Your fetus was just diagnosed with Down syndrome by amniocentesis. You are probably upset, but when you calm down a bit, would you: (1) ask for a second diagnosis, which would also possibly involve another amniocentesis; (2) ignore the diagnosis and do your best to raise the child if it turns out to actually have Down syndrome; or (3) abort the fetus? Why did you answer as you did? Support your answer.
It has been very recently suggested that the inheritance of intelligence in humans may be carried, at least in part, on the X chromosome. If this is the case, have students comment on whether a woman inherits her intelligence from her mother, her father, or both. From whom then does a man inherit at least a portion of his intelligence?
Presumably, for women the answer is "both," because in some cells, the maternal X is active, while the paternal X is a Barr body, and vice versa. Men inherit their X chromosome from their mother, although we do not as yet fully understand how many genes are involved in the inheritance of intelligence or indeed where these genes are located. Nutrition and upbringing also play major roles in whether or not true genetic potential for intelligence is ever realized. (For example, with inadequate protein in an expectant mother's diet, or in the diet of a baby, a high level of intelligence may never be realized, even if the genetic potential is present.) However, it has been suggested for some time that as much as 90% of intelligence is inherited.