Philosophy Now Forum

Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time. Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery. The world was ripe for the taking with a greater military and technological superiority, and this difference in power led to the belief in European superiority stamped into the mind with epigenetic certainty, as the birth of racism. This process of epigenetics flows both ways. While Europeans were imbued with a sense of superiority, the colonized were imprinted through generations with a sense of inferiority, fortified over six centuries. Today, the West is frightened beyond what is rational in its attempt to maintain Empire and colonial rule directly or indirectly, and the previously colonized are demanding the sovereignty of their own countries and an end to Empire and Western colonialism. This age-old development of epigenetic concretized behaviour patterns has today put the whole earth in jeopardy. The chaos of war is ever threatening; the Western hemisphere wants to maintain the old tradition of empire and exploitation, and the Eastern hemisphere says Enough, we will no longer be your slaves. What other areas of our existence is this epigenetic process causing chaos for humanity at large?

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time. Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery. .......

Stop right there. Carthage in what is now Tunisia and Cadiz in what is now Spain were Phoenecian colonies (colonies of Tyre) Many of the Greek City states had colonies spread over what was known as "Greater Greece". In the east, China kept pushing southward until eventually stopped. They initially were able to take Vietnam but were pushed out by the Vietnamese a thousand years later (about a thousand years ago)

You have to go back a LOT farther in history for the start of "colonialism". Since we Philosophy folks are often into the ancient Greeks, consider The Birds by Aristophenes << this play is a comedy; but the subject problems Athens was having with colonies during the war >>

ALSO --- it is not always those colonizers who end up in control. Take Singapore for example. It was the decendants of the laborers brought in by the colonizers who now run things.

MikeNovack wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 12:02 am

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time. Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery. .......

Stop right there. Carthage in what is now Tunisia and Cadiz in what is now Spain were Phoenecian colonies (colonies of Tyre) Many of the Greek City states had colonies spread over what was known as "Greater Greece". In the east, China kept pushing southward until eventually stopped. They initially were able to take Vietnam but were pushed out by the Vietnamese a thousand years later (about a thousand years ago)

You have to go back a LOT farther in history for the start of "colonialism". Since we Philosophy folks are often into the ancient Greeks, consider The Birds by Aristophenes << this play is a comedy; but the subject problems Athens was having with colonies during the war >>

ALSO --- it is not always those colonizers who end up in control. Take Singapore for example. It was the decendants of the laborers brought in by the colonizers who now run things.

OK, Western colonization at the beginning of the age of European discovery. We all know Genghis Khan was not a nice man!

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time.

But, so-called 'mental attitudes' are not controlled by 'genes' in 'the way' most of you adult human beings, in the days when this is being written, believe or imagine.

And, as always, if any one would like to have 'a Truly open and honest peaceful discussion' about 'this', then let 'us' begin.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery.

What are the words 'age of discovery' in relation to, exactly?

What, exactly, was being 'discovered', in 'that age'?

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm The world was ripe for the taking with a greater military and technological superiority, and this difference in power led to the belief in European superiority stamped into the mind with epigenetic certainty, as the birth of racism.

1. 'The world', itself, has never been, and never will be, so-called 'ripe for the taking'. 'This lesson' could have been learned 'long ago' with 'the understanding' of what happen when what is 'taken', when it is not meant to be, from 'the story' about "adam and eve". But, anyway I digress, 'the world', itself, is never, here, 'to be taken'. Full stop.

2. If one constructs a 'greater military and technological superiority' for the 'taking of others or of any thing', then greed, selfishness, and superiority has already infiltrated a very weak and insecure group of people/s.

3. If any one believes that a difference in military and/or technology advancements means an actual 'power' difference, then that one is has 'lost the way' completely.

4. It was as soon as human beings 'saw' each other as being of different 'races' when 'rascism' actually began, or was 'the birth', as you put 'it'.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm This process of epigenetics flows both ways. While Europeans were imbued with a sense of superiority, the colonized were imprinted through generations with a sense of inferiority, fortified over six centuries.

Again, 'this' just happens in 'mental concepts' alone, and nothing to do with 'genes', themselves.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Today, the West is frightened beyond what is rational in its attempt to maintain Empire and colonial rule directly or indirectly, and the previously colonized are demanding the sovereignty of their own countries and an end to Empire and Western colonialism.

For 'those' who are 'frightened', here, then this is just mostly because 'they' do not want to be done to them, exactly, what 'their ancestors' did to others.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm This age-old development of epigenetic concretized behaviour patterns has today put the whole earth in jeopardy.

