Tonight is the first event for the new book, and I've spent most of the afternoon at home with curlers in my hair and cucumber circles on the eyes...
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First printed over two decades ago, on topics spanning centuries, this book is if anything more relevant now than ever.
The Mismeasure of Man is a history of the idea of intelligence, and moreover a refutation of social Darwinist and scientific racist thinking. Early anthropology, anthropometry, criminology, biology, genetics, statistical analysis, and the history of the modern IQ test are all in interwoven in an exploration of the roots of both intelligence and intelligence testing.
This book skillfully boils down a massive amount of history and knowledge into one clear, readable volume. Gould's command of the material makes it accessible for readers. His language can be dense at times (and the statistics chapter was grueling for me) but his dry wit is well worth the effort.
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The Mismeasure of Man by Stephen Jay Gould
Dora, April 10, 2007
First printed over two decades ago, on topics spanning centuries, this book is if anything more relevant now than ever.The Mismeasure of Man is a history of the idea of intelligence, and moreover a refutation of social Darwinist and scientific racist thinking. Early anthropology, anthropometry, criminology, biology, genetics, statistical analysis, and the history of the modern IQ test are all in interwoven in an exploration of the roots of both intelligence and intelligence testing.
This book skillfully boils down a massive amount of history and knowledge into one clear, readable volume. Gould's command of the material makes it accessible for readers. His language can be dense at times (and the statistics chapter was grueling for me) but his dry wit is well worth the effort.
(11 of 17 readers found this comment helpful)