Browsing by Subject "History of Science"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    If I Take Your Perspective, Will I Understand You Better?
    (2010-04-21) Ranson, Jana
    Perspective-taking(PT) is the capacity to conceptualize and understand another’s point of view. Empathic accuracy(EA) is the proficiency with which one infers another’s thoughts and feelings. One’s capacity for PT is usually evaluated as a disposition, or trait, measured by subjective self-report scales. One’s capacity for EA, however, is typically assessed as an objective behavior. The difference in the way these two capacities are defined and evaluated may explain why studies rarely show a correlation between them. This study attempted to reconcile this discrepancy by defining PT as EA is defined: as a behavior—specifically, as one’s tendency to spontaneously use first-person pronouns (1PP) when inferring a close partner’s thoughts and feelings during an EA task.
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    Masters of an Improbable Future: How Technocracy Shaped the future of human evolution for three British Scientists, J. B. S. Haldane, J. D. Bernal, and Julian Huxley
    (2023) Eguiarte Souza, Luis
    Fierce political and ideological upheaval, world wars, and economic distress characterized the years between 1910 and 1950. As more traditional forms of politics appeared to fail, three renowned British biologists —J.B.S. Haldane, J.D. Bernal, and Julian Huxley—used their scientific stature to promote their vision of technocracy: government controlled by scientists and engineers. They publicized this vision in science fiction and popular science articles, venues where they were unconstrained by peer review or real-world practicality. My talk will analyze how the three transformed their views on science, evolution, and the future of humankind into technocratic propaganda supporting the government by scientific experts.