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I'd contest the statement that "nobody’s surprised when identical twins turn out to have very similar bodies (weight, muscle mass, etc), even into adulthood." F
by JCThoughtscream 17y ago
I'd contest the statement that "nobody’s surprised when identical twins turn out to have very similar bodies (weight, muscle mass, etc), even into adulthood." From the research I remember reading about, there does seem to be some genuine level of surprise as to how much influence genetics has over even twins separated at or near birth - and that the level of genetic determinism that twins exhibit is certainly rather controversial even amongst those that study them.
- berntb 17y agoTwins also shares a common pre-birth environment, with the same environmental influences. I've read the argument that probably helps a lot to make them similar.
- xiaoma 17y agoActually, those identical who grow up apart (in the same country) are more similar to each other than those who grow up together. Also, there's quite a bit of research comparing monozygotic (i.e. "identical") and dizygotic twins. The differences in correlation are stark. Twins who share the same genes are far, far more alike than those who don't: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heritability-from-twin-correlations1.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Heritability-from-twin-cor...
- berntb 17y ago>>Actually, those identical who grow up apart (in the same country) are more similar to each other than those who grow up together. Not relevant. I noted that the environment in the womb was very similar for twins, which certainly influences a lot. (It was a nitpicking note, I am aware of the strength of the twin arguments in general and not one of those idealists which dislikes arguments which goes against Marx -- or whatever it now is that the twin arguments contradict...)