Crazy But Able

New autism theory postulates that autism is just the extreme end of the male side of the male-female brain difference spectrum. You know, the one that doesn’t exist.

UPDATE: Ann Althouse has more:

The author of this piece, Simon Baron-Cohen, posits that the increase in autism is “the genetic result of ‘assortative mating,’” as two strong systematizers have children together. He doesn’t go on to say it, but it seems necessary, if this is to be the theory, to have an idea why more strong systematizers are mating these days.

It’s outrageously politically incorrect to go where that theory seems to be headed and say that the women’s movement is to blame for autism. More women in the workplace means that more men meet and bond with women who share whatever brain type they have. It thus becomes more likely that two extreme brain types will have children together. In the pre-feminist set-up, men would be more likely to mate with women who would nuture and care for them. Her empathizing brain type would moderate his and save their children from autism. But in the modern world with equality of the sexes in a relationship, the man is much more likely to mate with someone who shares his qualities of mind. I’m not saying I believe this is what is happening. I’m just noting that this criticism of the women’s movement is lurking inside Baron-Cohen’s theory of autism.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 8th, 2005 at 2:05 pm and is filed under general foofiness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.