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Gould is known for placing ideology ahead of science, so it's refreshing that he admits as much. Stephen F. Blinkhorn, a senior lecturer in psychology at the U
by MikeUt 5y ago
Gould is known for placing ideology ahead of science, so it's refreshing that he admits as much.
Stephen F. Blinkhorn, a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, wrote that The Mismeasure of Man was "a masterpiece of propaganda" that selectively juxtaposed data to further a political agenda. [..] Jensen also criticized Gould for concentrating on long-disproven arguments (noting that 71% of the book's references preceded 1950), rather than addressing "anything currently regarded as important by scientists in the relevant fields"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mismeasure_of_Man https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mismeasure_of_Man
- flaubere 5y agoGould wrote a controversial book attacking whole swathes of science done in the past. The existence of a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire who has written a criticism of it doesn't seem that surprising and certainly doesn't seem sufficient evidence that we should disregard what he has to say.
- MikeUt 5y ago> certainly doesn't seem sufficient evidence that we should disregard what he has to say. No, we should disregard what he has to say because even his arguments against the century-old studies he attacks (while carefully avoiding modern work) were shown to be faulty. It's like (poorly) debunking phlogiston in the modern day, and expecting to be taken seriously.
- flaubere 5y agoStephen F. Blinkhorn, is that you?