The fundamental principle of genetics is that you inherit half of your DNA from each parent and they code for particular proteins. This leads to your personality by how your genes interact with your environment. However, the question whether evil is coded by some humans genetically has been a source of immense debate. What if we could see a murderer like Hitler developing in the womb? Do we abort it? A range of moral dilemmas stem from this simple question. Although, we must investigate how true this question is.
In 1993, scientists discovered the MAOA gene in a particularly violent Dutch family. This gene is known as the warrior gene and has been seen in a number of violent criminals. It is a variant in the X chromosome which produces monoamine oxidase A. The enzyme affects the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Its variants are known as MAOA-L and produce low levels of the enzyme. If the enzyme is left unchecked it can build up and produce violent, aggressive behaviour.
The gene is the root of this characteristic but it also includes the environment in which the person is raised. A particular link in the research noted that people who have been subject to early life abuse and had the variant gene MAOA-L would engage in more violent behaviour then people with higher levels of MAOA (https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2016/07/29/does-the-human-warrior-gene-make-violent-criminals-and-what-should-society-do/). The researchers stated its one of the best-supported “observations in the entire literature of psychiatric genetics” (https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/7854_2013_272/fulltext.html). However, recent research from Finnish researchers found that “maltreatment did not modify the risk in any way”, yet there is some evidence from these researchers that intoxicants (eg. alcohol and amphetamines) are what causes this gene to become more prominent in a link to epigenetics. In Finland, they found that intoxication led to the most violent crime as they felt the intoxicants acted with MAOA-L to result in aggressive impulsive behaviour. As a result, they proposed upon the release from prison, violent criminals should be treated with disulfram or naltrexone, which calms the effects of intoxicants and hopefully the accompanying aggressive behaviour. The research noted the presence of MAOA-L and CDH13 in violent Finnish criminals whereas the nonviolent controls did not have these genes (https://www.nature.com/articles/mp2014130).
These two factors are by no means exhaustive and there can be other factors that interact with the gene and switch it on. It is possible that testosterone can interact with the early stages in a males life to influence them in a positive or antisocial way (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178112003964).
It is scary to think around 40% of the population (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2933872/) has MAOA-L. These levels in most of us is obviously quite low, but can obviously flare up if people are interacting with abuse or heavy intoxication. This we obviously know is quite low. However, the question poses, do we need to screen for MAOA-L as it causes violent behaviour? Do we have a right to prevent these people from enjoying alcohol even if the MAOA-L is low? People with this warrior gene in general aren’t actually warriors. There are obviously some evil people. For example, Bradley Waldroup killed his wife’s friend Lesley Bradshaw and chased around his wife with a machete. But most people actually are normal. The case proposed by the Finnish researchers to relax prisoners off intoxicants is a good proposal. Some argue that it’s unfair in those whose MAOA-L is low and they haven’t been violent or prisoners who don’t have MAOA-L. I would disagree and say that these prisoners are vulnerable to recommit crime with the catalyst of intoxicants and weaning people off is good in general and for lowering the risk of violent crime.
The case of Bradley Waldroup is an interesting precedent as he was sentenced to prison for second degree murder and kidnapping (http://www.chattanoogan.com/2009/5/7/150676/Waldroup-Gets-32-Year-Sentence-At-100.aspx). It’s interesting that he didn’t get first degree because his lawyers sent a blood sample to Vanderbilt University in Nashville where he was found to have the MAOA gene. Therefore, he avoided the death penalty. (https://www.popsci.com/can-your-genes-make-you-kill)
This provides a leeway in future legal cases for lawyers to get their defendant to have abated sentences because they have the MAOA gene. Clearly, they will have to be sentenced because they still did affect society. Yet, I maintain the view that if 40% of the population has this gene, is it that valid a defence? This poses a legal problem, as does this option, ultimately give lawyers a trump card? It is a difficult situation.
There is also the uncomfortable question of eugenics that this gene trait causes. At the moment, eugenics is illegal. However, if the MAOA gene is a direction for aggression that can be catalysed by intoxicants, could there not be the exploitation of this to create elite killers in an army or perhaps a better spy network. The possibilities are endless. It’s terrifying to think that we could somehow recreate many mass murderers like Ted Bundy and direct that aggression to a better form of killing to protect the country.
If we come full circle with this new knowledge, can we answer that question I posed at the start confidently and objectively from a scientific point of view. Could we abort Hitler? I would have to answer no. The science is there but it’s a very grey area. There is also epigenetics that would influence if MAOA is expressed or not. Therefore, if we look at a foetus that we call Hitler for arguments sake, we have no way of saying this child will definitely be evil, rather that it has the potential to be evil if it’s environment is unfavourable.
Overall, there is a gene that has the potential to cause impulsive aggressive behaviour and can be catalysed by a certain lifestyle and environment. Ultimately, there is always the potential for evil in a person who has the gene MAOA but it depends on how that person is raised and how that person lives. As a result of this finding, I’d take away two great lesson. It is important to lead a healthy lifestyle (epigenetics) as exercise can stimulate dopamine and other stimulants which MAOA breaks down (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/monoamine-oxidase). Also, one should abstain from intoxicants as besides furthering evil, it can cause other diseases such as liver disease and lead to as spiral of addiction. Finally, always be kind to people because if a person is raised in an abusive home it can further evil but if people are kind to them and they understand they are loved, it can very much change the outcome. The overall sum of evil is if MAOA is furthered by lifestyle but that depends on others, so we should generally be kind to cancel out that gene becoming active.