Genes, Judaism, and Western Ethics

This book describes the origin of Western ethics in the teachings of the Hebrew scriptures, voiced by Biblical figures claiming to receive messages from God. As an alternative to literal belief in God's voice, the reader is introduced to genes and their effect on thoughts and behavior. The idea of "Jewish genes" is introduced through the description of a variety of genetic "signatures" distributed among contemporary Jews. The prophets are explained as gene driven ethical geniuses whose concepts were heard by a people whose own genome made them receptive to the message. The author's analysis of a wide range of religious, historical, philosophical and psychiatric writings, suggests that the Biblical figures placed their own thoughts in God's mouth in order to more effectively influence God fearing peoples. Thus genetic disposition to do good was propagated through future generations.