The Brain as a Predictor

This item has been out on Facebook and now it is here in this blog.  "Brain structure differs in liberals, conservatives: study"

BLUF♠ 

It remains unclear whether the structural differences cause the divergence in political views, or are the effect of them.

Put another way, we don't know which way this thing flows.  And, of course, this little fact is buried.

Of course the article also plays to my belief that we don't understand the titles we assign in politics and my belief that often the titles obscure agreements and accentuate differences.

It is fun to read, but I don't think the reporter gives us any insight and understanding.  On the other hand, if folks try to take this to some logical Darwinian extreme we will end up where we were in the first half of the 20th Century, play with Eugenics.  While the flexible minded neo-liberals might like that, the more concerned conservatives might find that a little much.

And, as I trail off I wonder about the subjects chosen for this experiment.  We are told 90 "healthy young adults".  That tells me nothing.  What exactly are they a cross section of?

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Bottom Line Up Front.