January 27, 2005
More ways not to refute Larry Summers

Sorry to harp on this topic, but I wanted to produce one more bit of yield from my investment in trolling through the blogosphere.

PZ Myers offers a treasure trove of non-refutation methods here.

1. Argue that where there are many causal factors, it is wrong to think that any particular factor is important:

these statistical games [citing the different distributions of male and female math test scores] may be correct, but if and only if the property of success in science and math is a simple one, with one quantifiable attribute that is an indicator of this mysterious parameter called “math ability”

2. Relatedly, argue that to view any one factor as important is to deny all others:

people like Summers are trying to impose a single simplistic standard on scientists

3. Use the ad hominem freely -- Summers’ supporters are “chauvinists”, and Steven Pinker is a bunko artist:

One extremely popular source among the defenders of chauvinism is Steven Pinker. […] If people started walking out on presentations of fact-free, unsupported hypotheses, Pinker wouldn’t have a career.

4. Deny that there is any relevant evidence on male-female differences from math test results, or from anywhere else:

Summers ... presented a badly formed hypothesis with no evidence to support it

5. Compare the Summers Hypothesis to creationism:

This is exactly what we see from creationists, too.

6. Accuse Summers of bad faith:

We consider hypotheses of innate differences all the time in science; that’s very different from an administrator using half-baked ideas to rationalize away cultural stereotypes and prejudicial policies.

7. Turn "prejudice explains the observed pattern" from a hypothesis to a fact, and claim that its explanatory importance renders genetic factors of no possible relevance:

It just seems to me that the fact that women are subject to widespread, long-term bias against their scientific abilities, yet some still persevere and manage to make it, is convincing evidence that the “hypothesis” that they are innately inferior in these fields is bogus.

8. Insulate your position from refutation by refusing to look at any statistical evidence gathered in the world as it currently exists:

You can come back and tell me about “distribution curves” and “long tails” when the playing field is level and you can actually legitimately provide appropriate data.

To be fair, buried in Myers' rhetoric is one valid point:

you can’t use these kinds of distributions to argue for innate differences—they can be equally well (better, to my mind) explained by environmental factors.

If it were true that the different distributions of male and female teenage math test scores can be largely explained by environmental factors, then increasing the representation of women in science would still remain an uphill battle – only it would be a battle against deep-seated (child-rearing) culture rather than against our genes. The relatively small number of females among the top scientists would still be due to a relatively small pool of females choosing to enter those fields, rather than to "prejudicial policies" by universities.

Posted by Lawrence H. White at 06:43 PM  ·  TrackBack (28)

The statesman who should attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals would not only load himself with a most unnecessary attention, but assume an authority which could safely be trusted, not only to no single person, but to no council or senate whatever, and which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of a man who had folly and presumption enough to fancy himself fit to exercise it. -Adam Smith

Our Bloggers
Joshua Hall
Robert Lawson
E. Frank Stephenson
Michael C. Munger
Lawrence H. White
Craig Depken
Tim Shaughnessy
Edward J. Lopez
Brad Smith
Mike DeBow
Wilson Mixon
Art Carden
Noel Campbell

Search

Archives
By Author:
Joshua Hall
Robert Lawson
E. Frank Stephenson
Michael C. Munger
Lawrence H. White
Edward Bierhanzl
Craig Depken
Ralph R. Frasca
Tim Shaughnessy
Edward J. Lopez
Brad Smith
Mike DeBow
Wilson Mixon
Art Carden
Noel Campbell

By Month:
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004

Powered by
Movable Type 2.661

Site design by
Sekimori

XML