On 7/10/24 14:03, Rupert Boleyn - rupert.boleyn at gmail.com (via tml
list) wrote:
>
>
> On 07Oct2024 1613, kaladorn at gmail.com (via tml list) wrote:
>> I'd like the multi-gene aspect, but I also point out it isn't just
>> having a gene, it is the particular expression it takes. That also
>> means more variability than just having the gene.
>
> Hence a complex of genes. I'd assume that many of them also do quite
> mundane things - they aren't particularly 'psionic', but their
> activity influences any psionic powers a person has. Nothing so crude
> as the 'traditional' 'psions have red hair' thing, but more like
> "Those psions with blood factor CO(b) are more likely to have the
> potential to teleport".
>
--
There's not merely genetics, there's also _epi_genetics -  the study of
heritable changes in gene expression (such as, for this discussion,
psionics) (active versus inactive genes) that _do not involve changes to
the underlying DNA sequence_ (a change in phenotype without change in
genotype) that in turn affects how cells read the genes.

Ie, not only nature, not only nurture, but their _interaction_ and a
helping of deep fried cheesy *FNORD*.
As I mentioned when quoting from GT:AR1, the gestational mother (whether
actual person, or artificial womb) has a _major_ effect, assuming all
else equal and all genetic systems go for psionics, on what powers the
child ultimately expresses, if any.

A tubthumpingly potentially-powerful child carried by a non-psionic
mother will be significantly more likely to develop fewer, and less
diverse, powers than the same child (clone, identical twin, etc) carried
by a psionic mother, assuming the two were then raised together in a
psionic household as twins.  To me, that argues for a (in this case
pre-natal) epigenetic effect, above and beyond gene complexes with
incomplete penetrance (since, by hypothesis, the children were
genetically identical).

On the other hand, a child with the genetic psionic potential of the
average TTL7 housebrick isn't going to be likely to express the same
power and diversity of powers (most likely, none) as either of the two
children mentioned above, no matter the abilities of their gestational
mother or household they were then raised in.

Alex