IUBio

Reincarnation versus "Genetic Memory"

Matt Jones jonesmat at physiology.wisc.edu
Fri Feb 22 15:12:51 EST 2002


rnorman at umich.edu (Richard Norman) wrote in message news:<47487899.0202211931.1da8d040 at posting.google.com>...
> howardolson at ausi.com (Howard Olson) wrote in message news:<b22fc72b.0202211317.ca2f95d at posting.google.com>...
> > Does anyone know about the issue of reincarnation versus genetic memory?
> > It seems possible that there could be a connection....
> > 
> I don't know about the alt.paranormal news groups, but as
> far as the neuroscience group you cross-posted to is concerned,
> all this is old hat.  Since our memories are coded in our DNA
> which is passed on to our offspring, there is not even a question.


Richard,

Are you trolling or serious about this "memory is coded in our DNA"
thing?

Certainly, our -capacity- for memory is coded in DNA to some degree,
since that's the blueprint for the machinery that will ultimately hold
the memories. But  are you saying that you think -individual- memories
are coded in DNA?


I think that whole flatworm/cannibalism/memory thing is all bogus.
It simply hasn't held up in the face of continued investigation, and
now mainly just gets cited by new-age dieticians who want you to buy
their cosmic brain-enhancing wheatgerm pills or whatever.

Here's some info about how and why McConnel' s original flatworm
claims have been discredited:

http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi898.htm

Hartry, AL et al. 1964. Planaria: memory transfer through cannibalism
re-examined.  Science 146: 274-275.

http://psychology.dur.ac.uk/teaching/dps0rwk/bpp2mem1.html

http://www.psy.ohio-state.edu/psy312/brain.html



Cheers,

Matt




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