In 1976, five years after his death, serious charges were
leveled against the distinguished British scientist Sir Cyril Burt.
His research on the nature of intelligence was challenged as
fraudulent by a number of respected commentators, among them Leon
Kamin, Oliver Gillie, Ann and Alan Clarke, and Leslie Hearnshaw.
The evidence they marshaled, and the charges themselves are
examined here in scrupulous detail. Written as a straightforward
defense of Burt, this volume also tells a second story: the
intrusion of the mass media into science, the power of the new
media, and the success of this invasion, which threatens to replace
intellectual authority.
Convinced that a great injustice had been done, Fletcher
examines each of the charges in detail, subjecting each of Burt's
detractors to a symbolic cross-examination. He exposes carelessness
and errors of interpretation, and reveals areas of evidence the
critics failed to take into account. Each interrogation ends with a
list of questions that call for clear public answer. Fletcher's
closing argument calls for the restoration of Burt's reputation, so
that justice is done.
The broader significance of this case study goes far beyond the
Burt controversy itself, and has implications for the conduct of
science in an increasingly contentious social environment. Fletcher
describes how ideology, in alliance with a receptive popular
journalism and the media, is able to establish itself as a powerful
third force in scientific discourse. The Burt Affair demonstrates
what happens when the media establish a viewpoint that permeates
not only the scientific community, but also entrenches that
perspective so thoroughly in public understanding that its
assumptions are not even questioned.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!