Three Forms of Neurorealism: Explaining the Persistence of the “Uncritically Real” in Popular Neuroscience News
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Three Forms of Neurorealism : Explaining the Persistence of the “Uncritically Real” in Popular Neuroscience News. / Gruber, David R.
In: Written Communication, Vol. 34, No. 2, 2017, p. 189-223.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Three Forms of Neurorealism
T2 - Explaining the Persistence of the “Uncritically Real” in Popular Neuroscience News
AU - Gruber, David R
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Neuro-realism is a widely cited concept describing a textual phenomenon in popular science news wherein brain research uncritically validates or invalidates the “realness” of particular beliefs or practices. Currently, no research on neuro-realism examines the variable rhetorical roles of such statements, that is, how they support specialized arguments or enhance social functions across genres of public communication. This article details the nuances of neuro-realism, arguing that neuro-realism is much more than a singular textual phenomenon but a flexible rhetorical vehicle manifesting in at least three forms: commonsense, judicial, and rational. Each form serves a larger argumentative purpose, and each can be consistently linked to a popular news subgenre, illuminating how neuro-realism’s stunning lack of criticality proves permissible and reproducible in popular science publications.
AB - Neuro-realism is a widely cited concept describing a textual phenomenon in popular science news wherein brain research uncritically validates or invalidates the “realness” of particular beliefs or practices. Currently, no research on neuro-realism examines the variable rhetorical roles of such statements, that is, how they support specialized arguments or enhance social functions across genres of public communication. This article details the nuances of neuro-realism, arguing that neuro-realism is much more than a singular textual phenomenon but a flexible rhetorical vehicle manifesting in at least three forms: commonsense, judicial, and rational. Each form serves a larger argumentative purpose, and each can be consistently linked to a popular news subgenre, illuminating how neuro-realism’s stunning lack of criticality proves permissible and reproducible in popular science publications.
U2 - 10.1177/0741088317699899
DO - 10.1177/0741088317699899
M3 - Journal article
VL - 34
SP - 189
EP - 223
JO - Written Communication
JF - Written Communication
SN - 0741-0883
IS - 2
ER -
ID: 215412323