Jack Stilgoe
@jackstilgoe.bsky.social
Professor in Science and Technology Studies, UCL @stsucl.bsky.social. Science policy, responsible innovation, emerging technologies. Book https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-32320-2. Responsible AI UK (www.rai.ac.uk)
Reposted by Jack Stilgoe
Race was the issue that exposed the bankruptcy of Watson's genetic determinism. In the 20th century, he made his reputation by staunchly championing the power of DNA. In the 21st, he torpedoed that reputation the same way. That is the great tragedy of James Watson.
19/n #JDWxNC
19/n #JDWxNC
November 8, 2025 at 11:22 PM
Race was the issue that exposed the bankruptcy of Watson's genetic determinism. In the 20th century, he made his reputation by staunchly championing the power of DNA. In the 21st, he torpedoed that reputation the same way. That is the great tragedy of James Watson.
19/n #JDWxNC
19/n #JDWxNC
Reposted by Jack Stilgoe
One thing that gets overlooked is that Watson's racism was intimately connected to his misconceived ideas about genetics.
November 8, 2025 at 10:23 AM
One thing that gets overlooked is that Watson's racism was intimately connected to his misconceived ideas about genetics.
Pretty much www.nature.com/articles/d41...
What Rosalind Franklin truly contributed to the discovery of DNA’s structure
Franklin was no victim in how the DNA double helix was solved. An overlooked letter and an unpublished news article, both written in 1953, reveal that she was an equal player.
www.nature.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Pretty much www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Beautiful. May this be bigger than Totoro!
November 7, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Beautiful. May this be bigger than Totoro!
New study suggests a creepy thing is correlated with a monetisable thing if you squirt in enough snake oil. Until people realise and start gaming it, at which point the whole thing obviously collapses.
November 7, 2025 at 3:43 PM
New study suggests a creepy thing is correlated with a monetisable thing if you squirt in enough snake oil. Until people realise and start gaming it, at which point the whole thing obviously collapses.
Hmm. Not sure I agree. The hype is such that lots of people are likely to take the money while privately thinking 'it'll never work'...
November 6, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Hmm. Not sure I agree. The hype is such that lots of people are likely to take the money while privately thinking 'it'll never work'...
Took it seriously or took the amount of money on the table seriously?
November 6, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Took it seriously or took the amount of money on the table seriously?