www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall James Watson says Blacks less intelligent

Here's the story:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/10/18/science.race/index.html

I have a provocative question. What would we do if we in fact found out empirically that there are race-based genetic differences in intelligence? Or even sex-based differences? Would we have to a priori reject such studies and such evidence? I am asking this not because I think that there are race based genetic differences. But I am curious as to how we might explain things if such differences showed up empirically and what we would make of it. What if they found that Swedes grew slightly smaller brains than Germans? Or that certain kinds of neurotransmitters necessary for mathematical reasoning were healthier and more plentiful in Chinese than in English people? And what if this could be explained by natural selection?

Joe

Hmmm well intelligence I don't know what we would do, but on a related note it is proven fact that Ukrainain females are best looking of our species. Just thought I would throw that in.

Here is another article that explains what is going on and gives a little history of Dr. Watson's many controversial claims.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...232&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=

Another question. What if Dr. Watson had claimed that studies show that blacks, on the whole, are superior to whites in intelligence?

Joe

I've noticed that the Romanian girls are cute too.

I have not seen the science which supports his claims. It is a political folly to say what he did, even if he finds evidence to support his claim.

Terry

Agreed. I am not trying to support him or his views. Still, if it did turn out to be true empirically that different races really did have different levels of intelligence, would it be racist to acknowledge it?

Joe

It would be seen that way, just like it would be sexist to say that men and women are different. (Former Harvard President got booted over that one, and he was basing his opinion on documented science.)

Terry

Ironically, some schools of feminism hold that men and women are ontologically different (with women being superior of course).

Joe

I've seen that one. I think the religius of that school say that God is female too.

Terry

Even if it were true -- and I don't believe there's any basis to this Antebellum charge -- it would mean nothing about their capacity to respond to the Gospel or share in the life of the Trinity. Ethiopians were writing hymns to the Trinity while pagan Europeans were sacrificing humans.

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Western Orthodoxy Blog [westernorthodox.blogspot.com]

Watson is notorious for saying stupid things.

Plus, finding evidence to support that claim does not make it so. This is a matter of an interpretation of data he collected, and that's a matter of debate.

I would agree with everything you say here.

Terry

There was a study done recently profiling the average IQ's of the European peoples.

The Germans and Dutch were the smartest, with an average IQ of 102 if I recall correctly. The English and (surprisingly, since it seems to break with the Northern European pattern) the Italians were next, with 101. The French were the lowest in IQ among Western Europeans, but almost all Eastern Europeans were quite a bit below Western Euros in terms of average IQ. Greeks were quite low; Albanians, I think, were the lowest in all of Europe.

Alexis

Not that I believe any of that for sure, but it was interesting nonetheless!

Alexis

Here's an article dealing with what I just mentioned. Seems I got some of the numbers wrong but the general gist was still correct.

Seems the Poles are actually quite smart!! LOL

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages...in_article_id=381057&in_page_id=1770

Alexis