[gurps] BioTech-- Eugenics Question

[Chris J. Whitcomb]

David Scheidt wrote:
> On Jan 26, 2008 7:10 PM, Susan Koziel
> <kataryna_dragonweaver at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>> ---
>>>  Does that number even
>>> come close to modeling a similar circumstances in
>>> humans?  How quickly would I have almost all 7-foot
>>> humans if we only allowed seven-footers to reproduce
>>> with each other, and nobody else?  Is it 1-2
>>> generations, or 10, or more?  I think probably only
>>> 1-2, to be honest.
>>
>> Height is a multigene thing that is largely influenced
>> by environment. Breeding only 7ft isn't going to
>
> Dutch men are the current favorite example of this.  They're about 20
> cm taller (average height is a bit more than 185cm) than they were
> about 100 years ago.  Given that it is
> rather unlikely that they've been engaging in selective breeding,
> that's down entirely to factors like diet.

It all depends on how you define selectice breeding.  If the women of the 
country on average prefer taller men, then for the most part the taller men 
will breed...

I'm not saying it definitely is a factor, but that it can't be completely 
ruled out.