informational content of the brain is many tens of orders of magnitude greater than that of your genome (which is just a few tens of megabytes of data). Thus, your genome has little to do with the actual neural nets you've laid down.

It is not "just", it is the blueprint and the hammer, it is like saying that because an airplane is made of countless atoms the blueprint isn't significant.
Due the thing that makes the brain so great(which AI is yet to have) is it ability to restructure itself, but still the way that the brain restructure itself is determined in the gene, which greatly reduce possible variations, a human will not have a dog brain.

With that said, you can not be sure of your exact potential/personality or other people, as you can not run a simulation of people(today ), also the brain isn't that simple.

 

[Architect]

I don't agree exactly for chaos theory reasons. A minor difference in the hard-wiring of your brain that originated from genetic reasons, can change the framework through which you interpret information, which in turn can change your perceived experiences and change your character even more.

In any predictable way? Apparently not since you cite chaos. The best model seems to be something like a cellular automaton. Some set of basic rules that then creates a complex structure.

Even if your genome wouldn't have a direct influence on your brain whatsoever

Which isn't what I'm saying

, even the difference between being born as a beatiful or an ugly child can have a significant influence on your youth and thus your personality.

Yes I did say the equivalent

It is not "just", it is the blueprint and the hammer, it is like saying that because an airplane is made of countless atoms the blueprint isn't significant..

Calling genes the blueprint of the brain isn't a good analogy. A blueprint is quite specific as it tells you the details of how it all fits together but the genes only spell out the gross structural aspects. The important bits are how the neural nets are wired up which isn't in the genes.

 

[Crux_Cheetah]

You are primarily your brain. That is, you could have been shorter, taller, different color hair or eyes, different colored skin and you'd still be yourself. Heck people paint themselves up differently, get boob jobs, etc and don't change as proof enough. But the contents of your mind capture 99% of it.

Now the majority of your genome is concerned with your brain, yes, but it's actually just the physical programming of how to create neurons. I don't have the numbers handy but the informational content of the brain is many tens of orders of magnitude greater than that of your genome (which is just a few tens of megabytes of data). Thus, your genome has little to do with the actual neural nets you've laid down.

Now having said that there are some boundary conditions; the most important being your sexuality. Much of our behavior is driven by that genetically programed imperative. So there are mitigations on this, but you said bias which implies a fairly subtle thing, and it seems clear then that genetics wouldn't greatly affect our non sexual biases.

But what makes your brain the way it is?