AUTISM AND BRANDOLINI’S LAW: WHY MEDICINE MAY BE STUCK IN THE WRONG PARADIGM
In 2013, Italian programmer Alberto Brandolini formulated an observation that quickly spread far beyond the world of technology:
THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY NEEDED TO REFUTE NONSENSE IS AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE GREATER THAN THAT NEEDED TO PRODUCE IT
Originally applied to political discourse, this principle—now known as Brandolini’s Law—describes a deeper human tendency: simple explanations, even when incomplete or incorrect, are far easier to create, repeat, and defend than complex truths.
Medicine is not immune to this phenomenon.
Few areas demonstrate this more clearly than autism.
For decades, autism has been framed primarily as a behavioral disorder.
This framing shaped not only clinical practice but also education systems, insurance policies, and research priorities. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) became the dominant therapeutic model worldwide. Governments endorsed it. Universities institutionalized it. Entire professional ecosystems