

Robert Chernomas, Gregory Chernomas, and Ian Hudson, "The American Gene: Unnatural Selection Along Class, Race, and Gender Lines" (Routledge, 2025)
Jun 2, 2025
Robert Chernomas, a Professor of Economics, joins his co-authors Gregory Chernomas and Ian Hudson to unravel the complexities of inequality in the U.S. They challenge the long-held belief that genetics determines social outcomes, arguing that socioeconomic conditions profoundly influence genetic expression. The discussion spans the struggles of the white working class, Black Americans, and women, emphasizing that social interventions can reshape futures. They advocate for policies that prioritize equality and nurturing environments to alleviate unnecessary suffering and unlock human potential.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Holmes' Eugenics Advocacy
- Oliver Wendell Holmes advocated sterilizing white American women to prevent 'genitive offspring' deemed undesirable.
- This reflects a dark American history where pseudoscience justified racial and class inequality policies.
Flynn Effect Challenges Gene Determinism
- The Flynn effect shows intelligence scores converging globally as countries develop.
- This undermines genetic inevitability claims tied to socioeconomic outcomes.
Epigenetics Over Biodeterminism
- Biodeterminist theories from Malthus to the genome project lacked scientific support connecting genes to socioeconomic outcomes.
- Epigenetics, describing gene expression regulated by environment, offers stronger explanations for social inequalities.