The publication in 2000 of Darkness in El Dorado by Patrick Tierney created a firestorm of controversy in the International Anthropological community. In this book, Tierney discusses a variety of ethical and scientific issues surrounding anthropological studies during the 1960s and 19702 of the Yanomamo people of Brazil. The main protagonist (antihero?) of this tale of alleged ethical and scientific misconduct is University of Michigan cultural anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon, whose book Yanomamo: The Fierce People was one of the best selling ethnographies of all time. Tierney criticizes Chagnon's behavior as unethical, and questions some of Chagnon's major conclusions concerning Yanomamo society, especially the notion that violence among Yanomamo males was an evolutionary strategy rewarded by greater fitness. I've made available a sample of reviews of Tierney's book and journalistic pieces about the Anthropological reaction to Tierney's charges for you to read on Mediafire. I'm looking forward to your reactions to this very controversial issue.
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Chagnon, the Yanomamo, and Darkness at El Dorado
The publication in 2000 of Darkness in El Dorado by Patrick Tierney created a firestorm of controversy in the International Anthropological community. In this book, Tierney discusses a variety of ethical and scientific issues surrounding anthropological studies during the 1960s and 19702 of the Yanomamo people of Brazil. The main protagonist (antihero?) of this tale of alleged ethical and scientific misconduct is University of Michigan cultural anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon, whose book Yanomamo: The Fierce People was one of the best selling ethnographies of all time. Tierney criticizes Chagnon's behavior as unethical, and questions some of Chagnon's major conclusions concerning Yanomamo society, especially the notion that violence among Yanomamo males was an evolutionary strategy rewarded by greater fitness. I've made available a sample of reviews of Tierney's book and journalistic pieces about the Anthropological reaction to Tierney's charges for you to read on Mediafire. I'm looking forward to your reactions to this very controversial issue.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Cognitive Enhancers
According to media reports, it's the latest and greatest craze on competitive college campuses across the country! What are we speaking of? The use of stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall, that are typically prescribed for ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), by normal (often overachieving!) college students to improve their academic performance, or just to stay up all night studying or writing papers.Check out this video on the topic.
Also read this piece (profs helper.pdf) from the journal Nature.
Search the Web a bit and read some media reports about the alarming rates of abuse of these drugs. Tell us some particulars of what you found in your comments to this blog.
Finally, tell us what you think about the ethical issues involved? Does any of this seem relevant for you as graduate students? What about from teh perspective of medical students? Or undergraduates trying to get into med school? Any problems with people just trying to get a little edge on the competition in this way?
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