Re:Neuroscience: Under Attack
by knowtheory on Friday November 23, 2012 @06:15PM
(#4823992)
The author's point is well taken, but misses the greater problem.
Neuroscience has unveiled to us findings which fundamentally contradict what non-scientists hold to be common wisdom. The greater damage that pop-scientists perpetrate is to cherry-pick neuroscientific research to simply reenforce lazy outdated assumptions that the public holds.
Hence, all of the uninformed nature/nurture debates.
Re:Neuroscience: Under Attack
by betelnut on Saturday November 24, 2012 @01:51PM
(#4826060)
I think it cuts both ways - sometimes pop science writers cherrypick data that reaffirms existing biases. In other cases, they'll cherrypick tenuous data to contradict these biases. Both are effective headline strategies.
Neuroscience has unveiled to us findings which fundamentally contradict what non-scientists hold to be common wisdom. The greater damage that pop-scientists perpetrate is to cherry-pick neuroscientific research to simply reenforce lazy outdated assumptions that the public holds.
Hence, all of the uninformed nature/nurture debates.