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January 31, 2007

Depressing political stories

Marginal Revolution has a short list of political facts that wouldn't make good stories if they were true (which we don't know if they are, although Marginal Revolution doesn't think so). I keep coming back to the idea that scientists (including social scientists) and the media should be concerned with whether or not something is true, not whether or not we want it to be true or what the effects are if the general public believes it to be true. This is easy enough to accept in theory, but a recurring theme in (yes, you guessed it) The Blank Slate is how difficult it is to accept in practice.

Update after reading comments on MR: Ok, this is getting embarrassing. My dad is the first to comment, and he refers to The Blank Slate. And no, this is not embarrassing as in "Oh my god, my parents are reading the same thing as me, how uncool!" I'm 20, not 14. But I think we've given this book enough publicity now, and it is, sadly, time to move on. Just read it! Ok?

Posted by Julie at January 31, 2007 10:44 PM

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