Monks in High Towers — A Plea to Our Fellow Academics
We should remember that the creation of knowledge is generally a positive sum game. When practitioners in one field make progress and gain insight, all fields stand to benefit.
Brian Boutwell
Brian Boutwell is an Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Saint Louis University. His research interests include the biological evolution of human traits, genetic and enviro
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What Is a Sexist?
Recognizing the existence of differences between men and women should not be considered a regression for the women’s rights movement.
What Is a Racist? Why Moral Progress Hinges on Getting the Answer Right
We are not arguing that racism has vanished, or that racists don’t exist. We’re making precisely the opposite argument.
On the Reality of Race & the Abhorrence of Racism Part II: Human Biodiversity & Its Implications
This can be avoided with a moratorium, but then we’re back to square one. This sparks a near infinite regress of bad options.
On the Reality of Race and the Abhorrence of Racism
To our knowledge, we have yet to see a similar example applied specifically to race.
The Bermuda Triangle Part II: Dangerous Research & the Risks Worth Taking
The strategies of mob science are uncomplicated and as both Rushton and Gottfredson would learn first hand, they are terrifyingly effective.
Evolutionary Conflict and the Family
We should start at the beginning, which is to say, conception. That magical moment when sperm meets egg holds an important insight.
The Bermuda Triangle of Science
Quantitative genetic work on human behavior has also had its time in the spotlight as arguably the most controversial subject in science.
How to Have an Opinion Worth Hearing
I listen to you time and time again, while you tell me just what’s right…
Heritability and Why Parents (but Not Parenting) Matter
Non-additive effects don’t breed true with the same degree of fidelity—in fact these effects bust up the clean transmission of traits from parents to children (to use a sports analogy, it’s a bit like a cornerback in football deflecting the quarterback’s perfect spiral aimed at the receiver).
How to Find a Parenting Effect
Practically no one these days will fight you on the idea that genes and environments interact (GxE), and it is in these interactions, perhaps, that we can discover if parenting truly does impact children.
Why Parenting May Not Matter and Why Most Social Science Research Is Probably Wrong
Parenting effects usually play some role in our conception of why some people behave differently than others