I thought it would have already been blatantly obvious, by 'now', that 'the whole earth' became 'in jeopardy' when a species, which came to be known as you human beings, had evolved to 'the point' that they had decided that it was okay and all right 'to take', when 'they knew', instinctively, 'that it was Wrong to', and thus at 'the same point' when 'they' were 'lying' "to themselves".

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm The chaos of war is ever threatening;

But, the 'chaos of war' has been ever threatening for hundreds of years prior to 'the day when this is being written'.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm the Western hemisphere wants to maintain the old tradition of empire and exploitation, and the Eastern hemisphere says Enough, we will no longer be your slaves.

I thought that is was blatantly obvious that 'the people' who also live in the so-called "western hemisphere" have also been saying, 'Enough', as well. And, for quite a many year, too.

But, maybe 'I' have been 'listening' and 'hearing' things, which others have not.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm What other areas of our existence is this epigenetic process causing chaos for humanity at large?

1. I do not see what has been occurring and causing chaos for thousands of years already as some so-called 'epigenetic process'.

2. What has been causing and creating chaos for thousands of years is just your adult human being greed and selfishness. Which, by the way, just comes from you adult human beings being Dishonest.

See, once you adult human beings stop being Dishonest, just want to change, for the better, and just keep all the time doing what you can to continually become better, then you will also stop doing the 'very things', which was done 'to you', when 'you were children', which is what caused all of you adult human beings to be Dishonest and to keep doing Wrong things, in Life.

MikeNovack wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 12:02 am

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time. Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery. .......

Stop right there. Carthage in what is now Tunisia and Cadiz in what is now Spain were Phoenecian colonies (colonies of Tyre) Many of the Greek City states had colonies spread over what was known as "Greater Greece". In the east, China kept pushing southward until eventually stopped. They initially were able to take Vietnam but were pushed out by the Vietnamese a thousand years later (about a thousand years ago)

You have to go back a LOT farther in history for the start of "colonialism". Since we Philosophy folks are often into the ancient Greeks, consider The Birds by Aristophenes << this play is a comedy; but the subject problems Athens was having with colonies during the war >>

ALSO --- it is not always those colonizers who end up in control. Take Singapore for example. It was the decendants of the laborers brought in by the colonizers who now run things.

And, if, 'the species homo sapiens walked out of "africa" ', then there might be able to be argued that a form of 'colonialism' started way before any thing mentioned, here, so far.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 12:28 am

MikeNovack wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 12:02 am

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time. Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery. .......

Stop right there. Carthage in what is now Tunisia and Cadiz in what is now Spain were Phoenecian colonies (colonies of Tyre) Many of the Greek City states had colonies spread over what was known as "Greater Greece". In the east, China kept pushing southward until eventually stopped. They initially were able to take Vietnam but were pushed out by the Vietnamese a thousand years later (about a thousand years ago)

You have to go back a LOT farther in history for the start of "colonialism". Since we Philosophy folks are often into the ancient Greeks, consider The Birds by Aristophenes << this play is a comedy; but the subject problems Athens was having with colonies during the war >>

ALSO --- it is not always those colonizers who end up in control. Take Singapore for example. It was the decendants of the laborers brought in by the colonizers who now run things.

OK, Western colonization at the beginning of the age of European discovery. We all know Genghis Khan was not a nice man!

'Trying to' now claim that some one was not a so-called "nice man" does not detract from what you were writing and claiming was not really 'that Accurate and Correct'.

'We' are, after all, in a philosophy forum, and if 'we' do not speak and write 100% Correctly, then some one will be quite happy to pick up on the Wrongness, which, if and when they do, could deflect from the 'actual point' or 'actual meaning' that was wanted to get expressed and to be understood.

So, absolute Accuracy and Correctness is very, very important in 'philosophic discussions'. Well to me anyway.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time. Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery. The world was ripe for the taking with a greater military and technological superiority, and this difference in power led to the belief in European superiority stamped into the mind with epigenetic certainty, as the birth of racism. This process of epigenetics flows both ways. While Europeans were imbued with a sense of superiority, the colonized were imprinted through generations with a sense of inferiority, fortified over six centuries. Today, the West is frightened beyond what is rational in its attempt to maintain Empire and colonial rule directly or indirectly, and the previously colonized are demanding the sovereignty of their own countries and an end to Empire and Western colonialism. This age-old development of epigenetic concretized behaviour patterns has today put the whole earth in jeopardy. The chaos of war is ever threatening; the Western hemisphere wants to maintain the old tradition of empire and exploitation, and the Eastern hemisphere says Enough, we will no longer be your slaves. What other areas of our existence is this epigenetic process causing chaos for humanity at large?

From what I gather, false claims about epigenetics are in the process of being weaponized by the right much like false claims about eugenics was weaponized almost a century ago by the Nazi's. Not sure if that's what's in the mind of the poster of the OP, but some of the rhetoric brought eugenics to mind.

