The Web site of the Ludwig von Mises Institute – devoted to promoting right-wing politics and the laissez-faire economics of von Mises, Fred Hayek, and their ilk (what is it about these right-wing economics cults, anyway?; Ayn Rand was only the most flamboyant) – has now delved into neurobiology in an apparent attempt to prove either that people who aren’t laissez-faire right-wingers aren’t using their brains right, or that the way they use their brains has nothing to do with how they think, or something. At any rate, they are hosting a critical piece by “Lucretius” – a self-described neurobiologist who for some reason can’t give his real name – attacking recent fMRI studies characterizing brain processes associated with moral reasoning. Lucretius is embarrassed to be caught doing his thinking with his old, unevolved monkey-brain, and protests at length and much too loudly that the size of your neocortex doesn’t matter after all.

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