
Science, Ideology, and the Media
Cyril Burt Scandal
Ronald Fletcher(Author)
Routledge (Publisher)
1st Edition
Published on 30. December 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
448 pages
978-1-4128-5274-6 (ISBN)
Description
In 1976, five years after his death, serious charges were leveled against the distinguished British scientist Sir Cyril Burt. His research on the nature of intelligence was challenged as fraudulent by a number of respected commentators, among them Leon Kamin, Oliver Gillie, Ann and Alan Clarke, and Leslie Hearnshaw. The evidence they marshaled, and the charges themselves are examined here in scrupulous detail. Written as a straightforward defense of Burt, this volume also tells a second story: the intrusion of the mass media into science, the power of the new media, and the success of this invasion, which threatens to replace intellectual authority.
Convinced that a great injustice had been done, Fletcher examines each of the charges in detail, subjecting each of Burt's detractors to a symbolic cross-examination. He exposes carelessness and errors of interpretation, and reveals areas of evidence the critics failed to take into account. Each interrogation ends with a list of questions that call for clear public answer. Fletcher's closing argument calls for the restoration of Burt's reputation, so that justice is done.
The broader significance of this case study goes far beyond the Burt controversy itself, and has implications for the conduct of science in an increasingly contentious social environment. Fletcher describes how ideology, in alliance with a receptive popular journalism and the media, is able to establish itself as a powerful third force in scientific discourse. The Burt Affair demonstrates what happens when the media establish a viewpoint that permeates not only the scientific community, but also entrenches that perspective so thoroughly in public understanding that its assumptions are not even questioned.
Convinced that a great injustice had been done, Fletcher examines each of the charges in detail, subjecting each of Burt's detractors to a symbolic cross-examination. He exposes carelessness and errors of interpretation, and reveals areas of evidence the critics failed to take into account. Each interrogation ends with a list of questions that call for clear public answer. Fletcher's closing argument calls for the restoration of Burt's reputation, so that justice is done.
The broader significance of this case study goes far beyond the Burt controversy itself, and has implications for the conduct of science in an increasingly contentious social environment. Fletcher describes how ideology, in alliance with a receptive popular journalism and the media, is able to establish itself as a powerful third force in scientific discourse. The Burt Affair demonstrates what happens when the media establish a viewpoint that permeates not only the scientific community, but also entrenches that perspective so thoroughly in public understanding that its assumptions are not even questioned.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Inc
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
644 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4128-5274-6 (9781412852746)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
07/2017
Routledge
€64.49
Available for download

E-Book
07/2017
Routledge
€64.49
Available for download

Book
04/1991
1st Edition
Transaction Publishers
€200.56
Article not available at the moment
Person
Ronald Fletcher
Content
I: Case for the Defense; 1: Preamble; II: Witnesses for the Prosecution Cross-Examination; 2: The BBC: The Intelligence Man; 3: Professor Leon Kamin; 4: Dr. Oliver Gillie and the Press; 5: The Clarkes and Hull; 6: Professor Leslie S. Hearnshaw: The Official Biography; 7: Professors Jensen and Eysenck; 8: The Sociologists of Education; 9: Final Summary Note; III: Malfeasance and Fraud?; 10: Malfeasance?; 11: Fraud? The Minor Charges; 12: Fraud? The Major Charges; 13: Verdict; IV: Questions and Conclusions; 14: Remaining Considerations