Making Sense of Heritability

A fresh and compelling intervention in the very contentious debate over heritability.

Neven Sesardic (Author)

9780521173339, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 27 October 2011

282 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.42 kg

"This si an intelligent book that addresses one of the most controversial and emotional debates that has occurred in psychology over the last half of the 20th century." - David A. Mrazek, PsycCritiques

In this book, Neven Sesardic defends the view that it is both possible and useful to measure the separate contributions of heredity and environment to the explanation of human psychological differences. He critically examines the view - very widely accepted by scientists, social scientists and philosophers of science - that heritability estimates have no causal implications and are devoid of any interest. In a series of clearly written chapters he introduces the reader to the problems and subjects the arguments to close philosophical scrutiny. His conclusion is that anti-heritability arguments are based on conceptual confusions and misunderstandings of behavioural genetics. His book is a fresh and compelling intervention in a very contentious debate.

Introduction
1. The nature-nurture debate: a premature burial?
2. A tangle of interactions: separating genetic and environmental influences
3. Lost in correlations? Direct and indirect genetic causes
4. From individuals to groups: genetics and race
5. Genes and malleability
6. Science and sensitivity
7. Conclusions.

Subject Areas: Human biology [PSX], Genetics [non-medical PSAK], Philosophy of science [PDA], Physical anthropology [JHMP], Philosophy [HP]