bad science

FINALLY, this is the study by an evolutionary biologist that I've been waiting for, one that does not begin from the assumption that humans are the be-all and end-all of evolution nor that what humans think of (and the tiny bit we know about) human "intelligence" is the raison d'etre of evolution, even within homo sapiens.  Theorists have made this point but it is a rare experimental scientist who reverses the equation and the teleologies.  Carl Zimmer of the NY Times reports on Tadeusz Kawecki's work which begins by asking (FINALLY, again), "If it's so great to be smart, why have most animals remained dumb." Duh. Readers of this blog know that I've been flogging this one for a long time . . . but it's nice to have a distinguished evolutionary biologist working from this side of the equation.

Am I a hopeless optimist? Is the era of 'bad science' finally turning to one where sane, thoughtful, even visionary generalizations are flowing from all of the great computational findings that should make this one of humanity's great intellectual eras? If only our dopey prejudices didn't get in the way. . .