I point to the increase in autism and I point to internet use. That's all. Establishing a causal relationship is very hard but there are trends out there that we must think about.
This has led to fellow Oxford neuroscientist Dorothy Bishop of BishopBlog writing an Open Letter asking her to "please, please, stop talking about autism". Twitter has been enlivened by #greenfieldism's such as "I point to the rise of Rebecca Black and the Greek sovereign debt crisis, that is all."
However, in a Neuroskeptic exclusive, I can reveal that the situation is far worse than anyone feared. Greenfield is not merely spreading unwarranted speculations about the recent rise in autism diagnoses.
She caused that rise.
The graph above shows the total number of scientific citations for Susan Greenfield's papers, over time. This is as good a measure as any of the influence Greenfield has had over our culture.
The trend is obvious, the growth is dramatic, and the correlation with the modern autism epidemic is undeniable.
11 comments:
tee hee
Striking!
Thank you, Neuroskeptic, for pointing out yet another piece of new-age, pseudo-scientific shlock.
Best of all, it points to a simple solution to the autism problem :)
Well, I'm convinced! :)
Andrew: Yes, there's only one answer - keep kids away from Greenfield, and anyone who quotes her approvingly.
Nothing less than the wiring of our children's brains is at stake.
Ha ha - priceless :)
I point to the increase in autism and I point to the introduction of Asperger syndrome into the DSM in 1994. That is all.
Autism is caused by cannibals!
As cannibalism reduces, autism increases.
Natural cannibals evolve all the time but any that actually practice cannibalism are unlikely to attain reproductive success anywhere in the world, hence we are evolving more and more 'cannibals who are selectively bred not to eat people' worldwide.
The rise in autism cases is due to genetic expression of the hybrid genes in mothers who are overweight.
A well-fed society is less at risk from predators, and can afford to breed savants.
Maybe keep this comment private:
I have been thinking that Baroness Greenfield has been showing some early signs of dementia in recent years- what do you think? Considering the carousing she got up to while she was South Australia's "Thinker in Residence", I was even tempted to think her thinking might have succumbed to all the juice. Or is she a little "mad"?? I'd be interested in your opinion.
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