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“Both sides knew that discrediting Burt was an appealing way of discrediting this ideas—even in science, evidence rarely stands or falls on its own merits, but by the reputation of its champions. A genius therefore becomes the human embodiment of a political argument—and smashing the genius’ reputation is a more compelling way of demolishing that argument than a tedious, footnoted appeal to the facts.” — Helen Lewis
Both sides knew that discrediting Burt was an appealing way of discrediting this ideas—even in science, evidence rarely stands or falls on its own merits, but by the reputation of its champions. A genius therefore becomes the human embodiment of a political argument—and smashing the genius’ reputation is a more compelling way of demolishing that argument than a tedious, footnoted appeal to the facts.