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[Vikarion]

One of the difficulties with this sort of topic in Caldari PF is that the earlier style of Caldari lore is somewhat different than the later revisions and additions. The earlier Caldari PF has many references to the divine (such as that tea article); the later PF strongly implies that Caldari spirituality is largely metaphorical and that it is more philosophical than divine. People just have to do it their way with people that jive well with that way.

EvE Source sorta tries to reconcile that by stating that the Caldari are almost entirely atheistic, but also have a great love of tradition, aphorisms, proverbs, and so forth. So, for a Caldari, it is probably entirely within her mental model of the world to claim that there is nothing actually supernatural, and then go engage in a contemplation of the divine nature of the Kresh tree. In her case, it would not be divine in the sense of being a god, but in the sense of being imbued with meaning by past generations of Caldari, and embodying other divine attributes (beautiful but dangerous, bitter but strong, etc) that might give her reason to show respect and admiration for the entire conceptual image of the Kresh tree, as both symbol and embodiment.

I agree.

Edit: I just realized that may have sounded curt. I personally am of the opinion that the Caldari section of Source sorted through many of these issues and inconsistencies very well. So I do actually agree. =)

 

I do actually like much of EvE:Source. Basically, most of what didn't relate to the Federation (where it went straight to Author-Tract/Anvil-Dropping/Mary-Sue-Nation much of the time) was both interesting and good. I'm certainly not going to tell anyone not to buy it. It also has some beautiful artwork.

[Aria Jenneth]

The Ethnic Caldari carry in them a combination of dominant and recessive genes which combined allow for the metabolism of kresh and its toxin. These genes relate to general cell metobolic functions helping to catalyse the toxin in the short term and liver/kidney function which serve for help flush out the remaining toxic compounds. This establishes an upper limit for all, with those having the 'full collection' of genes having the highest level of natural resistance.. Half breeds would inherite the dominant genes giving them some amount of kresh resistance (perhaps a more dilluted version of the tea) but it's a roll of the dice if they get some, or all, of the reccessive genes too.

If I understand the way recessive genes work, for them to activate they'd need to come from both parents. This works if the non-Caldari parent also has some Caldari blood, or if the trait appears elsewhere at random.

It might work for Utari; it probably doesn't work for Aria, whose mother's family is proudly pureblood Achura.

Which might give us our answer right there.

[Arkon Sarain]

If I understand the way recessive genes work, for them to activate they'd need to come from both parents. This works if the non-Caldari parent also has some Caldari blood, or if the trait appears elsewhere at random.

I will just chime in to say that while dominant and recessive inheritance are useful for predicting the probability of an individual inheriting certain phenotypes, especially genetic disorders. When it comes to understanding how a gene specifies a trait things get a lot more confusing.

This is partly a result of the fact that we observed dominant and recessive inheritance patterns before we knew anything about DNA and genes - eye colour or hair colour can be seen and described as dominant or recessive without needing to understand DNA and genetics.

So there is no universal mechanism by which dominant and recessive alleles (a variant form of a gene) act. Dominant alleles do not "repress" recessive alleles. Indeed whether an allele is dominant or recessive depends on the particulars of the proteins they code for.

Further the terms can also be subjective. The same allele can be considered dominant or recessive, depending on how you look at it. Sickle-cell allele is a brilliant example of this.

So personally I think there is plenty of basis for individuals who are not "pure" Caldari being able to drink Kresh, particularly if they have a Caldari parent or even an ancestor at some point in their family.

That's just my thoughts on it anyways

-A

[Lyn Farel]

As Lou pointed out it becomes a lot more complex when multiple genes are linked to a specific phenotype. Some might be recessive, and some other dominant.

In any case, in all those ideas, it all pertains to genetic penetrance.

[Ursa Dropsus]

If I understand the way recessive genes work, for them to activate they'd need to come from both parents. This works if the non-Caldari parent also has some Caldari blood, or if the trait appears elsewhere at random.

