Hi.
I was wondering about this. I've noticed that apparently in the whole "race and intelligence" controversy, about links between race and intelligence, about how much if any is genetic, and so forth, that there seems to be argument about two fundamental issues: whether "race" is "real", and how to properly define and measure intelligence.
So I was wondering something about the first issue -- whether "race is real". This seems to be about whether or not there exist genetically distinctive "races" in humans, or whether or not humans' genetic variation is more continuous, without distinct races. But what I was wondering was: even if the second case is true, that is that variation is a continuum, then could it still be that perhaps there could be a variation in genes determining intelligence (if any) along with it, only just one that varies continuously as opposed to breaking up into racial groups? So perhaps instead of asking about "race and intelligence", what about asking about "geographic variation in intelligence"?
Note that this doesn't address the other big question of defining and measuring intelligence, but I was just wondering if the "race is real" question was in fact not so important after all. Maybe it is important if one wants to call it "race and intelligence", I suppose, but if the idea is that intelligence may vary across geography, then maybe not.
Also, note that this post is not an endorsement of any view regarding the existence or non-existence of any genetically-based, geographical variation in intelligence.
I was wondering about this. I've noticed that apparently in the whole "race and intelligence" controversy, about links between race and intelligence, about how much if any is genetic, and so forth, that there seems to be argument about two fundamental issues: whether "race" is "real", and how to properly define and measure intelligence.
So I was wondering something about the first issue -- whether "race is real". This seems to be about whether or not there exist genetically distinctive "races" in humans, or whether or not humans' genetic variation is more continuous, without distinct races. But what I was wondering was: even if the second case is true, that is that variation is a continuum, then could it still be that perhaps there could be a variation in genes determining intelligence (if any) along with it, only just one that varies continuously as opposed to breaking up into racial groups? So perhaps instead of asking about "race and intelligence", what about asking about "geographic variation in intelligence"?
Note that this doesn't address the other big question of defining and measuring intelligence, but I was just wondering if the "race is real" question was in fact not so important after all. Maybe it is important if one wants to call it "race and intelligence", I suppose, but if the idea is that intelligence may vary across geography, then maybe not.
Also, note that this post is not an endorsement of any view regarding the existence or non-existence of any genetically-based, geographical variation in intelligence.
via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=263223&goto=newpost
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