Why women are poor at science
Hi All
Last nights Channel4 TV programme ' The Riddle of Einstein's Brain' addressed familar questions about how intelligence arises. It concluded that Einstein's genius arose from particular pecularities realting to specific structures in his brain . In other words, there seems to have been a biological basis for his brilliance. On first consideration this seems to be be fair comment and a reasonable conclusion from the evidence that was presented. However, if this is so, is it also reasonable to suggest that men outperform women in maths and sciences also because of biological differences. Quoting from an article called 'Why women are poor at science' in todays Guardian.."The president of Harvard University has provoked a furore by arguing that men outperform women in maths and sciences because of biological difference, and descimination is no longer a career barrier for female academics....He went on to argue that boys outperfom girls on high school science and maths scores because of genetic difference".
So does some peoples biology/genetic make-up make them more suitable for a career in science?
posted by steve mcpherson @ Tuesday, January 18, 2005
1 comments
1 Comments:
I was under the impression that girls are currently outperforming boys in school science, and certainly outnumber them when it comes to biosciences admissions at universities. Of course there are biological differences that extend to neurology between men and women. However, the variation in individual talents and abilities between individuals of either gender is so great as to make sex a very poor predictor of scientific skill or potential. Even if it is true on a general, population wide basis (which, frankly, I very much doubt) that men are 'better' - whatever that means - at science than women, it is an elementary logical error to give this any weight when judging the abilities or suitability of any individual.
It's easier and more socially acceptable for men to neglect their families in favour of work, and it is here that the culture change needs to take place.
Rather than having a go at people who take career breaks or time off for their families, we should instead save our opprobrium for parents - particularly fathers - of school age children who are still at the lab bench at 10pm on a school night, or who disappear to conferences for weeks on end during the school holidays. Whoever you are, your kids are ALWAYS more important than your career.
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