From Google AI:

How the far-right misuses epigenetics

Instead of embracing the science of epigenetics, which demonstrates how environmental and social factors can influence genes, far-right groups often twist the findings to support their pre-existing beliefs.

Tactics include:
Genetic essentialism: This is the belief that biology is at the core of who people are, and that fundamental genetic differences exist between social groups. Studies show that people who hold strong genetic essentialist beliefs are more likely to support far-right parties.

Misinterpreting scientific data: Research shows that some far-right supporters will even misinterpret narratives that emphasize socio-environmental causes of behavior as confirmation of their genetic essentialist views.

Weaponizing scientific findings: When some researchers explore links between genetics and intelligence or educational attainment, far-right movements may co-opt this research to bolster their discriminatory agendas.

Fueling biological essentialism: Some far-right groups take findings from social epigenetics—which explores how social experiences, like racism, affect people biologically—and interpret them in ways that reproduce racialized claims of genetic determinism.

Recycling eugenic ideas: Historically, racist and eugenic ideologies have used genetics to justify prejudice. Now, researchers warn that epigenetics could be misinterpreted to bring back these damaging ideas, for example, by framing the biological impacts of social inequality as inherited racial "weaknesses".

ThinkOfOne wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 1:48 am

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time. Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery. The world was ripe for the taking with a greater military and technological superiority, and this difference in power led to the belief in European superiority stamped into the mind with epigenetic certainty, as the birth of racism. This process of epigenetics flows both ways. While Europeans were imbued with a sense of superiority, the colonized were imprinted through generations with a sense of inferiority, fortified over six centuries. Today, the West is frightened beyond what is rational in its attempt to maintain Empire and colonial rule directly or indirectly, and the previously colonized are demanding the sovereignty of their own countries and an end to Empire and Western colonialism. This age-old development of epigenetic concretized behaviour patterns has today put the whole earth in jeopardy. The chaos of war is ever threatening; the Western hemisphere wants to maintain the old tradition of empire and exploitation, and the Eastern hemisphere says Enough, we will no longer be your slaves. What other areas of our existence is this epigenetic process causing chaos for humanity at large?

From what I gather, false claims about epigenetics are in the process of being weaponized by the right much like false claims about eugenics was weaponized almost a century ago by the Nazi's. Not sure if that's what's in the mind of the poster of the OP, but some of the rhetoric brought eugenics to mind.

From Google AI:

How the far-right misuses epigenetics

Instead of embracing the science of epigenetics, which demonstrates how environmental and social factors can influence genes, far-right groups often twist the findings to support their pre-existing beliefs.

Tactics include:
Genetic essentialism: This is the belief that biology is at the core of who people are, and that fundamental genetic differences exist between social groups. Studies show that people who hold strong genetic essentialist beliefs are more likely to support far-right parties.

Misinterpreting scientific data: Research shows that some far-right supporters will even misinterpret narratives that emphasize socio-environmental causes of behavior as confirmation of their genetic essentialist views.

Weaponizing scientific findings: When some researchers explore links between genetics and intelligence or educational attainment, far-right movements may co-opt this research to bolster their discriminatory agendas.

Fueling biological essentialism: Some far-right groups take findings from social epigenetics—which explores how social experiences, like racism, affect people biologically—and interpret them in ways that reproduce racialized claims of genetic determinism.

Recycling eugenic ideas: Historically, racist and eugenic ideologies have used genetics to justify prejudice. Now, researchers warn that epigenetics could be misinterpreted to bring back these damaging ideas, for example, by framing the biological impacts of social inequality as inherited racial "weaknesses".

EXCELLENT! Certainly, there are dangers to any new knowledge being misused. Look at the bad rap Darwin has been getting on the theme of social Darwinism, totally alien to his own philosophy.

Every human on the planet is a 'colonists'. It's what humans do, or we would all still be in one small part of Africa. Duh!

accelafine wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 4:50 am Every human on the planet is a 'colonist'. It's what humans do, or we would all still be in one small part of Africa. Duh!

That is true, but many people, particularly those most abused by the continuation of the tradition of colonialism to the present day, are saying no, respect our sovereignty, and stop stealing our natural resources. Europe is currently in a state of panic over Africa's rise as the continent with the highest GDP on the planet. If Europe cannot freely steal from the African people, their economies are busted. There is an epigenetic psychological conflict with Europe's sense of superiority and its failing, and the African people's epigenetic sense of inferiority, the slave mentality, both being shaken at the same time. This epigenetic situation has been established for six centuries and is bringing chaos to the world as the West wants to move further East to forestall this social evolution. This drastic change in the geopolitical scene is a biological culture shock on both sides of the equation as well. The existence of the world is in jeopardy due to the refusal of the West to become a cooperative world citizen and not its master.

