Quote:Originally posted by Sacred Jellybean
Oh, and concerning the genetic debate: admittedly I'm not the most educated person in biology. The extent of my education in the subject is from High School, but since Weltall thinks that's sufficient in this debate, I'll still ask my question. What about mutations? Let's take hemophilia: obviously, one with such a condition is very unfit, just like a homosexual, only it isn't impossible for a hemophiliac to pass on his/her genes. If this is a genetic biological mutation, along with other body defects/mutations as down syndrome, then who's to say that homosexuality as a genetic mutation isn't possible?
Actually hemophilia is something that can be passed on because its not necessarily a lethal gene. People can survive to reproductive age and pass it on. But, since it lethal rate is high, it is a rare and diminishing disease. If people stop inbreeding, it will disappear very fast.
I will also add that the somatic mutations in the body have repair mechanisms that drop the rate to 1 in 10^10 cell divisions, and is even lower in non-dividing cells. Also, the immune system tends to wipe these out. You get cancer when these are seriously screwed up, and even though there are genetic dispositions... lifestyle plays the major role in triggering the genetic weaknesses for cancer. But then things like cancer are HERITIABLE traits. Many people who get cancer have already had kids and such. They rate of mutation that is NOT inheritable cannot explain gayness.
So you would narrow it down to mutations that would have to probably occur at earlier levels of development, like the fertilized egg, but these kind of mutations are very sensitive, because they get amplified as cells differentiate due to deteroriorating DNA integretity and such I won't get into explaining. Usually, any mutation at this level is lethal, or causes serious mental retardation and other developmental problems.
And then theres the common sense part of this. When you find someone attractive, isn't because you have judged that person to have features you like ? Either physical or behaviorial ? Isn't that a kind of conscious judgement. Its not like your hormones are telling you you HAVE to go after a certain women. You choose to do it. YOu know some people for example choose NOT to chase after sexual desire and become monks or aesthetics for example. They choose to find that pursueing sexual desires is a waste of time compared to spiritutuality for example. Same thing here, its just in a perverse manner.
Its nothing that has to do with personal survival thats instinctive like renin-angiotensin pathways that DEMAND you drink water to live.