Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society

Fine writes in a way that brilliantly organizes and explains an issue of extreme complexity and even greater importance. She argues in a way that even the most adamant sexist can't help but agree with. Combine the two and the result is a book that is both delightful to read and monumentally impactful for the future of human society. For your sake and my own, please read it.

A lot of the same tired arguments are trotted out when equality for women is discussed, and right now they tend to boil down to the same things: We've done enough; women can get those better jobs if they _really_ want them; and we can't fight Human Nature. This book attacks the premise that men are dominant in the workplace and the world because of the Almighty Testosterone, and it doesn't throw evolutionary biology out the window while doing so. Instead, a picture is painted wherein behavior is influenced by a complex combination of adaptive genes, hormones, and developmental environment. The most interesting bit to me was when she picked apart the studies on male and female behavior and pointed out how they were poorly designed, and how way too much was extrapolated from somewhat less than impressive data. I worry this book will bounce right off the people it's intended to debunk though- it even states at one point that it's easier to say testosterone = male superiority and call it a day than it is to examine the huge network of environmental and social factors that drive gendered behavior. Still, it was a worthy effort and an interesting read.

I found this book interesting and well-written. Challenges the knee-jerk response to blame testosterone for all conceived differences between men and women's personalities and skills. Personally, I think that her other book, "Delusions of Gender", was much stronger and well-written, but this one was worth the money as well. However, if you are torn between buying "Testosterone Rex" and "Delusions of Gender", buy "Delusions of Gender"! It's one of those books everyone should read.

This book won the 2017 Science Book Prize from the Royal Society, one of the most prestigious scientific organizations in the world. For scientific credibility, that award is quite an endorsement. FYI, if you are looking for good science books in general, here is the rest of the short list for that prize: Beyond Infinity by Eugenia Cheng I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong In Pursuit of Memory by Joseph Jebelli Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith To Be a Machine by Mark O'Connell

This is well-written and well-researched. My major problem with it is that it's not always clear what thesis she's critiquing. At times she seems to be attacking the claim that hormones determine behavior, but what she means by "determine" is vague. Some of her arguments are targeted against a kind of hard determinism (which is so implausible as to be easy to knock down), and at other times the causal relationship seems to be one of influence, but not necessary connection (as Hume would say). Still, she covers a lot of research that illustrates the complexity of the relationship between hormones, genetics and behavior, which is important to recognize, given the oversimplification of their relationship in popular media (as she notes time and again). If you already grasp that the relationship is complex and there is no simple causal line from hormones to gendered behavior, the book feels like a sustained attack on a dead opponent. But definitely it's worth a read if you think there's a simple causal link and are willing to be challenged, or if you want to gain a greater appreciation of the complex interactions between hormones and behavior.

Wonderful book! Well-written, solid and enjoyable. Yet another chisel in a growing pile to chip away at the "gender-brain" monolith. Interesting that the vast majority of 1-star reviews are unverified purchases posted within a short time-frame.

I am fiercely devoted to Cordelia Fine, yall. She is my feminist spirit animal. Full of daring, thoughtful, well-meaning insight and I love her attention to detail and wit.

Great, well researched pop science but in a conversational style.

Fine forensically dismantles the views, held by many, that gender and sex are identical. Essential reading for anyone with a sceptical mind.

In her very amusing writing, she explains the difficulty of unbiased research- especially when dealing with the sensitive topic of humanity itself and its understanding of gender and sexuality. She explains, why asking the right question is so important and why choosing a proper trial makes all the difference. In conclusion, it is clear that the long standing myth that women are inferior and weak and risk averse is actually NOT scientifically proven. And that the cave man- myth is just that: a myth.

Following recent efforts by a historian and some journalists, finally a book on sex differences by a scientist, one studying both evolutionary and mechanistic (e.g. “T”) influences on maleness and femaleness. Here’s hoping that “T: The Story of Testosterone” will help swing back the pendulum against widespread mythinformation about this topic, including the straw man that effects of biology (including T) on behaviour are innate and immutable. Author Dr. Carole Hooven gives examples of how how the environment could moderate the effects of T on men (including a memorable “thought experiment” on how Buddhist monks with a boost in T might behave). Clearly, differences in social environments can generate variation in the behaviour of us humans, including in some potentially biologically adaptive ways. Misinformation about sex-differences science is expected because discussions are so easily coloured by politics. T’s author cleverly illustrates this with an incident early in her academic development where she admits to her own bias when using non-scientific grounds to dismiss a published ‘natural history’ hypothesis for rape. “T” is a book of evidence, showing both that “typical” sex differences are real and to a large extent supporting biological explanations.

Elijo esta valoración porque ha sido fácil dar con el producto. Se ha cumplido el plazo de entrega y el pedido se ajustó perfectamente a lo solicitado en la compra.

Well- researched and written, accessibly and ascerbic. Excellent book and great arguments with which to meet the conservative and misogynist promotion of transgender ideology.