Comments on: Are we causality crazy? http://savageminds.org/2009/01/11/are-we-causality-crazy/ Notes and Queries in Anthropology — A Group Blog Sat, 26 May 2012 01:35:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: My genome is not my self « Neuroanthropology http://savageminds.org/2009/01/11/are-we-causality-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-560110 My genome is not my self « Neuroanthropology Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:24:02 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=1473#comment-560110 [...] Ars Psychiatrica, Who Are You? Gene Expression, Personal genomics, Pinker, 23andMe, Counsyl, etc. Genetic Future, The importance of confusion John Hawks, Steve Pinker’s Hot Hot Legs profiled in NY Times Magazine Mind Hacks, Personal genomics as a psychological mirror Savage Minds, Are We Causality Crazy? [...] [...] Ars Psychiatrica, Who Are You? Gene Expression, Personal genomics, Pinker, 23andMe, Counsyl, etc. Genetic Future, The importance of confusion John Hawks, Steve Pinker’s Hot Hot Legs profiled in NY Times Magazine Mind Hacks, Personal genomics as a psychological mirror Savage Minds, Are We Causality Crazy? [...]

Report this comment

]]> By: MTBradley http://savageminds.org/2009/01/11/are-we-causality-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-559716 MTBradley Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:38:40 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=1473#comment-559716 It occurred to me that Adam Kuper has an article in the most recent JRAI that isn't unrelated to this thread: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9655.2008.00527.x It occurred to me that Adam Kuper has an article in the most recent JRAI that isn’t unrelated to this thread: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9655.2008.00527.x

Report this comment

]]> By: Neuroskeptic http://savageminds.org/2009/01/11/are-we-causality-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-559438 Neuroskeptic Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:25:30 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=1473#comment-559438 Epigenetics is a buzzword - to be frank, it's something we don't really know anything about (as it applies to the brain, at any rate) but a lot of people are excited by it because they see it as a potential escape from genetic determinism. Genetic determinism really isn't that scary, you know. Epigenetics is a buzzword – to be frank, it’s something we don’t really know anything about (as it applies to the brain, at any rate) but a lot of people are excited by it because they see it as a potential escape from genetic determinism.

Genetic determinism really isn’t that scary, you know.

Report this comment

]]> By: Mark http://savageminds.org/2009/01/11/are-we-causality-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-559246 Mark Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:37:31 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=1473#comment-559246 I'm not sure if there's much he could have said about Epigenetics that would have added to the piece. DNA sequencing is pretty cheap, but epigenetic "code"? We have nothing even close to the tools needed to record all the methylation patterns, DNA chromatin remodeling, and prion infections, and et cetera going on in the body. Not yet, at any rate. I’m not sure if there’s much he could have said about Epigenetics that would have added to the piece.

DNA sequencing is pretty cheap, but epigenetic “code”? We have nothing even close to the tools needed to record all the methylation patterns, DNA chromatin remodeling, and prion infections, and et cetera going on in the body. Not yet, at any rate.

Report this comment

]]> By: Rex http://savageminds.org/2009/01/11/are-we-causality-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-558347 Rex Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:35:23 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=1473#comment-558347 http://wwwcdf.pd.infn.it/~loreti/science.html 'nuff said http://wwwcdf.pd.infn.it/~loreti/science.html

’nuff said

Report this comment

]]> By: MTBradley http://savageminds.org/2009/01/11/are-we-causality-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-558277 MTBradley Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:19:18 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=1473#comment-558277 "Oh, and one other thing, There is no mention at all of epigenetics… is that deliberate, I wonder, or does it represent troubling ignorance on Pinker’s part?" The chapter in Pinker's The Language Instinct which purports to discuss Whorf's work shows such blatant disregard for basic standards of scholarship by its author that since reading it I've never been able to take his work seriously. That Whorf may ultimately have been wrong is irrelevant to the (lack of) value of the chapter as Pinker simply did not do the basic reading required to make any kind of informed critique. Sorry to rant, but Pinker's treatment of Whorf has always been a bit of a sore spot for me! “Oh, and one other thing, There is no mention at all of epigenetics… is that deliberate, I wonder, or does it represent troubling ignorance on Pinker’s part?”

The chapter in Pinker’s The Language Instinct which purports to discuss Whorf’s work shows such blatant disregard for basic standards of scholarship by its author that since reading it I’ve never been able to take his work seriously. That Whorf may ultimately have been wrong is irrelevant to the (lack of) value of the chapter as Pinker simply did not do the basic reading required to make any kind of informed critique.

Sorry to rant, but Pinker’s treatment of Whorf has always been a bit of a sore spot for me!

Report this comment

]]> By: Nancy Reyes http://savageminds.org/2009/01/11/are-we-causality-crazy/comment-page-1/#comment-558128 Nancy Reyes Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:35:41 +0000 http://savageminds.org/?p=1473#comment-558128 Sounds like Calvin's predestination theology recooked under the guise of science. Sounds like Calvin’s predestination theology recooked under the guise of science.

Report this comment

]]>