Paper short abstract:

This presentation will discuss a few examples in the history of the gene to show how genetic science is deeply shaped by existential emotions and how that can help to have an entirely new way to look at the ontological response of the gene to scientific attempts to impose control and order.

Paper long abstract:

One late night in 1926, Herman Muller, one of the pioneering geneticist, was found shouting out of the window of his office overjoyed: he was able to produce mutations in the genetic structure of Drosophila (fruit flies) by the application of X-ray. It was a heroic achievement because controlling mutations was projected as controlling whole of (human) evolution. By 1929, this initial excitement had turned into a nightmare. It became clear that the X-ray mutations were not only mostly lethal to the organism but they almost never produced desired traits. More recently, similar such claims have been made all over again: how the invention of gene-editing technique CRISPR is hailed as revolutionary to transform whole of human race.

I will refer to a few examples of such “moments” in the history of genetic science discussed in my book Who is the Scientist-Subject? Affective History of the Gene to make two arguments. Firstly, I will show how the scientific knowledge on the structure and function of “particulate gene” has been shaped by deep emotions: how it is existentially projected towards taking humanity to new heights of temporal and spatial expansion. Secondly, I will show how attending to the affects and emotions in shaping science can help create an entirely new way of looking at the history of the gene. I will discuss “ontological resistance of the gene”: how throughout the history of genetic science, the ontological gene has always struck back to all scientific efforts of “control” and imposing “order”.