Fixed in an ancestral past that rewarded competitive men and caring women, these differences are supposedly recreated in each generation by sex hormones and male and female brains. Bestselling author cordelia fine introduces her brilliant new book testosterone rex, published by icon books in february 2017 testosterone rex is the powerful myth that squashes hopes of sex. When parents are expecting, one of the first things we want to know about their unborn child is whether its a boy or girl. After all, nobody actively signs up to these supposed philosophies. Testosterone rex an evening with cordelia fine the. From risk taking to competitiveness, we need to take an axe to powerful myths about sex differences, argues cordelia fine in her book testosterone rex. Jan 12, 2017 bestselling author cordelia fine introduces her brilliant new book testosterone rex, published by icon books in february 2017 testosterone rex is the powerful myth that squashes hopes of sex. I had read cordelia fine s earlier book, delusions of gender, a while back, enjoyed it greatly, and so i was eager to read her next book. Feb 23, 2017 testosterone rex myths of sex, science, and society by cordelia fine 266 pp. For fans of fine whose delusions of gender could have farreaching consequences as significant as the. Fines entertaining and thoughtful book is a valuable addition to the discussion about gender.
A new critique of cordelia fines testosterone rex why. Just two of the five judges fortey and gilbert are practicing scientists, one is a novelist, and one is a broadcaster. Sarah richardson, author of sex itself gender mosaic is the book ive been waiting for. Claudia hammond, also a broadcaster, has also written popular psychology books and also lectures on health and. Cordelia fine is a canadianborn british philosopher, psychologist and writer. Fine has a delightful writing style, combining personal anecdote and a great deal of humor with clear arguments and large amounts of evidence supporting her views.
Unmaking the myths of our gendered mind by cordelia fine is published by icon books at. Testosterone rex an evening with cordelia fine the royal. Biological sex is one of the primary ways in which we divide the social world. She is a full professor of history and philosophy of science at the university of melbourne, australia.
To briefly introduce myself, i am an academic psychologist at the university of melbourne, and a writer, with a particular focus in the past ten years on the. Sep 28, 2017 pretty much all of cordelia fines writings are exercises in creating these so called ad hoc hypotheses. Testosterone rex myths of sex, science, and society by cordelia fine 266 pp. Her latest book testosterone rex won the royal society science book prize, 2017. Beliefs about men and women are as old as humanity itself, but fines funny, spiky book gives reason to hope that weve heard testosterone rexs last roar. Oct 22, 2015 cordelia fine october 14, 2015 for decades, science has told us that biology defines gender differences.
Cordelia s most recent book, testosterone rex, won the royal society insight. If you hear a metallic rasp as you open the cover of cordelia fines new book, dont. Unmaking the myths of our gendered minds by psychologist and author cordelia fine is the 30th anniversary winner of the booker prize of science writing, the prestigious. The more i think about it, the more appalled i am that cordelia fine s polemic, testosterone rex, won the royal society book prize for popular science writing. Cordelia fine thank you very much for that lovely and generous introduction, and its a very great pleasure and honour to have been invited to speak at this conference, so thank you. But in light of the recent award by the royal society i felt that a. Her goal is to show that sex inequalities in society cannot be attributed to evolved sex differences in the brain and to mens high. In her new book, testosterone rex, she tackles the biggest myth of all.
Unmaking the myths of our gendered minds hardcover 2 mar. Testosterone rex by cordelia fine, 9781785783180, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Jan 12, 2017 10 best books of january 2017, according to amazons editors. In her new book testosterone rex, university of melbourne psychologist cordelia fine takes on this men are from mars, women are from venus myth. But when psychologist cordelia fine delved into evidence from neuroscience and endocrinology for her new book, testosterone rex, a very different picture emerged one which has important. Moving beyond the old nature versus nurture debates, testosterone rex reinvigorates hope and determination for a more equal future. The trouble with inventing a belief system and ascribing it to your opponents is that you might inadvertently have built a straw man. Unmaking the myths of our gendered minds paperback. Testosterone rex is an important, yet wickedly witty, book about the 21st century which touches on the current debates around identity and turns everything on its.
Claudia hammond, also a broadcaster, has also written popular psychology books and also lectures on health. By bring together evolutionary science, psychology, neuroscience and more, psychologist cordelia fine moves beyond old nature versus nurture debates to explain why its time to unmake this tyrannical myth. Testosterone rex brings together evolutionary science, psychology, neuroscience and social history to move beyond old nature versus nurture debates, and to explain why its time to unmake the tyrannical myth of testosterone rex. Testosterone, for instance, is not the potent hormonal essence of masculinity, and received wisdoms about differences between the sexes, from toy preferences to financial risk taking, are turned on their heads. In testosterone rex, psychologist cordelia fine wittily explains why past and present sex roles are only serving suggestions for the future, revealing a much more dynamic situation through an entertaining and welldocumented exploration of the latest research that draws on evolutionary science, psychology, neuroscience, endocrinology, and. In her new book testosterone rex, university of melbourne psychologist cordelia fine takes on this men are from mars, women are from.
