AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion

News & Events: Public Lecture

Is there a biological foundation for the pervasive presence of spirituality across human cultures? Can that foundation be found in the DNA itself? Dean Hamer proposes that possession of a version of one gene, VMAT2 (vesicular monoamine transporter), correlates with higher scores on psychological tests for self-transcendence. His research suggests that the particular version of this gene is a more reliable marker for having a spiritual inclination than is upbringing or environment. By contrast, adherence to formal, organized religious beliefs is primarily a matter of family background, and is more likely a product of memes than of genes. He will discuss his findings and their consequences for understanding spirituality and religion.

Keynote Speaker

• Dean H. Hamer, Ph.D., Laboratory of Biochemistry
  Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

Respondent

• Lindon J. Eaves, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Departments of Human Genetics and Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University