Is It a Good Idea to Predict the Future?

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I think some people can take that to mean it tou be really depressing about, you know, the capacity of social science to predict soething about howkeds do. But there's also something i find a little bit comforting about that humans have an incredible capacity to surprise. We there's so much variability and unpredictability in our lives. That doesn't surprise me though. Ii mean, there'sjust the chance of capturing very much of the percentage of variance is pretty low. Even if you're just studying genetics, just the twin studies, yes.

In recent years, scientists have shown that DNA makes us different, in our personalities and in our health — and in ways that matter for educational and economic success in our current society.

Michael speaks with University of Texas (Austin) professor of clinical psychology and Director of the Developmental Behavior Genetics Lab, Kathryn Paige Harden, about her book, The Genetic Lottery. Harden introduces us to the latest genetic science, dismantling dangerous ideas about racial superiority and challenging us to grapple with what equality really means in a world where people are born different. Weaving together personal stories with scientific evidence, Harden shows why our refusal to recognize the power of DNA perpetuates the myth of meritocracy, and argues that we must acknowledge the role of genetic luck if we are ever to create a fair society.

Reclaiming genetic science from the legacy of eugenics, this groundbreaking book offers a bold new vision of society where everyone thrives, regardless of how one fares in the genetic lottery.