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.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Well, I have something interesting to add to the table. It doesn't concern race but the language one uses for math. Tests have shown that people taking math tests from Asian countries outscore those from English-speaking ones, and the French lag far behind.

The purported reason is that many Asian languages (no, I'm not an expert on that) have a logical progression in the way each set of 10 is counted. 1 through 9 are following by ten-1 through 9, twenty-1 through 9, etc., etc.

Unfortunately, in English the rules are thrown out the window for the numbers in the teens. And, if you know your French, you know how convoluted the numbering system is, based on units of 20 when you reach 80. I mean, c'mon: four twenty thirteen = 93!?! Twenties PLUS teens to memorise?

So, if any of the standardised tests are mathematical, the language issue may be a more significant reason for visible differences between various groups.

Anyway, just my two cents' worth.
H.

[sorceror.livejournal.com]

So what about people of Asian ancestry who grow up with English or French as their first language?

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

Well, one wouldn't know for sure unless they self-identified. In my case, both my parents were Polish and I was born in Canada ::waves little flag:: BUT I didn't learn English until I went to kindergarten. So, presumably, I would have learned the Polish numbers before English ones (hey, I'm old and can't remember that far back!).

But, my point still is the ease with which math and language mesh. Or don't. And that has shown up to create a difference in test scores.
H.

Re: Racial Genetics and Intelligence.

[capj.livejournal.com]

Also the variation amoung Varieties (races) within the Human Species (race) is much greater than the difference between the Varities, so that you can still find plenty of "Whites" with a higher IQ than a given Oriental, etc.