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>I'm certain it is a biological vagary. There should be a better way to treat people that are a certain way because of biology and not choice But that brings u
by gph 10y ago
>I'm certain it is a biological vagary. There should be a better way to treat people that are a certain way because of biology and not choice
But that brings up the entire question of how much anyone truly has a conscious choice in any of their actions. A lot of evidence is pointing to 'free will' being an illusion our conscious minds uphold to make us feel like we are in control.[0]
In the end I doubt very much there is a specific set of genes that causes one to be a pedophile, just as there isn't a set of genes that makes someone a murderer or thief. There's perhaps at best some genes that may pre-dispose a person towards pedophilia (though I doubt it), but clearly a persons environment is going to be the biggest determiner. It's well known that most child abusers were abused themselves.
So until we start looking on all criminals as people that need to be treated and cured of their condition, it doesn't make sense to treat pedophiles that way.
[0] http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/theres-no-such-thing-as-free-will/480750/?single_page=true http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/06/theres-n...
- dkarapetyan 10y agoStudies in bonobos point to there being a very strong genetic component in fact. Bonobos and chimps being our closest relatives I think the biological evidence is more compelling than you think.
- gph 10y agoSource? I'd be interested in reading about that.
- dkarapetyan 10y agoI've lost the reference but it was a study of sexual behavior in bonobos and their "non-discriminatory" attitude and practices. Bonobos of course being famous for their sexual proclivities and chimps being famous for their violent proclivities. If you google relevant keywords I'm sure it will turn up.
- gph 10y agoOk... but were certain bonobos more likely to be non-discriminatory than other bonobos based on genetics? Yea there's tons of studies talking about bonobos sexuality. I did a google search and nothing about a specific set of genes causing a certain sexual behavior in a segment of the bonobo population. What you are talking about sounds like general behavior in an entire population. And if that's the case then why aren't all humans pedophiles? Edit: As a counterpoint this is the first thing I found when searching for 'bonobo' 'gene' 'sexuality' http://www.dnafiles.org/?q=chimp-chat/day-four http://www.dnafiles.org/?q=chimp-chat/day-four
- thomas_duncan12 10y agoI think it is absolutely a genetic disposition - it wouldn't make sense any other way. A friend of mine from high school was always interested exclusively in older women, like 40, 50+. In the same vain, there are people on the other end of the spectrum into prepubescents, but they wouldn't openly admit it the way my friend did about his preference. Why would a person choose to be a pedophile? It makes no sense. Just like a person in 1970 wouldn't choose to be gay. Individual people overwhelmingly choose the path of least resistance.