Tag: biogenetic causal attributions

Schizophrenia Twin Research as Reported in The Gene: An Intimate History...

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In his 2016 book The Gene: An Intimate History, cancer physician and researcher Siddhartha Mukherjee chronicled the initial idea of the gene, taking readers through the history of genetics up to the current ā€œpost-genomeā€ period by interweaving science, social history, and his own personal narrative. In the process he documented some of the crimes of the eugenics movement and the monstrous atrocities committed by German National Socialism in the name of eugenics and biology, while noting the Naziā€™s promotion of twin research. He also criticized aspects of intelligence testing and genetic theories of racial inferiority based on IQ tests. At the same time, Mukherjee supported and promoted many contemporary behavioral genetics positions.

Twin Method Assumptions are Indefensible, but are Useful to the Rich...

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The wealthy, and the institutions they finance and promote, look favorably upon research whose authors claim that economic disparities are rooted in biology, and are not harmful to humanity as a whole. But there are countless obvious real-world examples showing that political policies, social struggles, and public health programs, including those involving the adjustment of income differences, lead to improved health and well-being.

Comments on Jeffrey Lieberman and Ogi Ogasā€™ Wall Street Journal Article...

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The March 3rd, 2016 edition of the Wall Street Journal featured an article by past President of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Jeffrey Lieberman and his colleague, computational neuroscientist Ogi Ogas. The article was entitled ā€œGenetics and Mental Illnessā€”Letā€™s Not Get Carried Away.ā€ In their piece, the authors started by expressing the belief that a recent study identified a gene that causes schizophrenia, and then discussed whether it is desirable or possible to remove allegedly pathological genes in the interest of creating a future ā€œmentally perfect society.ā€ The authors of the article, like many previous textbook authors, seem unfamiliar with the questionable ā€œevidenceā€ put forward by psychiatry as proof that its disorders are ā€œhighly heritableā€ In fact, DSM-5 Task Force Chair David Kupfer admitted that ā€œweā€™re still waitingā€ for the discovery of ā€œbiological and genetic markersā€ for psychiatric disorders.

“Mental Illness and Familial Influences”

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"Let us be clear that claims about established genetic or biochemical causation for mental distress are, as things stand, entirely fictional," writes Dr Lucy...

“Bewitching Science” Revisited: Tales of Reunited Twins and the Genetics...

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In this article I will attempt to debunk one of the great ā€œscientificā€ smoke and mirrors shows of the past half centuryā€”the claim that stories of reunited separated MZ (monozygotic, identical) twin pairs indicate that heredity plays a major role in causing human behavioral differences. These stories, which are often used to sell the false ideology of genetic determinism, have entered the public imagination in a way that academic research results never could. Here I will show that these stories provide no evidence whatsoever that (as yet undiscovered) ā€œgenes for behaviorā€ influence human behavioral development.

All in the Brain? An Open Letter Re: Stephen Fry’s Assumptions...

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Stephen Fryā€™sĀ exploration of manic depressionĀ (in the current BBC series on mental health, ā€˜In the Mindā€˜) has drawn both praise (because of his attempts to destigmatize mental illness)Ā and criticism (because he appears to have a very narrow biomedical understanding of mental illness).Ā  I have sent an open letter to the actor which challenges some of his assumptions about mental illness, and offers a very different understanding to that promoted in his recent television programme.

Breaking News! The Cause of Schizophrenia Finally Discovered!(?)

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On January 27, 2016, a study1 was published online in the prestigious journal Nature that touted the possibility of discovering some potential biological origins of an "illness" called "schizophrenia" Subsequently, headlines across the world beamed excited proclamations of the latest breakthrough to occur in psychiatric research. The problem is, there is nothing profound about this study at all and, in fact, it is one of the least profound studies to emerge in the last few years on the topic of "schizophrenia." It ignores the robust support that has accumulated that undermines the genetic disease model of "mental illness" and the categorical understanding of experiences falling under the umbrella term "schizophrenia."

Large German Anti-Stigma Campaign Shows Little Effect on Attitudes

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ā€œOverall, this study showed that the information and awareness campaign had almost no significant effects on the general public's attitudes toward people affected by either schizophrenia or depression,ā€ the researchers, led by German medical sociologist Anna Makowski, wrote. ā€œOne could assume that deeply rooted convictions cannot be modified by rather time-limited and general activities targeted at the public.ā€