That’s one of the topics in a recent diavlog with Glenn Loury (who I last mentioned here) and Josh Cohen. He even gives a shoutout to Charles Murray (while denying he’s asserting a variety of claims, somewhat reminescent of Scalia on Heller and speaking of Heller & bhtv Volokh makes Rakove look ridiculous). It’s a shifting of the discourse, as they say. He also questions how meaningful the opportunity of “equal opportunity” discussed by political philosophers is. Recently at OrgTheory they presented two theories of family influence, and I pointed out the neglected Judith Harris position, but nobody responded until just now when I checked it out to get the link. Bryan Caplan, an adherent of the Harris position, now says he needs to catch up on the latest findings of the field.
I’ve gotten my Harris second-hand, such as through Steven Pinker (still haven’t written a review of Blank Slate like I said I would) and while I still haven’t gotten around to reading her books I just got another Pinker tome, How the Mind Works. I’d promise a review, but as I’ve just noted that isn’t worth much. Tom Wolfe’s Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers is on the way.
July 8, 2008 at 9:09 am
Don’t forget the late David C. Rowe, whose book, “The Limits of Family Influence: Genes, Experience, and Behavior,” helped to shape Harris’s thesis.
Her books are lots of fun, by the way.
July 8, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Yet another book to add to my backlog! I despair of the never-ending amusements of life.
July 10, 2008 at 2:59 am
TGGP, what do you plan to get a terminal degree in? Ph.D. in what? Or MD or JD?
July 10, 2008 at 11:26 am
I graduated a year early because I wanted to get out of the artificial-world of university and into the real world. I am not in grad-school currently and I don’t have plans to attend it in the near future. Perhaps some time later I will get a Masters in Computer Science, as that will open up more job opportunities, but first I would like to get some more practical experience in the industry.
July 13, 2008 at 4:58 am
Can’t say I can relate. I don’t think the university world is artificial, I think the real world is a better experience with a phd in a practical field, and practical experience without a phd = shit work compared to starting your practical experience after a phd, at least in my experience.
July 13, 2008 at 12:45 pm
What is your phd in?
July 16, 2008 at 3:25 am
I won’t say, and I won’t confirm or deny.