Re: Intelligence on the X chromosome

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catherine yronwode <yronwode@sonic.net> wrote:
>Charles Arthur wrote:
>>
>> In article <3218FBD0.7CB9@sonic.net>, yronwode@sonic.net wrote:
>>
>> > Matt Beckwith wrote:
>> >
>> > > The X chromosomes of a daughter come from both parents.
>> >
>> > Yes, but the (hypotehtical) intelligence genes that are *expressed* >> > may
>> > come from one parent or the other or both.

Did I say they didn't?

>>
>> And yada yada yada.
>>
>> Could I throw a small-sized spoke into these tremendously excited >> wheels?

You sound rather superior.

>> Someone mused a while back (I paraphrase) "Hmm, intelligence on the X
>> chromosome, I wonder what evolutionary advantage that confers?"
>>
>> Which triggered off all this marrying-in marrying-out stuff. However, >> I
>> have to say that from where I sit, this is all getting the cart before >> the
>> horse. If we assume that intelligence is X-linked (not definitely >> true,
>> but fun to use for a hypothesis) then we have to ask: what would the
>> evolutionary outcome be? How would this affect the species?
>>
>> It might be that groups which are patriarchal and matrilinear benefit. >> But
>> their social structure doesn't impose the genetic position of
>> intelligence-influencing genes. It's the other way round. I think some
>> people have been confusing cause and effect a little. Just wanted to >> be
>> sure people have their genes on the right way round, if that's OK.

I haven't noticed anyone having such a confusion.

>Right. right, of course. We were not hypothesising a breeding program to
>*enhance* intelligence -- we were merely playing around with the idea
>that, given a society that rewards intelligence by making rulers of
>smart folks, what breeding program -- uh, i mean *social system* --
>would best serve the smart ruler's desire to pass along his or her own
>intelligence genes? The answer "patriarchal-matrilineal" filled the
>bill.

Exactly.

-- 


Matt Beckwith                        

http://users.southeast.net/~beckwith/

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