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Category Archives: Science
Stupid gene.
Simplex and Sapiens are discussing human stupidity. Simplex: We agree that people can do some pretty stupid things, yes? Sapiens: Of course. Simplex: And that some people have a tendency to do stupid things more often… Sapiens: I guess… Simplex: … Continue reading
Posted in Science, Teaching and learning
Tagged behavioural genetics, determinism, Education, intelligence, IQ test, Sapiens, stupidity, teaching
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“You either bend the arc or it bends you”
‘Attack Surface’ by Cory Doctorow. ‘Attack Surface‘ (2020) is a gripping action-packed story of oppression and resistance with plenty of insights into the potential of new technologies and big data. It is also a powerful manifesto for the necessity of … Continue reading
‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers.
Richard Powers is an extraordinary writer. If you’ve not yet discovered his novels, I strongly recommend them. He tackles big ideas which concern all of us while at the same time telling compelling stories about complex and conflicted characters who … Continue reading
Pathologically wrong: Humours and Miasma.
Humours and Miasma: Science in Society 8. Humoral theory and miasma theory: two long-lasting medical paradigms now consigned to the history of human error but which shaped our ideas about health and disease and the development of medical practice and … Continue reading
Posted in History, Science in Society, Students
Tagged Blood & Guts, cholera, disease, germ theory, Hippocrates, history, humours, John Snow, medicine, miasma, public health, Robert Koch, Roy Porter, Science, Science in Society
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Challenging IQ.
Behavioural genetics; the clue to the difficulty is in the name. As with Sociobiology and Evolutionary Psychology before it, the squashing together of two very different levels of understanding into a single discipline creates a real problem. Genetics and psychology … Continue reading
Brecht’s radical Galileo
Brecht’s ‘Life of Galileo’ is a great piece of theatre with universal appeal. It’s also a particularly good one for science students because it brings the scientific method to life. Galileo’s struggle to get acceptance for the ‘Copernican’ heliocentric model … Continue reading
In conversation with Eugenia Cheng
We were delighted to welcome Dr Eugenia Cheng, the author of Beyond Infinity and How to bake pi to Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc) last week to talk about her passion for maths and her mission to rid the world of … Continue reading
Posted in Education, NewVIc, Science, Students
Tagged Beyond Infinity, Education, Eugenia Cheng, GCSE Maths, Infinity, Maths, maths education, Newham Sixth Form College, NewVIc, STEM
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The social origins of human thinking.
What is thinking? Where does human thought come from? How did it evolve? These are important questions for us if we want to understand what makes humans different from other living things and to make the most of our abilities both as … Continue reading
Challenging Neurosexism
In her brilliant Royal Institution lecture last week, Professor Gina Rippon from Aston University comprehensively trashed ‘neurotrash’ and the harmful gender stereotypes which it perpetuates. The term ‘neurotrash’ refers to the inappropriate application of neuroscientific findings to everyday life. Gina … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Science
Tagged brain science, determinism, discrimination, Equality, Gina Rippon, inequality, neuroscience, neurosexism, neurotrash, Raymond Tallis, reductionism, Science, sexism
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Reading dystopias
Reading dystopias Utopia: an imagined society or state of things in which everything is perfect or close to perfect. Dystopia: an imagined society or state of things in which things are very far from perfect to a frightening extent. An … Continue reading
Science in Society: what you need to know.
AS Science in Society (AQA) A very condensed list of the key science concepts you need to understand well. Infectious disease, medicines and the germ theory of disease: All living things (organisms) are composed of … Continue reading
The germ theory of disease. Science in Society 6
Many diseases of humans, other animals and plants are caused by small organisms; microbes, such as bacteria, fungi and viruses which are present in the environment and can be passed on from already infected individuals. Bacteria or fungi may enter … Continue reading
Posted in Learning resources, Science in Society
Tagged germ theory, Louis Pasteur, Robert Koch, Roy Porter, Science, Science in Society
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Paradigm shift. Science in Society 4
Paradigm shift: the Earth moves away from the centre In Europe 500 years ago, the established paradigm of 2,000 years was built on common sense ideas about the Earth and its place in the universe. This paradigm was summed up by … Continue reading
Eddie Playfair 