New study debunks Stephen Jay Gould's claim of racism on Morton's skulls says NYT

Dr Strange

Article here: (may require NY Times account):
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/science/14skull.html?ref=discrimination

PLoS Research article here:
http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.1001071

slowburner

Extracts from

Historical and Philosophical Perspectives info
The Mismeasure of Science: Stephen Jay Gould versus Samuel George Morton on Skulls and Bias
Lewis JE, DeGusta D, Meyer MR, Monge JM, Mann AE, et al. (2011) The Mismeasure of Science: Stephen Jay Gould versus Samuel George Morton on Skulls and Bias. PLoS Biol 9(6): e1001071. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001071

Gould reexamined Morton's data on cranial capacity variation in modern human populations and concluded that Morton had selectively reported data (see Box 1), manipulated sample compositions (see Box 2), made analytical errors, and mismeasured skulls in order to support his a priori views on intelligence differences between human groups. When properly analyzed, Gould argued, Morton's measurements show only trivial differences between populations. Gould used Morton as a case study to argue that “unconscious or dimly perceived finagling, doctoring, and massaging are rampant, endemic, and unavoidable in a profession that awards status and power for clean and unambiguous discovery” [1]. Gould's analysis of Morton is widely read, frequently cited, and still commonly assigned in university courses [11]–[13]. Morton has become a canonical example of scientific misconduct and an oft-told cautionary tale of how human variation is inevitably mismeasured.

Morton's methods were sound, and our analysis shows that they prevented Morton's biases from significantly impacting his results. The Morton case, rather than illustrating the ubiquity of bias, instead shows the ability of science to escape the bounds and blinders of cultural contexts.

Presumably this means that "Gould on Morton" will now be held up as a case study.

Dr Strange

slowburner wrote: »

Extracts fromPresumably this means that "Gould on Morton" will now be held up as a case study.

Very much a possibility.