[extropy-chat] Religious fanatic? Blame it on 'god gene'

[Kevin Freels]

>
> If you're seriously going to write a story about it,
> it'd probably be best to identify a small group of
> genes rather than a single one, and don't name them
> except for slang names (like "the god genes").  There
> are probably multiple genes that could influence one
> towards being highly - even fanatically - spiritual,
> for whatever version of "spiritual" happens to be
> floating around one's community of birth, especially
> in combination with one another.

That's the route I am considering. I am extremely excited about this. I have
to consider the details, but as a work of fiction I can toy with it a bit. I
am trying to decide just how it works. My gut tells me that it is a simple
matter of addiction to the chemicals in the brain that are produced by
strong faith and worship. Research has shown this as well, but then am I
dealing with an addiction gene instead of a "spiritual" gene? Or are we
dealing with a behavior such as "willingness to kill for religious reasons".

Then I run into problems with people who have been spiritual in the past who
no longer are. I have to assume that the reverse holds true as well. If this
is the case, how many would actually be left if such a virus were released?
Let's say it is 6 genes. Is the trait well enough defined to have the virus
kill off everyone who has just one of these 6, or do they need all 6? Or is
it somewhere in between?

Also, are those who have a lolt of emotion tied up in naturalism just as
succeptable to the virus since they are simply substituting one "religion"
for another?

Then there is linkage. What other traits are found within people who have
these genes?

How does environment affect the behavior of people with these genes?

I guess I need to start with finding out what the difference is in the
behaviours of people with and without these genes.

Gee. Now that I think about it, I feel that I am no further along than I was
before.

I have a lot of thinking to do on this. I can tell I won't be sleeping much
for a while!

Kevin Freels