Cordelias most recent book, testosterone rex, won the royal society insight. Testosterone rex, fines target, is the name she gives to that familiar, plausible, pervasive and powerful story of sex and society, which holds. Its that familiar and compelling set of interconnected beliefs that tells us. I had read cordelia fines earlier book, delusions of gender, a while back, enjoyed it greatly, and so i was eager to read her next book. In testosterone rex, cordelia fine addresses and destroys many of the myths around the perceived differences between men and womens brains. A demolition of the argument that traditional gender roles are hardwired. From risk taking to competitiveness, we need to take an axe to powerful myths about sex differences, argues cordelia fine.
Jan 25, 2017 in testosterone rex, psychologist cordelia fine wittily explains why past and present sex roles are only serving suggestions for the future, revealing a much more dynamic situation through an entertaining and welldocumented exploration of the latest research that draws on evolutionary science, psychology, neuroscience, endocrinology, and. This is obligatory reading for anyone interested in gender equality at work or home your views on sex differences will never be the same. Why testosterone rex is extinct cordelia fine life and. Testosterone rex by cordelia fine men, women and myths. Myths of sex, science, and society does the public service of deconstructing the biological and societal tenets on which the continued inequality of the sexes is largely founded. The more i think about it, the more appalled i am that cordelia fines polemic, testosterone rex, won the royal society book prize for popular science writing.
Testosterone rex is a disappointing and floundering answer to an alwaystimely subject. Myths of sex, science, and society by cordelia fine available from rakuten kobo. Cordelia fine october 14, 2015 for decades, science has told us that biology defines gender differences. Cordelia studied experimental psychology at oxford university, followed by an m. Cordelia fines testosterone rex wins 2017 royal society. Unmaking the myths of our gendered minds, by cordelia fine, icon, rrp. Testosterone rex by cordelia fine humans, fine confirms, may be highly suggestible but we are also malleable. Cordelia fine, an associate professor at the university of melbourne, is author of the muchacclaimed delusions of gender and a mind of its own. Review fine s funny, spiky book gives reason to hope that weve heard testosterone rex s last roar. Myths of sex, science, and society does the public service of deconstructing the biological and societal tenets on which the. Unmaking the myths of our gendered minds by cordelia fine hardcover.
Testosterone rex is the powerful myth the squashes hopes of sex equality by telling us that men and women have evolved different natures. Jan 24, 2017 testosterone rex by cordelia fine humans, fine confirms, may be highly suggestible but we are also malleable. Beliefs about men and women are as old as humanity itself, but fines funny, spiky book gives reason to hope that weve. Fine takes the reader on a journey through the past, present and future of biological, social and psychological research and tries to demystify testosterones influence on human behaviour. Cordelia fine was awarded the edinburgh medal 2018, a prestigious award that recognises scientists who have excelled in their field and contributed significantly to our understanding of humanity. Testosterone rex myths of sex, science, and society. Myths of sex, science, and society, cordelia fine tackles the question from the perspective that has generated the most discussion. A spirited polemic takes aim at biological sex differences. Jan 24, 2017 i had read cordelia fine s earlier book, delusions of gender, a while back, enjoyed it greatly, and so i was eager to read her next book. Its so much more disappointing because the book could have been so much more in the right hands. There is in fact a category of people who get unusually close to the truth about themselves and the world.
Fine has written three popular science books on the topics of social cognition, neuroscience, and the popular myths of sex differences. She received the award for her work in challenging gender bias in science for her contributions to public debates about gender equality. Cordelia s latest book, testosterone rex won the royal society insight investment science book prize 2017, and was shortlisted for the orwell prize 2018. Pdf testosterone rex download full pdf book download. We are an adapted species of course, but also unusually adaptable, writes fine. Unmaking the myths of our gendered minds new scientist. Cordelias second book, delusions of gender was shortlisted. Review fines funny, spiky book gives reason to hope that weve heard testosterone rexs last roar. Its a fascinating read that really makes you think about the actual differences between the sexes for example whats in your pants, which is definitely different, and our gendered cultural norms such as. Cordelia fine, author of testosterone rex a powerpacked manifesto that envisions what our world might look like if we let go of tired gender stereotypes. But what if the scientists and popular culture have got it wrong.
Enlightening, funny and never dogmatic, joel plumbs the science, offering great insights into how. Like the tape measures and weighing scales of the victorian brain scientists have been supplanted by powerful neuroimaging technologies, but there is still a lesson to be learned from historical examples such as these. Their selfperceptions are more balanced,they assign responsibility for success and failure more evenhandedly, and their predictions for the future are more realistic. Testosterone rex is the powerful myth that squashes hopes of sex equality by telling us that men and women have evolved different natures. Mar 01, 2017 unmaking the myths of our gendered minds.