Though it may be widely acknowledged that homosexuality may have precursors in biological inclinations, that is, biological influences, it is most certainly not the scientific consensus that homosexual orientation is biologically determined.
Francis Collins, the former head of the human genome project, denies that homosexuality is primarily biological in origin.
In reviewing the heritability (influence of genetic factors) of personality traits, Dr. Collins referenced the estimates of the percentage of various human personality traits that can be ascribed to heredity from the Bochard and McGue research.
The heritability estimates for personality traits were varied: General Cognitive Ability (50%), Extroversion (54%), Agreeableness (42%), Conscientiousness (49%), Neuroticism (48%), Openness (57%), Aggression (38%) and Traditionalism (54%).
Kirk et al. (2000) in their research using a community-based cohort of Australian twins reported a heritability estimate of 30% for homosexuality. Whitehead (1999, 2006) in his extensive review of the research cites 30% as the estimate of heritability for homosexuality as well, though he views the estimate as a maximum.
As for outliers, do former presidents of the APA count as outliers? Yes they do here because they are complaining of the lack of scientific integrity present within the APA citing the homosexual activism and claims about homosexuality.
And this year, the the APA has released a pamphlet that admits that the attempt to find a biological determinant of homosexuality has thus far failed:
"There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay or lesbian orientation. Although much research has examined the possible genetic, hormonal, developmental, social, and cultural influences on sexual orientation, no findings have emerged that permit scientists to conclude that sexual orientation is determined by any particular factor or factors. Many think that nature and nurture both play complex roles..."
The claim that Homosexuality is of a natural, deterministic origin and an essential and irrevocable aspect of an individual has the epistemic qualities of dogma rather than something established by science. Science has not reduced the epistemic risk of this dogma.
04 December, 2008 20:07
"God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life."--the Bible
Edit by Rob:
Mom thought she would make work for me by copying this and posting it without the original format thus losing the hyperlinks to the articles from whence I got these quotes. Also, I had the articles outlined with "bold" text so you knew where a source began and ended.
I ain't no Microdot as I don't plagiarize so the original post is here with the links to the sources from where I got the info.
