Pepe Roque

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Hi everybody, I have a basic question about if there is a definition to the word mutant for human being. Do we need a lot of mutations in a person to define him as mutant? Is a person who have hemophilia, blindness, red hair, blue eyes and lactose tolerance a mutant being?
Thanks for your opinion
 
That is actually a very interesting question and an example of how what seems like a simple concept can have different definitions depending on context. Biologically speaking, a mutant can be defined simply as any creature with a mutation, but that definition does not help us categorize the world into "mutants" and "non-mutants" because everyone has some sort of mutation. Socially, I would define a "mutant" as someone who has one of the following:

1) A significantly above-average presence of mutations. In other words, this person is much more mutated than the average person in their family or community.
2) A mutation that has an unusually large effect on the person's life. For example, an Ethiopian who spontaneously developed a mutation for red hair and became a celebrity and research subject just for that reason could be called a "mutant".
3) A mutation that was artificially induced, e.g. via intentional genetic engineering or accidental exposure to environmental toxins, research chemicals, nuclear waste, and other "mutagens". This covers your basic "mutants" as they appear in science fiction stories.
 
All humans are the products of mutation.
 
We are all mutants!
 
NO, true mutant persons have an elephant nose, a squale tail and pig feet, and yet, I don't give you all body details, fearing to frighten Angela...
 
I guess 'genuinely mutant' would be considered anyone who could show the existence in his DNA of a previously undiscovered 'de novo' gene
whose sequence would show no similarity to the existing genes. Talking about 'mutants' you might laugh but just 2 days ago i stumbled upon a website aethereal.info
and it says that some mutation occured back in 20th century which gives the person 'the ability to see Aether'. I guess it's not exactly 'super power' but close to it)
They even ask somebody to help them with the sequencing, in a gratuitious manner of course...)
 

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