[Newsbot]

<strong>Title: </strong> <a href="/link.php?id=26151" target="_blank">Africans are less intelligent than Westerners </a> (click to view)

<strong>Category:</strong> <a href="/news/topic/9-science" target="_blank">Science</a>
<strong>Posted By: </strong> <a href="/modules.php?name=Your_Account&op=userinfo&username=Hyack" target="_blank">Hyack</a>
<strong>Date: </strong> 2007-10-17 10:52:09

[usababe]

wow.

[Brenda]

Well, all blondes are dumb too, so what's the news here?

[Knoss]

$1:

Well, all blondes are dumb too, so what's the news here?

But aren't all the blonde Africans of Dutch decent?

[Brenda]

[camerontech]

I knew it!!!!














kidding

[ShepherdsDog]

Is he perhaps confusing culture (and education is part of culture) with intelligence? I've never bought into the cultural relativism shit and Canada and the US seem to prove that.

[neopundit]

It's pretty obvious that the article is trying to portray this guy as a nutjob, and I don't really believe he is. I believe he's just your stereotypical scientist, blurting out what's on his mind without thinking of the results of his political incorrectness.

He is not saying that all Africans are less intelligent than all westerners. He states, explicitly:

$1:

"There is no firm reason to anticipate that the intellectual capacities of peoples geographically separated in their evolution should prove to have evolved identically.

And I completely agree. Why wouldn't there be inherent differences in people that have evolved in completely different contexts?

What he did wrong was to extrapolate broad scientific theory into political policy recommendations. There is no reason to think that the most intelligent Africans are any less "smart" than the most intelligent westerners, at least in my opinion.

Without being able to read the basis for his statement, it's impossible for us to judge how "scientific" his methodology is. But, as a Nobel Laureate, I'll put his abilities ahead of anyone on this board at doing empirical research. It's obvious from the article he's been a controversial figure for some time, and I think this has led to observers looking for controversy in his claims.

[hwacker]

$1:

He said there was a natural desire that all human beings should be equal but "people who have to deal with black employees find this not true".

And your point is?

[Knoss]

I did read of a study which suggested that natural red heads are more aggressive and which directly lined the gene which causes aggression with the gene which causes red hair.

Of course there are numerous genes responsible for aggression and many more for all the types of intelligence which exist.

I think this research is of no practical use, and that race should not be used in determining people’s intellectual capabilities. But, to say Dr. Watson is committing a hate crime is completely outrageous.

[neopundit]

Knoss Knoss:

I think this research is of no practical use, and that race should not be used in determining people’s intellectual capabilities. But, to say Dr. Watson is committing a hate crime is completely outrageous.

I'll agree and disagree.

I think there's something wrong with your wording: race is not being used to determine intellectual capability. It is an examination into whether there are ties between race and intelligence.

You're right though, of what possible use is the research? Probably not good for much more than stirring up controversy from the PC police. Again, I've not read anything but this article, but even if it were found that there was a statistically significant difference of IQ between two races, of say, 3 points, does that mean anything in practical terms? Probably not, but that's not to say the research shouldn't be conducted.

His wrong doing was taking an inductive theory and trying to apply it to politics, something obviously out of his realm.

I do agree that any accusations of racial hate crimes are ridiculous.

[Brenda]

The story is kinda vague, imho, so what I wonder is: does he mean Africans in Africa, and what African country does he mean, or does he mean all African countries, or does he mean African-Americans?

Fact is, that more "westerners" go to school on a more regular basis than for instance Etheopians do. If education and intelligence is equal in his research, he might have a point.

But if he researched just intelligence, I find it kinda hard to believe.

[neopundit]

Brenda Brenda:

Fact is, that more "westerners" go to school on a more regular basis than for instance Etheopians do. If education and intelligence is equal in his research, he might have a point.

But if he researched just intelligence, I find it kinda hard to believe.

Intelligence and education are not the same. Though the ability to measure it is pretty controversial, your level intelligence never changes and, obviously, your level of education does.

What is it specifically that you find so hard to believe? Had this been something as simple as Africans are taller than westerners there would be no controversy at all. If you believe IQ to be a biological trait, and height to be be the same, what's the difference?

[Brenda]

I know that Neo, I am not a black person

I don't believe in these random researches. See, Dutch people are the tallest in the world. I am 1.64 m It is too average, and I have a hard time believing that. Sorry.

Africa is a huge continent, and not every african is black, nor is every african tested. What did he research exactly? Why was his conclusion africans are less intelligent than westerners? Which ones? Europeans or North-Americans, or even Australians? And only white westerners?
Or did he research the mediteranean too? And the immigrants from africa?

Sooo many questions

[neopundit]

Brenda Brenda:

I know that Neo, I am not a black person

Zing!

Brenda Brenda:

I don't believe in these random researches. See, Dutch people are the tallest in the world. I am 1.64 m It is too average, and I have a hard time believing that. Sorry.

It isn't really random. However, that's a pretty serious flaw in your logic. Because you are not tall, you dismiss research that says that, on average, the Dutch are the tallest people?

Brenda Brenda:

Africa is a huge continent, and not every african is black, nor is every african tested. What did he research exactly?

You're absolutely correct, what did he research exactly? The controversy arose from his comments about political policy. Once again, however, as a Nobel Laureate (him, not me) I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt that his research was scientifically sound.