S. J. Gould's Mismeasure of Man is a paleontologist's distorted view of what psychologists think, untutored in even the most elementary facts of the science. Gould is one of a number of politically motivated scientists who have consistently misled the public about what psychologists are doing in the field of intelligence, what they have discovered and what conclusions they have come to. Gould simply refuses to mention unquestionable facts that do not fit into his politically correct version; he shamelessly attacks the reputations of eminent scientists of whom he disapproves, on completely nonfactual grounds, and he misrepresents the views of scientists.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Critique of a book for allegedly misrepresenting psychology and ignoring facts.
- In plain terms
- This book is accused of lying about science and attacking scientists.
- What can you take from it?
- Question works that claim to correct science while ignoring facts.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do we judge scientific claims?
- Is bias always harmful?
Another view
Political bias does not always negate scientific contribution.
More from Stephen Jay Gould
How can one trust a person so prejudiced as to neglect overwhelming evidence?
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Permalink to quote #188 a masterpiece of deception
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