Do we have free will or do genes determine our behavior?

Question

Are sexual fetishes governed by genes?

Is there a gene that makes a person have to have s*x:

1) in public

2) in handcuffs

3) with animals

4) with children

5) with someone of their own gender.

Just how many sexual fetish genes are there supposed to be????????

Answer 1

Look at twins. They have the same genes, but can be very different people. Even identical twin animals can be very different in their personalities.  

Answer 2

Free will is an illusion.  So is time.

Answer 3

No then that would mean no one could control their behavior.

Exactly people want to have a gene so that they say they can not help it. I can not change. But that would mean all other sexual fetishes would also have a gene that made them do what they do.

Answer 4

Sorry, but homosexuality is not a sexual fetish, so right there you fail.

Being attracted to children or animals might be genetic, who knows? It hasn't been studied. Point is it wouldn't matter, since children and animals can't legally give consent so it would always be rape. Since homosexual relationships are consensual, the analogy falls miserably. And you prove nothing but that you're a homophobe.

Answer 5

Behavior is determined by both genes and free will

Answer 6

Nature gives you the blueprint. Nurture teaches you how to read it. But YOU'RE the one who decides whether or not to live your life by following it blindly.

Answer 7

Genetic material simply gives us a body, what it will look like and the ability or not to be able to function as a normal being.  Some people are born with minds that cannot grasp onto certain concepts, but some, even within those criteria have the opportunity to choose whether they're going to act on what is on their mind.  Again many don't but many can.

_()_

Answer 8

Depends on who you ask buddy... If you ask Richard Dawkins he has made it clear in his books that we are just dancing to our DNA. If you ask a Christian we are responsible for our own choices. Those choices are either motivated by our wanting to serve God or Satan .. But ultimately we are responsible for our actions . The question is... Who is is motivating those actions ? God bless you !

Answer 9

I believe we live in a deterministic universe, which would mean free will is bunk. That said, a society must (and will) move to protect itself from unwanted or destructive elements.

In the case of sexual conduct, we have agreed that consenting adults is the way to go.

Most of the things you name are not fetishes.

Answer 10

Excellent point!

This list could be infinite if we take the road that our genes made us do it!

Answer 11

It's amusing that you think the first two are fetishes.  Nearly as amusing as your attempt to paint homosexuality as a fetish.  And s*x with children isn't a fetish, it's an illness. You really ought to get a s*x ed book, Buddy.  No offense intended.

Answer 12

You have presented a false dichotomy. It's not either of those.

"Do we have free will.... -

-- No

"...or do genes determine our behavior?"

-- not completely, but in part they do. The environment plays a big part.

Answer 13

Free will. Even though genes determine who we are (genetically), it is us as individuals who define who we are in the end.

So far I haven't heard of a relation between fetishes and genes, but I won't discard the possibility either.

Answer 14

There is supposedly some physical something or other that determines homosexuality. The behavior has been observed in animals, and there is somthing out there about differences in the brains of g*y sheep. (no I'm not making this up)

http://www.hedweb.com/animimag/gaysheep....

"and there is no cure yet" said the little troll on my shoulder.

I don't think they've observed bondage behavior in Lab Rats... so the jury is still out on the other stuff.