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Galileo's Middle Finger: Heretics, Activists, and One Scholar's Search for Justice by Alice Dreger
mchester24's review against another edition
4.0
Alice Dreger gives a deep insight into the collision of the scientific and activist worlds-- through her personal accounts in a number of these controversial battles-- in this compelling read. Though most of the story centers on Dreger's work as a historian of science, she finds herself right in the middle of the debate about people born as intersex, transgender, and with ambiguous genitalia. What starts as a story of Dreger as a feminist champion of intersex and transgender rights when it comes to societal, and more specifically in the medical community, acceptance quickly changes into a discussion of how people interpret science the way they want to, how activist groups will cherry pick stories and data, and what it means to search for truth. Despite being on the side of the transgender and intersex activists, she finds that some of the science purported by her colleagues is falsified and unethical and ends up working as a champion for someone on the opposite side of the issue-- whose reputation is being slandered 'for the cause.'
Despite being a fascinating read for these specific issues, the broader takeaways from this book that took it from 3 stars to 4 stars for me was the enlightening views into how the scientific community and the Fourth Estate interact in today's world. Too often people are looking to publish quick without proper peer review for the quick monetary wins for their institutes and satisfying headlines. Too often activists are quick to jump one on shaky scientific conclusion that fits their narrative, and even go a step further and maliciously attack a scientist who is merely pursuing a truth-- but that truth does not fit into the activists' preferred narrative.
In the end it is a very eye-opening look into how we should digest scientific studies and breakthroughs if we want to be informed, ethical, and responsible citizens. The lessons can apply to any number of today's heated debates-- climate change, vaccinations, sociobiology, end-of-life medical interventions, and more. No matter which side of a debate you find yourself, it is critical to look for errors and holes in the science you read, objectively consider an author's potential conflict of interests, and not rush to judgment on any topic or researcher. This book gives a painful look at what can happen to advocates of science when any of the above goes wrong.
Despite being a fascinating read for these specific issues, the broader takeaways from this book that took it from 3 stars to 4 stars for me was the enlightening views into how the scientific community and the Fourth Estate interact in today's world. Too often people are looking to publish quick without proper peer review for the quick monetary wins for their institutes and satisfying headlines. Too often activists are quick to jump one on shaky scientific conclusion that fits their narrative, and even go a step further and maliciously attack a scientist who is merely pursuing a truth-- but that truth does not fit into the activists' preferred narrative.
In the end it is a very eye-opening look into how we should digest scientific studies and breakthroughs if we want to be informed, ethical, and responsible citizens. The lessons can apply to any number of today's heated debates-- climate change, vaccinations, sociobiology, end-of-life medical interventions, and more. No matter which side of a debate you find yourself, it is critical to look for errors and holes in the science you read, objectively consider an author's potential conflict of interests, and not rush to judgment on any topic or researcher. This book gives a painful look at what can happen to advocates of science when any of the above goes wrong.
jinxruby's review against another edition
Very interesting subject matter but as someone who knows almost nothing about the academic side of gender ideas it was very confusing. It read more as a summary of events and didn’t make much of a point, which I had really hoped it would build to.
melissa_who_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Not entirely sure where I end up on this book; I found it readable and interesting, a profound personal journey of scholarship and activism - she raises many thoughtful questions, but I think there are more questions to ask. As always, there are more questions.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
This was fascinating... and hard to describe. Dreger is an historian of science & anatomy and an activist. She has melded those two seemingly different worldviews into an interesting and sometimes controversial career. Her book is part career memoir, part case-studies and part philosophy, and incidentally, often amusing. After doing her thesis on the medical establishment's treatment of people born with non-standard anatomy during the Victorian times, Dreger discovered that current practices continued to be dangerous and unhelpful (in her view) and she became an activist for intersex rights. After years of activism, she also discovered many researchers and scientists whose careers, and personal lives, have been trashed when they've published work that is unacceptable to some activists. She got to know the scientists and their work and concluded that their results were valid and they had been mistreated by some of her activist colleagues. Another project led her to discover a doctor/researcher who has been unethically using human subjects for a long term study. Dreger has thought a lot about the roles of scientists, researchers, activists, the media and what it all means for the future of democracy. She reminds us that good people can do unethical things and bad people can do good things, that hard data is critically important and that we need people pushing for both truth and justice if we're going to 'get it right.'
themandapanda's review against another edition
3.0
I don't think it was exactly what it said on the tin, but what it did contain was still interesting.
jrobles76's review against another edition
5.0
A great read that really draws you in to the drama behind activism and science, and when the two seem to disagree. I actually had read one of the books at the center of one of the controversies, and it is interesting how people will judge something they haven't read. This attests to the responsibility that leaders have to be honest. If you tell your followers or friends something, they will take your word for it. The author even admits that, since she saw many of these controversies from the outside, she also believed the "party line" as it were. I learned a few new things about ideas that I had just accepted. The hope of the author is that one day we will work together to discover truth, whether that truth is uncomfortable or not. Our beliefs should not stymie research just because the knowledge might force us to view the world differently.
This is a book that should be discussed in schools.
This is a book that should be discussed in schools.
kchiappone's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to the audiobook. I enjoyed a good portion of this book, but around the halfway point I grew very tired of its content. Dreger describes grudges between academic personalities and it's sort of like a description of a party where a whole bunch of stuff went down, but you weren't there. And it goes on and on.
In short, I very much enjoyed the parts that were about the science and the "before we thought, but now we think..." kind of stuff. I understand that politics plays a hefty role in science, but the internal politics of academia was quite boring.
In short, I very much enjoyed the parts that were about the science and the "before we thought, but now we think..." kind of stuff. I understand that politics plays a hefty role in science, but the internal politics of academia was quite boring.