Jon Entine: "Die Kinder Abraham's"

Auf das neue Buch von Jon Entine "Abraham's Children" wurde schon hingewiesen. (St. gen., Buchladen) Auf dem Blog einer chinesischen Humangenetikerin (EyeonDNA.com) stellt Entine sein Buch selbst vor. Er spricht zunächst von seinem Interesse an seinen eigenen jüdischen Vorfahren. Dann schreibt er weiter über die Beweggründe für die Recherchen zu seinem Buch:

(...) The catalyzing event was when my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer a number of years ago. We learned it was caused by a genetic mutation found almost exclusively in Jews that more than likely was responsible for the cancer deaths of my mother, aunt and grandmother years before. I tested positive for the BRCA2 mutation as well; my young daughter, who is half Jewish, has a 50/50 chance of carrying it, though we won’t know until she’s a teenager and old enough to be tested. In essence, we have genetic markers that label us as having Jewish ancestry. (...)

The book includes a chapter explaining the possible link between so-called Jewish diseases — certain neurological and LSD disorders, as well as DNA repair problems — and the high measured IQ of Ashkenazi (Eastern European origin) Jewry. Although this theory (most recently advanced by Gregory Cochran and Henry Harpending—two non-Jews—is best classified as informed speculation (as I acknowledge in the book) at the moment, it argues persuasively, I believe, that Ashkenazi Jews are a rather distinct population group in which positive selection pressures, balanced against the killer consequences of neurological disease mutations, have led to higher IQs. The “it’s environment and culture” argument are far less persuasive. This is only one chapter in the book–most of AC is a look at our shared Israelite ancestry and history–but it is the most provocative chapter. Wonder where others come down on this issue?

(...) I’ve also long harbored a professional interest in finding a new “language” to productively discuss the genetic revolution. (...)

Jon Entine betreibt eine eigene Internet-Seite rund um dieses Buch (Abrahamschildren.net) Hier findet sich auch eine kurze Vorstellung seines Buches in Filmform hier, bzw. hier und werden die zahlreichen Vortragstermine zu diesem Buch angekündigt, sowie neu eingegange Hinweise auf Rezensionen, Diskussionen zu seinem Buch eingestellt.

Ein längerer Vortrag, den er zu dieser Thematik gehalten hat, fand sich im Jahr 2007 an dieser Stelle. (Ob er derzeit - 2012 - noch irgendwo verfügbar ist, müßte genauer recherchiert werden.)