Category Archives: bookreview
Cedar’s Digest reads “Twilight of the Elites”
This week at the beach I also got a chance to read Chris Hayes’ superb social commentary, “Twilight of the Elites.” Instead of gathering thoughts later to write a blog post, I tweeted some thoughts as they occurred to me. … Continue reading
Posted in bookreview, education, politics
Tagged Chris Hayes, education, elites, meritocracy, Twilight of the Elites
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Some Personal History and The Mind at Work
So this post is going to be about fixing my house, my dad, and a great great book I’ve read recently. As is my inclination, I’ll find parallels between things and other things. This summer my dad and I (mostly … Continue reading
Chapter 4: Case Studies and Testimonials
This chapter deals with an enduring theme in my own thoughts, and a tension between the practice of science and the limits of the human mind. Those pieces of evidence which we naturally find convincing do not do real work … Continue reading
Posted in bookreview, psychology, science, Uncategorized
Tagged history, histsci, science, Stanovich
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Chapter 3: Operationism and Essentialism
The subtitle of this chapter is “But Doctor, what does it really mean?” What does gravity really mean? Not just measurements of how fast things fall, but what is gravity, really? Stanovich points out that often the lay public wants … Continue reading
Chapter 1: Psychology is Alive and Well
The first chapter begins with where we all hate to begin, but we must: The Freud problem. Despite having loosed his grip on the world of psychological science many decades ago, Freud’s hold on the collective imagination and definition of … Continue reading
Posted in bookreview, education, science, Uncategorized
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Review: Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose
I recently finished a fantastic little book, and I have to share it with you. It is called Mr. Jefferson and the Giant Moose, by Lee Alan Dugatkin (and @LeeDugaktin on twitter, a worthwhile follow). At first, it seems like … Continue reading
Posted in bookreview, history, science
Tagged Buffon, history, Jefferson, Moose, science
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Book Review: The Three-Pound Enigma – Shannon Moffett
The Three-Pound Enigma: The Human Brain and the quest to unlock its mysteries By Shannon Moffett $24.95 Algonquin Books What could be more fascinating than the human brain? In the tradition of Oliver Sacks, Shannon Moffett takes us on a … Continue reading
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Book Review: Fool’s Paradise – Stewart Justman
> Fool’s Paradise: The Unreal World of Pop Psychology, by Stewart Justman. Ivan R. Dee, September, 2005. $27.50 You have heard of Dr. Phil, you probably have friends who have adopted the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, you may … Continue reading
Book review: My Freshman Year – Rebekah Nathan
> My Freshman Year: What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student, by Rebekah Nathan. Cornell, September 2005, $24 While the “Ivory Tower” of higher education in American is often faulted for being out of touch with the country around … Continue reading
