Before Watson and Crick presented their work, the scientific community understood that proteins and genes are interrelated and that genes may be located on chromosomes but were not able to point out genes as having locations. The role of DNA was also thought to be extremely insignificant, and it was viewed simply as a binding molecule within the cell.
Idk according to hawthorne but according to Christianity consequences are hell and redeemed by knowing jesus. idk if hawthorne was a Christian tho maybe google it but hope this helps you :)