Another possibility, albeit an extremely rare one in our own biology, is Y-linked recessive traits passed from a father to son. The trait sits on the Y chromosome and is passed on by the one parent, in that case. Of course, since this would limit Kresh drinking to males only, something which is observably not the case, this whole post serves no purpose other than to show off that I've been listening in Biology class...

Another more useful possibility for consideration is the idea of incomplete dominance. In that case, someone could be heterozygous dominant (Aa), where the little "a" represents the Kresh-digesting enzyme (or whatever) and yet the recessive gene could still be partially expressed (still capable of limited enzyme production and therefore limited digestion). In practical terms they might not be able to smash a whole bottle, but they also won't die from a little sip. In that possible scenario, the recessive genes can come from just one parent and yet still be expressed.

The only reason the Caldari went through the slow process of acclimation to Kresh is because it was the only green plant that actually survived the worst of the Caldari Prime winters - according to stuff I've read. For that reason, being able to tolerate the particular neurotoxin in Kresh was such a pro-survival trait that Caldari who had the ability seem to have bred out those who didn't.

Fascinating stuff. It reminds me of lactose intolerance, actually, which evolved in Anglo/Euro societies where there was a selective advantage to having the lactase enzyme. Meanwhile, in Africa where cows weren't domesticated, most never evolved it. Maybe a tall glass of cold milk is the Englishmen's version of Kresh.

[Pieter Tuulinen]

Again, I'm sure I read somewhere that sufficient of even properly prepared Kresh means that even ethnic Caldari shouldn't consume it carelessly.

[Kyoko Sakoda]

Again, I'm sure I read somewhere that sufficient of even properly prepared Kresh means that even ethnic Caldari shouldn't consume it carelessly.

There would be no reason for this not to be true. Too much of anything has an LD50.

[Pieter Tuulinen]

I suppose we could look at alcohol as a direct equivalent. Just because Native Americans react very poorly to alcohol compared to Europeans doesn't mean people in Sweden can drink two litres of Absolut Vodka with impunity.

[Jace]

I suppose we could look at alcohol as a direct equivalent. Just because Native Americans react very poorly to alcohol compared to Europeans doesn't mean people in Sweden can drink two litres of Absolut Vodka with impunity.

I'm fairly certain they can. That's how they come up with all that Scandi Noir stuff.

[Pieter Tuulinen]

I'd call that a consequence.

[Jekaterine]

I suppose we could look at alcohol as a direct equivalent. Just because Native Americans react very poorly to alcohol compared to Europeans doesn't mean people in Sweden can drink two litres of Absolut Vodka with impunity.

I'm fairly certain they can. That's how they come up with all that Scandi Noir stuff.

We have to out of necessity.
How else to survive the long cold winters?
It's like the Unterzee around here for 6-8 months of the year.

[Jace]

I suppose we could look at alcohol as a direct equivalent. Just because Native Americans react very poorly to alcohol compared to Europeans doesn't mean people in Sweden can drink two litres of Absolut Vodka with impunity.

I'm fairly certain they can. That's how they come up with all that Scandi Noir stuff.

We have to out of necessity.
How else to survive the long cold winters?
It's like the Unterzee around here for 6-8 months of the year.

Yus, I remember visiting during that time. It was a bit surreal.

[Pieter Tuulinen]

I remember producing for a team in Sweden. I remember the lead programmer breaking both his wrists playing vodka fuelled hockey at 4am in the Summer because it was still light out.

Sweden. Y U do dis?

[Elmund Egivand]

I suppose we could look at alcohol as a direct equivalent. Just because Native Americans react very poorly to alcohol compared to Europeans doesn't mean people in Sweden can drink two litres of Absolut Vodka with impunity.

I'm fairly certain they can. That's how they come up with all that Scandi Noir stuff.

We have to out of necessity.
How else to survive the long cold winters?
It's like the Unterzee around here for 6-8 months of the year.

You are chased by living icebergs for 6-8 months a year?

[Ollie]

My predominantly Gallente blooded main can drink Kresh just fine. But that's less about biology and more about technology I suspect.