Holy gobbledygook Batman.

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 3:23 am

ThinkOfOne wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 1:48 am

popeye1945 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 17, 2025 9:50 pm Epigenetics is a process of turning genes on or off due to the effects of environmental circumstances and/or trauma, and this is passed down generations, leaving the structure intact while changing how the structure is expressed. This is a concretizing of mental attitudes over time. Colonialism began six centuries ago in Europe with the age of discovery. The world was ripe for the taking with a greater military and technological superiority, and this difference in power led to the belief in European superiority stamped into the mind with epigenetic certainty, as the birth of racism. This process of epigenetics flows both ways. While Europeans were imbued with a sense of superiority, the colonized were imprinted through generations with a sense of inferiority, fortified over six centuries. Today, the West is frightened beyond what is rational in its attempt to maintain Empire and colonial rule directly or indirectly, and the previously colonized are demanding the sovereignty of their own countries and an end to Empire and Western colonialism. This age-old development of epigenetic concretized behaviour patterns has today put the whole earth in jeopardy. The chaos of war is ever threatening; the Western hemisphere wants to maintain the old tradition of empire and exploitation, and the Eastern hemisphere says Enough, we will no longer be your slaves. What other areas of our existence is this epigenetic process causing chaos for humanity at large?

From what I gather, false claims about epigenetics are in the process of being weaponized by the right much like false claims about eugenics was weaponized almost a century ago by the Nazi's. Not sure if that's what's in the mind of the poster of the OP, but some of the rhetoric brought eugenics to mind.

From Google AI:

How the far-right misuses epigenetics

Instead of embracing the science of epigenetics, which demonstrates how environmental and social factors can influence genes, far-right groups often twist the findings to support their pre-existing beliefs.

Tactics include:
Genetic essentialism: This is the belief that biology is at the core of who people are, and that fundamental genetic differences exist between social groups. Studies show that people who hold strong genetic essentialist beliefs are more likely to support far-right parties.

Misinterpreting scientific data: Research shows that some far-right supporters will even misinterpret narratives that emphasize socio-environmental causes of behavior as confirmation of their genetic essentialist views.

Weaponizing scientific findings: When some researchers explore links between genetics and intelligence or educational attainment, far-right movements may co-opt this research to bolster their discriminatory agendas.

Fueling biological essentialism: Some far-right groups take findings from social epigenetics—which explores how social experiences, like racism, affect people biologically—and interpret them in ways that reproduce racialized claims of genetic determinism.

Recycling eugenic ideas: Historically, racist and eugenic ideologies have used genetics to justify prejudice. Now, researchers warn that epigenetics could be misinterpreted to bring back these damaging ideas, for example, by framing the biological impacts of social inequality as inherited racial "weaknesses".

EXCELLENT! Certainly, there are dangers to any new knowledge being misused. Look at the bad rap Darwin has been getting on the theme of social Darwinism, totally alien to his own philosophy.

Evidently some of the concepts introduced in the OP would be an example of new knowledge being misused.

Consider the following statement from the OP: "Europeans were imbued with a sense of superiority, the colonized were imprinted through generations with a sense of inferiority, fortified over six centuries."

From Google AI:

The claim that epigenetics directly "imprinted" entire populations with superiority or inferiority due to colonization is a problematic simplification for several reasons:

Epigenetics is not genetic determinism: It's a misconception to believe that epigenetic changes are unchangeable "imprints" or a form of biological destiny. The epigenome is dynamic and can be influenced by new experiences, environment, and social interventions throughout an individual's lifetime.

Oversimplification of complex concepts: The idea flattens complex social, historical, and psychological phenomena into a biological explanation. The historical dominance of Europeans was rooted in sociopolitical power structures, not in a biological sense of superiority. The "inferiority" felt by the colonized is a product of systemic oppression, not a simple biological inheritance.

Risk of biological essentialism: The use of a biological concept like epigenetics to explain racialized social problems carries the risk of re-inscribing notions of biological difference. Some critics warn that attributing social trauma solely to molecular evidence can detract from addressing the ongoing systemic racism and colonial power dynamics that are the root cause.

Moving up a couple levels of abstraction, it's important to note that "Oversimplification of complex concepts" serves as the basis for an extremely high percentage of the misinformation / disinformation being spread by the right. Just as it was the basis for fascism / Nazism from almost a century ago.

Some of the rhetoric from the OP would be an example of the misuse of epigenetics; an example of the "danger".

What a thing is and what is done with it are two different things; proceed with caution. Ignorance of what is, is not a healthy alternative.