Author Ken McLeod published this persuasive article:

The one thing [fiction] cannot do is help us to understand human nature and the motivations of other people. If it did, the work done in Departments of English (etc) Literature would be of enormous interest to Departments of (e.g.) Business Studies, Politics, and Sociology. Oddly enough it is not. For real insight into human behaviour, practical people turn to science.

He posted this as an April Fool. However, I have to say I find the argument pretty persuasive. Is April-1-Ken right?