At Gene Expression, Razib casts a skeptical eye on a study of the neuroanatomical variability of religiosity.
not unique to processing religion [the study states], but play major roles in social
cognition. This implies that religious beliefs and behavior emerged not as sui generis evolutionary adaptations, but as an extension (some would say “by product”) of social cognition and behavior.
May
be something to that, Razib says — but it would be nice “get in on the
game of normal human variation in religious orientation
(as opposed to studies of mystical brain states which seem focused on
outliers).”
The Atlantic Wire rounds up reactions to Obama’s case for more and longer school days. TAPPED, meanwhile, opines that Obama is winning on education.
One reason? States are passing reform tweaks in order to compete in the
$4.3 billion “Race to the Top” competition. Money talks.
Dawdy notes a BMJ study linking (again) antidepressants to raised (but still low) rates of birth defects in women taking some antidepressants in the first trimester. An extremely tricky issue.
The President describes the puzzlement of other world leaders that trying to give everyone healthcare comes off as a fascism. (H/T TPM)
“One of the [G20] leaders, I won’t mention who it was, he comes up to
me and … he says, ‘Barack, explain to me this health care debate.’ He
says, ‘We don’t understand it. You’re trying to make sure everyone has
health care and they’re putting a Hitler moustache on you. That doesn’t
make sense to me, explain that to me,'” Obama said. “He didn’t
understand.”