In “Biology as Ideology,” Richard Lewontin points to the - TopicsExpress



          

In “Biology as Ideology,” Richard Lewontin points to the profound difference between the fact that one cannot get tuberculosis without a tubercle bacillus and the claim that the tubercle bacillus is the “cause” of tuberculosis. Registering that tuberculosis was a disease common in sweatshops in the 19th century, Lewontin contends: “We might be justified in claiming that the cause of tuberculosis is unregulated industrial capitalism, and if we did away with that system of social organization, we would not need to worry about the tubercle bacillus.” Having narrowed their view of “cause” to the biological realm, neuroscientists today are effectively chasing tubercle bacilli, drawing our focus away from the social practices and institutions that contribute to problems of mental health. opinionator.blogs.nytimes/2013/08/11/bursting-the-neuro-utopian-bubble/?_r=0
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 06:28:02 +0000

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