Talent: Don't confuse necessity with sufficiency, or science with policy
Ellen Winner a1 a1 Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
ellen.winner@bc.edu
Abstract
Howe et al. fail to provide evidence that practice is
sufficient and ignore evidence of high ability before
instruction. They unsuccessfully discount savants; provide weak
evidence against heritability of music, criticize retrospective
evidence selectively, using it when it supports their position; and
ultimately both accept and deny talent. Finally, they conflate a
scientific question with one of policy.
