--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As the geneticist J.B.S. Haldane had…" description: "\"“As the geneticist J.B.S. Haldane had described it in 1923, once the power to control genes had been harnessed, \"no beliefs, no values, no institutions..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/siddharta-mukherjee-40937_faith_as-the-geneticist-j-b-s-haldane-had-desc_1126735.jpg" --- # As the geneticist J.B.S. Haldane had described it in 1923… ![“As the geneticist J.B.S. Haldane had described it in 1923, once the power to control genes had been harnessed, "no beliefs, no values, no institutions are safe.” quote by Siddharta Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/siddharta-mukherjee-40937_faith_as-the-geneticist-j-b-s-haldane-had-desc_1126735.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/siddharta-mukherjee-40937_faith_as-the-geneticist-j-b-s-haldane-had-desc_1126735.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/065/siddharta-mukherjee-40937_faith_as-the-geneticist-j-b-s-haldane-had-desc_1126735.jpg) > ““As the geneticist J.B.S. Haldane had described it in 1923, once the power to control genes had been harnessed, "no beliefs, no values, no institutions are safe.”” [Siddharta Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharta-mukherjee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When genetic control becomes possible, it threatens to destabilize long‑standing beliefs, values, and institutions. **In simple terms:** Gene control can unsettle society’s foundations. Key Takeaway Consider ethical safeguards for genetic tech. Themes ethics science society power technology Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - policy making - medical research - public debate - education - regulation Key Concepts genetics bioethics social stability Questions to Reflect On - How should societies protect core values against genetic manipulation? - What limits should be placed on gene editing? A Different Perspective Assumes technology will be used without resistance or misuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [Once we understand just how to control genes, we have the potential for spinal cord regeneration, bone regeneration, and so on. 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I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) ## More by Siddharta Mukherjee > [“The rediscovery of Mendel's laws of heredity in the opening weeks of the 20th century sparked a scientific quest to understand the nature and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharta-mukherjee/the-rediscovery-of-mendel-s-laws-of-heredity-in-the-opening-weeks-of/) [Siddharta Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharta-mukherjee/) > [“Some may smile and may feel that this is but a new version of the old dream of the perfection of man. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharta-mukherjee/some-may-smile-and-may-feel-that-this-is-but-a-new-version-of-the-old/) [Siddharta Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharta-mukherjee/) > [“When power is discovered, man always turns to it," Bateson wrote darkly. 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I rap when I'm broke. I rap when I'm bullshit in the street. I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [If the polymer chain assumes a helicoidal conformation in the crystalline state, and if it does not contain asymmetric carbon atoms, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-natta/if-the-polymer-chain-assumes-a-helicoidal-conformation-in-the/) Giulio Natta > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [Guns have little or nothing to do with juvenile violence. 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The soul, so long as it is subject to transmigration, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virchand-gandhi/the-true-nature-of-soul-is-right-knowledge-right-faith-and-right/) [Virchand Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virchand-gandhi/) > [“Toshiaki learned that all living organisms were governed by their DNA. He was impressed by perfection of this system.Why did existence have the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-sena/toshiaki-learned-that-all-living-organisms-were-governed-by-their-dna/) Hideaki Sena > [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [I'm all about evolution. I'm the first person to judge myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/i-m-all-about-evolution-i-m-the-first-person-to-judge-myself/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [The next evolution of content marketing is not more content; it's better distribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-penn/the-next-evolution-of-content-marketing-is-not-more-content-it-s/) [Chris Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-penn/) [Browse all 6,185 Evolution quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As the geneticist J.B.S. 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