brawn

The Case against Perfectionを読み始めました。副題はETHNICS IN THE AGE OF GENETIC ENGINEERINGとあり、中々興味の湧くテーマです。著者はＮＨＫのＴＶ番組表で見掛けたハーバード白熱教室（番組自体は見ていませんが）のMichael J. Sandel氏で、新聞などでも話題になっていたので名前だけは知っています。
初っ端の話は、"... a couple decided they wanted to have a child, preferably a deaf one. Both partners were deaf, and proudly so. Like others in the deaf-pride community.
...
In hopes of conceiving a deaf child, they sought out a sperm donor with five generations of deafness in his family. And they succeded. Their son Gauvin was born deaf." とちょっと信じがたい内容から始まり、人間が人工授精、ＧＭ、クローン生物の生成と自然の営みを超える行為を始めていますが、どこまで許せて、何がどうして許せないかと言う複雑な問題を次々と提示していきます。中々興味が湧く内容ですが、このブログではもっぱら英語に焦点を当てます。　さて、この本から最初に取り上げたい単語が出てきた個所を次に引用します。
Genetic enhancement is possible for brains as well as brawn. In the mid-1990s scientists managed to manipulate a memory-linked gene in fruit flies, creating flies with photographic memories. More recently researchers produced smart mice by inserting extra copies of a memory-related gene into mouse embryos. The altered mice learn more quickly and remember things longer than normal mice.
"brawn" は初めて見る単語ですが、brainsとの対比なので体力を意味しているのかなと想像します。辞書で確認します。
・Collins English Dictionary: 1.strong well-developed muscles 2.physical strength, esp as opposed to intelligence: "That's because most true nobleman are inbred morons with more brawn than brains .
・Macmillan Dictionary: physical strength, especially when compared with mental skill and intelligence: a job that needs brains, not brawn
・V2 Vocabulary Building Dictionary: 1. physical, muscular strength; 2. powerful muscles: The expression "brains over brawn" asserts the idea that mental fortitude and ability is more important than physical strength.
なるほど、筋力、体力を示しているのですね。"more brawn than brains" あるいは "brains over brawn" で覚えると良いようです。