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The Clever Hans Effect (wikipedia.org)
34 points by delano on June 25, 2009 | hide | past | favorite | 3 comments



"Due to the large amount of public interest, the German board of education appointed a commission to investigate von Osten's scientific claims. ... This commission consisted of a veterinarian, a circus manager, a Cavalry officer, a number of school teachers, and the director of the Berlin zoological gardens."

That was in 1904. They really knew how to get things done back then.


Probably because in 1904, there wasn't a standardized "investigate a popular eccentric's scientific claims" process enshrined in the bureaucracy.


This is amazing. Definitely a must read.




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