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Keep Talking

Episode 121: Robert Plomin - How Genes Shape Who You Are

Sep 20, 2024
01:20:29

Robert Plomin is a British-American scientist, a psychologist and behavioral geneticist, and the author of the bestselling book, "Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are."

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(00:00) Intro

(00:53) The power of DNA in making us who we are

(03:40) Debunking the nurture-focused perspective

(10:40) Robert's views on his own genetic predisposition to weight gain

(22:59) How personalized, low-cost DNA sequencing will effect people's lives

(30:21) Clarity around genetic risk will improve with time

(31:49) The probabilistic, nuanced truth of genetic influence

(38:20) Clarifying randomness and the nurture aspect of who we are

(43:57) Identical twins

(49:36) Quotes from "Blueprint"

(58:41) A quote about child rearing from Tig Notaro

(01:02:00) How genetic truths can make people more compassionate

(01:04:52) Merging evolution and psychology

(01:15:23) How should society evolve and improve because of these truths?

(01:18:23) B.F. Skinner and the power of nature in the extremes

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