Do you think people have a genetic memory?

Question

For example, if your ancestors suffered from religious persecution, would you "remember" that on some level, without being told through history or family legends.

Answer 1

It's biologically impossible for memories to be imprinted onto DNA. DNA is given to use at conception of course, and isn't altered throughout the entirety of our lives except through mutation (usually due to radiation).

Answer 2

I believe in genetic memory and have even had that happen to me on a few different occasions.  I think it only makes sense because we inherit our dna from our ancestors so I think it's very possible for us to inherit genetic memory from them as well.

Answer 3

I have seen no evidence to suggest this is the case.  I also see no way in which this could be verified or tested.

Answer 4

Absolutely I believe in genetic memory.

The person will not have conscious memory. It would be at the level of the subconscious.

Answer 5

That's a great question. I personally believe that it is possible because of my own experiences with it.

This goes back to the whole thing about did we live over and over again or do we fade off into some religious heaven or do we walk the earth as ghost after we die?

Answer 6

I don't know if I believe that a specific memory is transmitted but certainly genetic coding for illnesses and other more positive traits are passed down. I suspect that genes may even play a part in talent. For instance if you took a great piano player and placed his mind/consciousness in another unrelated body I would suspect that he wouldn't be able to play the piano as well because his hands would be different. I see no immediate way of testing this idea so it remains speculation.

That said we do not even know where memory is stored within the brain or body so genetic storage is at least not yet excluded from being possible.

Psi

Answer 7

You know, that's an interesting question.

Under normal circumstances I wouldn't believe in such a thing. I've never personally seen any conclusive evidence of anything even remotely supernatural so I pretty much dismiss such nonsense out of hand.

But I gotta tell ya... the first time I went to England I had this powerful and very real sense of being "at home," though I had never been there before. It's hard to describe just how palpable that sense was, but it was very real.

When I mentioned this to my wife (at the time... now she's my ex, and making someone else's life a living h**l right now) she mentioned the idea of genetic memory. I had never heard of it before.

I still can't say one way or the other whether there is any such thing as genetic memory, but I'm now open to that possibility based on my own personal experience.

Answer 8

No it's just another"power"folks claim to have.Some people just have to be"gifted".Beyond certain instincts and genetic mutations.Memories,of events at least,are pure codswallop.

Answer 9

Yes and animals as well.My cat is always afraid of strangers although he is at home and lives very comfortably but his mother was a stray cat and suffered  mistreats from many bad people .So my cat  does not rely on strangers.

Answer 10

It has been put forth as a scientifically viable theory. Some transplant recipients seem to retain some memory from the donor. The heart especially as some of the material in and around the heart is the same as brain material.

Answer 11

Since everybody has 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great grandparents etc I can see your head getting awfully cluttered if genetic memory was real, there'd scarcely be room for your own thoughts.

Answer 12

Wait a minute!!!! If talents can be passed down genetically ....what happened to ME???? !!! I have 2 sisters who are whizzes on the piano....and one sings opera. I tried really hard to do both..but it didn't "take". Hmmmm Maybe I WAS adopted after all!! lol

What about families who have been in the same church for generations..Couldn't things be genetically passed down that way?

Also...what about child prodigies?

Edit.. This is funny...On the tv guide channel they're talking about the "genes" of the American Idol contestants...

Answer 13

well I will have to wait and see what happens.

Answer 14

Well... it depends ! Scientists could discover something like '' Mind searcher '' that well read your memories, but the science itself has to develop much more if we want to see memories of our ancestors !

Answer 15

Some people do........

Or else the Supreme Court wouldn't have suits filed for reparations.