The Median Isn't the Message by Stephen J Gould

I don't have cancer, but SJG did. I'm just reading his essay. Thanks for the nice thoughts, though : )

This is one of the most profound essays I've ever read about a rational person being confronted with cancer. I'm a great fan of SJG. His books inspired me to science, and to look at the world in a new way.

I've stolen this wholesale from Steve Dunn, and was led to it by Orac of Respectful Insolence:

http://cancerguide.org/median_not_msg.html

"Stephen Jay Gould was an influential evolutionary biologist who taught at Harvard University. He was the author of at least ten popular books on evolution, and science, including, among others, The Flamingo's Smile, The Mismeasure of Man, Wonderful Life, and Full House.

As far as I'm concerned, Gould's The Median Isn't the Message is the wisest, most humane thing ever written about cancer and statistics. It is the antidote both to those who say that, "the statistics don't matter," and to those who have the unfortunate habit of pronouncing death sentences on patients who face a difficult prognosis. Anyone who researches the medical literature will confront the statistics for their disease. Anyone who reads this will be armed with reason and with hope."

"Many people have written me to ask what became of Stephen Jay Gould. Sadly, Dr. Gould died in May of 2002 at the age of 60. Dr. Gould lived for 20 very productive years after his diagnosis, thus exceeding his 8 month median survival by a factor of thirty! Although he did die of cancer, it apparently wasn't mesothelioma, but a second and unrelated cancer."

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Stephen
• Jay
• Gould
• evolutionary
• biologist
• cancer
• median
• message
• c0nc0rdance
• mean
• statistics
• survival
• mesothelioma
• logic
• reason
• rationality

[Sunhawk7ajj]

Yes this is great, just cause I always like to ask before doing it, can I use this video in Class. (Yes i know its public domain) but my personal ethics say I need to atleast ask before using it. So pleeeeaassee :3 *puppy eyes

[C0nc0rdance]

@Sunhawk7ajj

Of course. Feel free to use my video for education.  You can modify it as you like.

[PaonSol]

Such an incredibly inspiring, intelligent man. Here's to you, Stephen Jay Gould.

[325982668]

i am surrounded by people who believe in "spirit" and that "we're all energy" in some kind of british new age sense of the human condition. they tell me that they way to beat cancer is to not think about it because acknowledging it gives it "energy." I tell them that ignoring the nature of their body is dangerous, and that ignoring a problem does not make it go away, and they all say that you "manifest" your problems by thinking about them.

why am i the only rationalist in my family?

[foxlake02]

Who was the one asshole who had a problem with this video?

[sk8teh14]

Now I want to do my statistics homework :D

[BlackMetalWarewolf]

fuck cancer. If I'm anything im extremely stubborn. Its nice to see someone else with the attitude of "Fuck it, Im going to die of something else".

[mrdaym]

I hate to be the one asking the alreafy answered question, but since it isn't stated, in which field are you holding a degree, if any?

[pyr666]

why is it all the cool scientists have to die?

[pyr666]

@JRChadwick

my guess is that it was a miss-click. 

[jebus6kryst]

Best wishes. 

[dunsedog]

@JRChadwick Seriously, who would dislike this? I mean as much as I get angry at people trying to make jokes at the numbers of dislikes, in this case I am truly irritated at whoever this person is.