When we start looking at what drives us, inequality is one
of those things. In culture, this has morphed into a sense of fairness. Like
most other senses, it ranges in intensity from being the principle driving
force to not mattering, with the caveat that the more basic or fundamental we
get, that is the closer we to our brain stem, the more inequality matters. The reference
here is to basic physiological needs at the bestial level, such as oxygen, food,
and sex, things we are more apt to fight about when in short supply.
There is no such thing as an “equality sense” gene. However,
there are something like 46 peptide hormones and six groups of steroid hormones
including eicosanoid
or prostaglandins. Peptide and steroid hormones are produced at one site and
used at a distant site; in contrast, eicosanoid hormones are produced and used at
the same site. The body produces hormones in variable but different amounts
in each individual. Once produced most hormones travel to a distant site and
are recognized by cell receptors. Cell receptors are cell membrane proteins also
like hormones of genetic dependent structure. The numbers of receptor sites per
cell are variable but also can be variable in structure, hence level of
function as well, in each tissue and within each individual. Obviously, only certain cells have receptor
sites.
Cell receptor sites signal internal cell mechanism into
action, whatever that mechanism might be. For example, insulin is a hormone
made by certain cells in the pancreas. When blood glucose is elevated, the
cells release the insulin, which travels to cells that have insulin receptors. The
effect is to allow glucose to pass into cells that have receptors. Once inside the
cell, the cells metabolized the glucose by a complex system of enzymes transforming
the energy in the chemical bonds to a more useful form of chemical bond for
that cell.
Thus, there are several levels at which the intensity of a hormonal
signal might be modified. The amount of glucose, the amount of insulin made as
well as the amount release, the number of receptor sites on the target cell,
and the ability of the tissue cells to metabolize the glucose once it is in the
cell. There are further complications; the brain, for example, does not need
insulin. Glucose can enter the brain cells without the need for insulin.
However, insulin cannot reach the brain because of the blood brain barrier,
which prevents peptide hormones from reaching the brain cells; it seems like a preordained
plan but it is not, it is adaptive.
If one were examine the mechanism of action of each of the
46 peptide hormones with similar multiple levels of control for each as seen in
insulin, it is easy to understand why each of us seem to be a little different
in many different ways. Peptide hormones are interesting from another point of
view; they are the direct products of DNA/RNA. While it is true geneticists (epigenetics)
have complicated the story, but also elucidated the mechanisms of action by
demonstrating that RNA coding can splice and re-anneal their sequences to eventually
produce the active peptide hormone; nonetheless, the inherent codes is still in
the DNA/RNA; they are generated de novo
in each one of us.
For example, ignoring all the other hormones for the time
being, oxytocin is a peptide consisting of nine amino acids in length. It is
made in the pituitary gland. Recognized actions of this hormone have to do with
a wide diversity of processes: organism, social recognition, anxiety, maternal
behavior, as well as promoting ethnocentric behavior associated with trust and
empathy and rejection of outsides. Differences in oxytocin receptors have been associated
with such things as maladaptive behavior. Our pituitary gland literally baths
us with a flood of oxytocin from the pituitary gland when we join into a group
of friendly people—feel good hormone. The intensity of the effect on some seems
different from the effect on others. When it is church groups, ministers or
priests will tell us, we “feel the divine spirit: the grace of God”. Some
social scientist will tell us the environment has shaped our genome resulting
in a “sense” of goodness. Others say we “learned” to feel good when we are in a
group. When I counter all of this by saying that oysters have oxytocin, they
respond by saying God created oysters too.
As a thought experiment, let’s look at what I call the “pork
chop dilemma”. If there is only one pork chop and four hungry men, do they cut
the pork chop up into four equal parts? If there is one pork chop, one mother, and
three children, does she chop up the pork chop into three parts or four parts?
If there is a domineering husband, one wife and two children, does the husband
get the pork chop? Knowing what you know about hormones, can you “sense” there
is only one answer for each of these questions. Do you reject the idea each
answer will have a genetic basis? If you
accept the idea that the answers are genetic driven, meaning we are genetic
robots, why aren’t our actions deterministic; why don’t we know the answer even
before we ask the question? Do we have free will? If your genes are part of
you, that is internal, is your “sense” of free will of internal origin? The easy answer is shut up, eat the pork chop,
and let God sort it out.
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