Can essences mix? An essentialist theory of genetic hybrids in the human and animal domain

Abstract

This paper reviews research on biological essentialist beliefs and what these entail for perceiving genetic hybrids. It is suggested that hybrid perception results from the characteristics of essentialist reasoning, according to which living beings are endowed with a specific identity as a member of a natural kind. The most important elements of attributing an essence onto an individual are its perceived causal power to determine group membership, being immutable, discrete with regard to an individual's membership in exactly one category, making members of a category appear homogeneous, and ensuring intergenerational stability. Mixing two essences as in genetic engineering strips the hybrid of an unambiguous identity in perception, and results in its devaluation. Such devaluation seems to occur on a non-conscious level and across cultures. The basic claims not only hold for animals but also apply to the human domain and to inter-ethnic procreation, primarily for respondents with conservative worldviews.