Race, Intelligence, & Genetics or How James Watson pissed off a lot of people.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Kidicious

Of course he's racist. Why wouldn't you have a clue about that?


We are afraid of racism.

Let's stamp it out through political witch-hunts and suppression of free speech!

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Kidicious


Fine, but what is the purpose of this type of research?

A scientist could probably provide a better answer, but my answer would be knowledge. We research lots of stuff with no immediate or recognizable benefits. Things build on one another.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Kidicious


Fine, but what is the purpose of this type of research?

Personally, I'm hoping the results will put an end to racial preferences.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Caligastia


Let's stamp it out through political witch-hunts and suppression of free speech!

I said nothing about preventing this research. I'm just saying that those who choose to fund it and do it are racists. There might be some value to it if some discovery is made from it.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Caligastia


Personally, I'm hoping the results will put an end to racial preferences.

Not likely. There's no scientific discovery that can do that. If you have a racial preference that has nothing to do with science, unless you want to call psychology a science.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Kidicious


Not likely. There's no scientific discovery that can do that. If you have a racial preference that has nothing to do with science, unless you want to call psychology a science.

I'm referring to "Affirmative Action" programs.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Kidicious


I said nothing about preventing this research. I'm just saying that those who choose to fund it and do it are racists. There might be some value to it if some discovery is made from it.

You don't think that accusing people who research this "racists" prevents anything?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Caligastia
I'm referring to "Affirmative Action" programs.

Care to explain before we go further?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Caligastia
You don't think that accusing people who research this "racists" prevents anything?

No it doesn't prevent it. There has been more than enough of this type of research done as far as I'm concerned. I don't think much has been prevented.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Kidicious


Care to explain before we go further?

I am talking about attempts to create equal outcomes in education and employment through the use of racial preferences and quotas.

No it doesn't prevent it. There has been more than enough of this type of research done as far as I'm concerned. I don't think much has been prevented.

If you think there has been enough already, then you must think that there has been a decisive scientific answer to the questions of race and intelligence. Do you feel like sharing?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Ecthy
Wrong questions, Pekka. The very western notion of "intelligence" is what's bull****. Human cognitive abilities grow in a social environment, so it is impossible to even compare the "intelligence" of 2 people from markedly different social environments. Our perception of the IQ is mostly based on a mathematical-logical set of cognitive abilities. I'd be surprised if someone told me that a) black African societies or b) black minority groups in any white-dominated societies had the same socio-cultural background manifested in their education as whites did. So while they might respond as "less intelligent" according to the tests, it says nothing about their physical capacity (edit: to intelligence, as defined by their brain design).

Alternatively, our metrics could be perfectly fine, and different social conditions have a significant effect on IQ.

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by Caligastia


Personally, I'm hoping the results will put an end to racial preferences.

How precisely do you think that's going to be achieved?

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
Ecthy is spot on here. IQ tests are total bullcrap and measure little but the ability to do IQ tests.

That is incorrect. Many tests do measure mostly test-taking ability, but IQ tests are a fairly good measure of intelligence at least within cultures.

[Barnabas]

I argued this with Vet like half a year ago, maybe I confused the poster and it was someone else

He said eastern asians like koreans or japanese were the smartest race due to genetic reasons, I asked, shouldnt amerindians, since deep down they are also east asians, have better iq results or be wealthier?
And he said that jews are the smartest ethnic group, and that they got this smart in less than a millenium due to selection, jews having intelectual professions etc so than in 10.000 years (the time of the migration thru bering) a lot could have changed.

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by Kontiki


How precisely do you think that's going to be achieved?

Proof of inherent racial differences in intelligence will destroy the justification for racial preferences. These types of programs are based on the assumption that environment completely explains performance differences across groups.