“The Curse and Blessing of the Ghetto” by Jared Diamond
1. What is the frequency of Tay-Sach’s disease in the general population? In Ashkenazi Jews?
What causes the symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease, and what are those symptoms?
2. List the three possible explanations for why Tay-Sachs has a higher incidence in Eastern European Jews? Which one is widely accepted by scientists and geneticists? What is a fourth explanation that Diamond proposes? Do you think his explanation is solid? Explain.
3. What do you think will happen to Tay-Sach’s disease in the future? Why? Explain your answer in terms of evolutionary forces.
“Darwin’s Rib”
- What areas of the human skeleton are ideal for identifying the sex of the remains and why
- How are analogies and convergent evolution related?
- How are homologies and vestigial traits related?
- How does the professor explain part of the story of Adam and Eve in terms of Lamarck?
0 comments