Racial Genetics and Intelligence.

[swestrup]

Here's a balanced series of articles on an extremely touchy subject: The correlations between genetics and IQ. As James D. Watson recently found out, speculating on the correlations between race and IQ can quickly get one in hot water. Then again, I have to admit that I think that Watson was an idiot for saying what he did, when he did, and not just because it was politically incorrect. There's little evidence to show that Watson interpreted any of the many studies referenced in that first link in anything other than a prejudicial light.

That doesn't mean that the correlations don't exist though. Personally, I'm not much upset to learn that the average Asian is smarter than the average North American white, and that the average Jew is smarter yet. Then again, I've never self-identified as an average anything. Its also true that its not likely that anyone is ever going to point to those studies as some asinine excuse to deny me a job. Your mileage, of course, may vary.

You may well ask why I chose to post on such a touchy subject. I have to admit that I thought about it a fair bit before doing so. In the end my reasons were probably expressed as well in the articles as I possibly could:

Why write about this topic? Why hurt people's feelings? Why gratify bigots?

Because truth matters. Because the truth isn't as bad as our ignorant, half-formed fears and suspicions about it. And because you can't solve a problem till you understand it.

And frankly, I think that any actual racial IQ difference will all be moot soon anyway, as new mind- and body-manipulation technologies come online in the next 20 years.

Comments

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

Eh, I'd think it was important to talk about *if* I thought IQ meant something, but all existing attempts at measuring intelligence are bollocks as far as I'm concerned. (And I say that as someone who gets high scores on IQ tests.)

[swestrup]

Well, as the articles themselves point out, it may not be exactly clear what IQ measures, but there is a strong correlation between doing well on IQ tests and doing well in North American society.

Which, of course, is no guarantee of anything.

[sps.livejournal.com]

The hypothesis that IQ means nothing is easily defeated. The hypothesis that IQ means what most people think it means is rubbish, as is the hypothesis that race means what most people think it means.

There are two entirely different discussions to be had, here; one is GIGO, but the other is relevant.

It's like the evolution debate, actually. The fact that the majority of the population is lying or confused about what evolution is does not mean that there's no cause to do biology.