Hjernevask (Brainwash) Commentary 1 of 3

Commentary on the TV series Hjernevask (Brainwash) on Norwegian TV. I try to make a case that many of the problems causing the heat in the debate stem from grounding some ethical principles on unsound ideas. Rather than throwing out the principles entirely or having to reject biological aspects of human nature, I think the two can coexist peacefully and potentially to the benefit of the ethical ideas. This is my first video blog was unscripted. I made a couple of mistakes, but just left them in as they don't really change my meaning....they're just a little embarrassing. I welcome comments.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Harald
• Eia
• Hjernevask
• debatt
• blank
• slate
• debate
• nature
• nurture
• hereditary
• homofili

[fullmaniacpanic]

the problem with the biological research is that there are a LOT of contradicting findings.

and science has a tendency to evolve and scientific theories become obsolete.

for example, science has done research in brain differences between sexes.

but not all brains fit 2 specific patterns: male or female.

there are gender neutral brains, but no one takes the time to study that.

[banzaib]

@fullmaniacpanic I doubt that there are many researchers who would seriously try to squeeze something as vastly complex as the human brain into '2 specific patterns.' Human behavior varies all over the map, but even so, there are significant and measurable patterns of behavior which differ between the sexes. If you are interested in these themes, please read 'The Blank Slate' by Steven Pinker. And while your at it, everything else he's written too. Thanks for the comment.

[Gaulrung]

Many of those books are also on my shelf! Have you read "As Nature Made Him" by John Colapinto?

[banzaib]

@Gaulrung I have not read it, but I will have a look at it. Thanks.

[michaeldavidmcmillan]

Great stuff! Try keeping this up, you spoke very clear and it was a pleasure all the way to the end :-)

Episode 4 is by the way on the air tonight, let's hope it will be as interesting as the previous episodes ;-)

Have a nice day, and good job!

[banzaib]

Thanks a lot for the comment. Episode 4 was good, but didn't seem to cause as much controversy as the others did. Since the next show is about sex, maybe things will heat up a bit again.

[piechjo]

@fullmaniacpanic Outliers in the data can be unsignificant, or they can be significant, but we haven't explored them yet. It's definitely something for science in the future, but first we need to understand the pattern.

[piechjo]

@fullmaniacpanic We shouldn't see the contradicting findings as problematic, but rather as potentially important on the way to deeper understanding. An ideology such as constructionsim can explain things without admitting any contradiction, but ideological research is always paradoxical in its basic premises.

Scientific anguage is generalising - when it says 'women are this, men are that' etc. it always means *on average*. Data that doesn't fit the pattern are called outliers.

[MrKennyBones]

You Norwegian? You speak incredibly good English! Everything is spot on! :)

[Cenyon]

Good commentary in a calm, clear delivery, something that's most definitely been lacking so far in this debate.

[VenusFriend]

I recomend Zeitgeist Addendum (not the first movie!)

If you don't like Zeitgeist The Movie you might want to look inn to Jacque Fresco talking about a Resource Based Society.

Or have a look on my Favorites.

I love the program Hjernevask :-)