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| =====My motivation for editing these controversial topics===== | |||
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| Because the topic of biological differences between groups may be automatically automatically unpleasant and thus may be simply rejected because of this, I feel I must add why researchers on this think their research is important and not harmful to society. It will explain my motivation for editing in order to include these views, along opposing ones according to policy. | |||
| Researchers investing racial differences and arguing that they are biological are often accused of racism and that their research may harm society. In defense, ] has stated that it is "a conventional wisdom among left-leaning academics that genes imply genocide." He has responded to this "conventional wisdom" by comparing the history of ], which had the opposite position on genes to that of Nazism: | |||
| <Blockquote>But the 20th century suffered "two" ideologies that led to genocides. The other one, Marxism, had no use for race, didn't believe in genes and denied that human nature was a meaningful concept. Clearly, it's not an emphasis on genes or evolution that is dangerous. It's the desire to remake humanity by coercive means (] or ]) and the belief that humanity advances through a struggle in which superior groups (race or classes) triumph over inferior ones.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/books/tbs/media_articles/2002_10_30_upi.html | title=United Press International: Q&A: Steven Pinker of 'Blank Slate}}(2002)</ref></Blockquote> | |||
| Jensen and Rushton point out that research has shown that also in a group with a lower average some individuals will be above the average of other groups. They also argue that when society is blamed for disparities in average group achievements that instead result from biological differences, the result is demands for compensation from the less successful group which the more successful group feel is unjustified, causing mutual resentment.<ref name="Rushton 2005">{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1037/1076-8971.11.2.235 | last1 = Jensen | first1 = A.R. | last2 = Rushton | first2 = J.P. | year = 2005 | title = Thirty Years of Research on Race Differences in Cognitive Ability | url = | journal = Psychology, Public Policy and Law | volume = 11 | issue = | pages = 246 248}}http://psychology.uwo.ca/faculty/rushtonpdfs/PPPL1.pdf</ref> ] similarly argues that denying real biological differences instead cause people to seek something to blame causing hostility between groups. In the US, examples being the views that whites are racist or blacks are lazy. She furthermore argues that "virtually all the victim groups of genocide in the Twentieth Century had relatively ''high'' average levels of achievement (e.g., German ], ], Russian ]s, ], ]; Gordon, 1980)."<ref name=G2005>Linda Gottfredson (2005), What if the Hereditarian Hypothesis Is True?, Psychology, Public Policy, and Law Volume 11, Issue 2, June 2005, Pages 311-319, http://psychology.uwo.ca/faculty/rushtonpdfs/Gottfredson.pdf</ref> Gottfredson has also disputed that a lower achieving group gains from denying or concealing real biological differences. An increasingly complex society built on the assumption than everyone can do equally well means that they who do not have this ability have increasing trouble functioning in most areas of life. They need various forms of special assistance which is not possible as long as the need is denied to exist.<ref name=G2005/><ref>Linda Gottfredson (2007), Flynn, Ceci, and Turkheimer on Race and Intelligence: Opening Moves, http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/11/26/linda-s-gottfredson/flynn-ceci-and-turkheimer-on-race-and-intelligence-opening-moves</ref> | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
Revision as of 10:19, 17 August 2011
My motivation for editing these controversial topics
Because the topic of biological differences between groups may be automatically automatically unpleasant and thus may be simply rejected because of this, I feel I must add why researchers on this think their research is important and not harmful to society. It will explain my motivation for editing in order to include these views, along opposing ones according to policy.
Researchers investing racial differences and arguing that they are biological are often accused of racism and that their research may harm society. In defense, Steven Pinker has stated that it is "a conventional wisdom among left-leaning academics that genes imply genocide." He has responded to this "conventional wisdom" by comparing the history of Marxism, which had the opposite position on genes to that of Nazism:
But the 20th century suffered "two" ideologies that led to genocides. The other one, Marxism, had no use for race, didn't believe in genes and denied that human nature was a meaningful concept. Clearly, it's not an emphasis on genes or evolution that is dangerous. It's the desire to remake humanity by coercive means (eugenics or social engineering) and the belief that humanity advances through a struggle in which superior groups (race or classes) triumph over inferior ones.
Jensen and Rushton point out that research has shown that also in a group with a lower average some individuals will be above the average of other groups. They also argue that when society is blamed for disparities in average group achievements that instead result from biological differences, the result is demands for compensation from the less successful group which the more successful group feel is unjustified, causing mutual resentment. Linda Gottfredson similarly argues that denying real biological differences instead cause people to seek something to blame causing hostility between groups. In the US, examples being the views that whites are racist or blacks are lazy. She furthermore argues that "virtually all the victim groups of genocide in the Twentieth Century had relatively high average levels of achievement (e.g., German Jews, educated Cambodians, Russian Kulaks, Armenians in Turkey, Ibos in Nigeria; Gordon, 1980)." Gottfredson has also disputed that a lower achieving group gains from denying or concealing real biological differences. An increasingly complex society built on the assumption than everyone can do equally well means that they who do not have this ability have increasing trouble functioning in most areas of life. They need various forms of special assistance which is not possible as long as the need is denied to exist.
References
- "United Press International: Q&A: Steven Pinker of 'Blank Slate".(2002)
- Jensen, A.R.; Rushton, J.P. (2005). "Thirty Years of Research on Race Differences in Cognitive Ability". Psychology, Public Policy and Law. 11: 246 248. doi:10.1037/1076-8971.11.2.235.http://psychology.uwo.ca/faculty/rushtonpdfs/PPPL1.pdf
- ^ Linda Gottfredson (2005), What if the Hereditarian Hypothesis Is True?, Psychology, Public Policy, and Law Volume 11, Issue 2, June 2005, Pages 311-319, http://psychology.uwo.ca/faculty/rushtonpdfs/Gottfredson.pdf
- Linda Gottfredson (2007), Flynn, Ceci, and Turkheimer on Race and Intelligence: Opening Moves, http://www.cato-unbound.org/2007/11/26/linda-s-gottfredson/flynn-ceci-and-turkheimer-on-race-and-intelligence-opening-moves