Today’s Headline of the Day is from CNN:
Kids’ brains may hold clues to future criminals
The story then begins by saying:
Who is going to grow up to become a criminal or psychopath? Current research in genetics and neuroscience may point towards answers to this question, opening up a whole host of ethical questions about culpability, justice and treatment. “Is there truly freedom of will, as the law assumes? Freedom of will may not be as free as many of us may think,” said Adrian Raine [pictured here at right] of the University of Pennsylvania. Experiments by Raine have found that by looking at the brains of 3-year-old children, scientists could already see signs of potential trouble in the future.
The story, like the research it describes, apparently has few facts and leaps to majestic conclusions. Thus it is a pleasure to read.
(Thanks to investigator Cris Russell for bringing this to our attention.)
BONUS: Track down the research described in the news report. Then track down analogous research done about corporate CEOs. Discuss the similarities and, if you can find them, the differences between those two piles of research.