Perhaps it would be useful to explain to Elhardt for the purposes of his video the psychological mechanisms behind the assumption that all inheritance is in chromosomal DNA from a Cognitive Behavioural stand point....
Scientists have investigated epigenomic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation patterns histone packaging. Scientists have also studied phenotype plasticity. These are well known and well studied mechanisms that are heritable and do not directly involved changes in DNA sequence.
In the case of epigenetics, the effects are small compared to the differences seen between species. Also, epigenetic mechanisms are only able to carry a phenotype forward a few generations. Epigenetics can not explain the differences between species, which is one of the very important things that scientists are trying to explain.
Phenotype plasticity is even weaker than epigenetics. These phenotypes are triggered by environmental cues. However, the plasticity of a phenotype is a direct result of DNA sequence. You tan when exposed to UV light because of the genes you carry, as one common example.
I don't think anyone is arguing that phenotype can not change with environment. What you seem to be ignoring is how it relates to evolution and differences between species. From my knowledge, no one has shown that a human can give birth to a chimp just by thinking about it. Skydivers do not give birth to children with wings. Human ability is defined by our DNA, be it physical or mental.
We could call it the fundamental mental block. it makes the person unable to listen or understand arguments that contradict their personal experience.
I understand your arguments just fine. What we are looking for is evidence to back up your arguments. That is the only way we can dig in and have a rational discussion.
Those that study DNA all day will unquestioningly believe that DNA is everything important in the outside world.
I study proteins and DNA, and I happen to believe that post-translational modification, transcriptional regulation, environmental conditions, and host factors are important as well. I think you have a gross misunderstanding of what scientists think, and why they think it.
It is often thought that the sequencing of the human genome was the last hurdle for understanding how human's work. This isn't even close to the truth. The human genome was just the first step. The second huge project, as it relates to DNA specifically, is the
International HapMap Project. This project is mapping haplotypes, or alleles if you will. Knowing the genome of 4 people is great, but how do humans differ in their DNA? That is what the HapMap project is all about.
Next, we have the
Transcriptome Project which looks at what genes are turned on in a given cell/tissue in a given species. This is EXTREMELY important for understanding embryonic development and tissue differentiation. It is also important for understanding host immunity, cancer, and a whole host of important medical conditions.
Last, but not least, we have the
Human Proteome Project. This project focuses on what functions the proteins actually have in a given environment.
You need all of this information together to understand the DNA sequence and how it impacts inheritance, species differentiation, disease, and evolution. Scientists are NOT focusing on just DNA, but it is a very important aspect as all of the other processes relate back to the specific DNA sequence.
Edited by Taq, : No reason given.