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Cordelia Fine has won The Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize

28 replies

DJBaggySmalls · 19/09/2017 20:24

Congratulations to Cordelia Fine!

''Cordelia Fine has won The Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize, worth £25,000, for her “provocative” book about gender which “debunks” the Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus concept and poses an “urgent call for change”.

www.thebookseller.com/news/fine-scoops-25k-royal-society-science-prize-cracking-critique-men-are-mars-women-are-venus

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EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 21/09/2017 22:13

Loving Delusions of Gender, I was a bit nervous before starting it & now I'm surprised at how readable it is.

Gia Milinovich, who's married to Brian Cox, is very gender-critical.

Trills · 21/09/2017 22:06

I agree - people definitely underestimate the role that emotions have to play in us assessing/understanding a person's argument.

If we feel attacked or even disagreed-with, we often read or hear their words as being stronger and more absolute (we think people are saying "never" or "always" rather than "seldom" or "often").

Trills · 21/09/2017 22:02

I don't think you can really give anyone credit for having a good name, it was usually chosen by someone else :o

Original poster
DJBaggySmalls · 21/09/2017 21:59

AssassinatedBeauty
Thats an interesting review. I think people underestimate the role that emotions have to play in behaviour, and overestimate the amount of control we have over emotions.

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MsMartini · 21/09/2017 21:57

One of the judges addresses Ritchie's critical review here samgilbert.net/testosterone.html

AssignedPerfectAtBirth · 21/09/2017 21:43

I love the name Cordelia. Fav play

Anlaf · 21/09/2017 21:34

Primary failings seem to be her disagreeing with Simon male brains do systems female brains do cushion covers Baron Cohen and suggesting that intersectionality (in the original sense) should be included in analysis of behaviour

Anlaf · 21/09/2017 21:31

I also saw that, and wondered. Some seem to be claiming that it's all part of this 49 genders nonsense.

It's possible that they, like me, have not read the book. And are reacting to what they imagine the book to cover

E.g. This tweet thread has been retweeted by people I think are alright twitter.com/clairlemon/status/910450626395381760

AssassinatedBeauty · 21/09/2017 21:31

This review popped up when I googled your phrase about ideology over biology: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2017/09/21/testosterone-rex-a-biased-polemic-wins-the-royal-society-book-prize/amp/

qumquat · 21/09/2017 21:24

I've seen a few tweets from people I normally agree with taking issue with his book. They are saying it puts ideology over biology. I loved Delusions of Gender and can't imagine this is any less rigorous. Does anyone know what the fuss is about?

Auldspinster · 20/09/2017 23:18

I knew her a bit when we were kids, she was lovely then.

53rdWay · 20/09/2017 16:01

Delusions of Gender is fab. I can't wait to read this one!

Trills · 20/09/2017 15:56

I just reread Delusions of Gender recently and in it she mentions that her mother is a novelist.

She's certainly very good at WRITING - science communication is very tricky.

notafish · 20/09/2017 15:48

That would also be Anne 'Bill's new frock' Fine.

JessicaEccles · 20/09/2017 14:57

I am surprised nobody has called her a TERF yet or demanded the book be banned...

YetAnotherSpartacus · 20/09/2017 14:38

Brian Cox ... swooooooon^

And eh hem ... Congrats Cordelia!

Original poster
DJBaggySmalls · 20/09/2017 14:27

Professor Brian Cox made some interesting comments;

''Cox, also the Royal Society’s professor for public engagement in science, added: “This year's prize goes to an exploration of gender and the scientific process more generally, and is considered by some to be provocative, although the very idea that a book about science as we currently understand it can be considered provocative tells me that there is something amiss in public discourse.”

I think he generally comes across as likeable and reasonable.

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CalmanOnSpeeddial · 20/09/2017 14:25

Congratulations Dr Fine (or is she a Professor?).

Wikipedia has informed me of the remarkable fact that she's the daughter of Anne "Killer Cat" Fine. Who knew?

Trills · 20/09/2017 14:19

www.the-pool.com/arts-culture/books/2017/35/katy-guest-meets-cordelia-fine-gender-bias-and-genetics

“This book is not politically correct; it is good science”, wrote Professor Agustin Fuentes, professor and chair, department of anthropology, University of Notre Dame

I liked this quote a lot.

"Political correctness" is just a phrase used for "something that I don't like because I prefer to hold onto my biases and prejudices".

Original poster
DJBaggySmalls · 20/09/2017 14:16

MrsTerryPratchett
Calculating - is that a Pratchett... Grin

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NoLoveofMine · 20/09/2017 10:58

This is excellent (also I think she's the third woman in a row to win this award). I loved 'Delusions of Gender' so will definitely be reading this - scientific research which is badly needed at the moment I think...

MrsTerryPratchett · 20/09/2017 02:54

Oh and @DJBaggySmalls I want my fucking towel back. Grin

MrsTerryPratchett · 20/09/2017 02:51

wildly.

Awesome work!

Do you think she's a MNer? I bet she is.

PricklyBall · 19/09/2017 21:41

Excellent - well done Cordelia. (Loved Delusions of Gender, must read Testosterone Rex).

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 19/09/2017 21:39

Her other book about the brain is very good too.
She is fab.