Whose Culture Is It Anyway?

Once again, Toxoplasma gondii is back in the news. Carl Zimmer, over at the Loom, continues to be fascinated by this organism and draws our attention to some new research. This seems to suggest that Toxoplasma is capable of modifying human behaviour to the extent that the influences can be seen in human cultures.

 

I find the implications of this fascinating, and was particularly struck by some of the comments on Zimmer’s post, to whit, what is my mind’s "I" anyway? Is it not simply the collection of my (brain) cells and the chemicals produced by both them and any parasites and bacteria that I am currently playing host to…