The Jaina Doctrine of Karma And The Science Of Genetics: ▪ Genetics - Core Science of Biology

Genetics is often called the core science of biology. Genetics impinges upon almost every kind of study of life. Anthropology, medicine, biochemistry, physiology, psychology, and comparative morphology all have interactions with genetics like so many actual and potential practical applications. The understanding and control of hereditary disorders and the breeding of improved crops and live stock are just two such applications.

The genetic code is believed to have arisen naturally as an automatic consequence of natural laws. Perhaps those may be the laws of karma theory. The structure of genetic code has the remarkable property of minimizing mutational load and optimizing the speed of evolution.

Genetics - science of potentials

In a sense genetics can be called a science of potentials since it deals with the transfer of information from parents to offsprings and between generation. Similarities or resemblances are traced to the information system. Not all variations are inherited but only those caused by genes as well as those caused by the interplay of genes with environment.

Basic concepts of genetics

The basic concept in genetics are:

1. Gene is the unit of inheritance.
2. Genes are arranged on chromosomes in a linear order.
3. Chromosomes occur in pairs in sets in all cells except germ cells - spermatozoa in male and ova in female.
4. Members of different gene pairs and chromosomes segregate to different reproductive cells.
5. Members of different gene pairs assort at random with respect to other gene pairs.
6. Genes are units of DNA and are capable of replication. They carry chemically coded message that can be transcribed and translated into proteins.
7. Polygene (many genes) control qualitative characters like - skin, colour, size etc.
8. Genes in a population establish an equilibrium that continues generation after generation without a change. This can be changed by a mutation (sudden heritable change) or migration, inter-marriages, selection and genetic drift.
9. Inheritance patterns are assorted with systems of making like inbreeding i.e. consanguineous marriages (by marriage of close relatives) and out breeding (marriages of non-relatives).