Black people 'less intelligent' scientist claims

[Flint]

Originally Posted by Flint

“there is no firm reason to anticipate that the intellectual capacities of peoples geographically separated in their evolution should prove to have evolved identically. Our wanting to reserve equal powers of reason as some universal heritage of humanity will not be enough to make it so”.

Originally Posted by ZenGum

The quote given here is plausible, BUT contains nothing to suggest that Europeans would be genetically smarter than Africans. It could well turn out that Africans have more "smart genes" that Europeans...

Good point. The only part of this I took an interest in was the pervasive fallacy that people are somehow "equal" - in a literal sense. People should be regarded as equal so far as concerns their opportunity to live up to whatever potential they have. But, each individual person certainly has vastly different potential.

And it doesn't seem far-fetched to me that evolution would act on geographically distinct groups, endowing them with different abilities specific to the environmental stresses they experience. What he should have said is that different racial groups might be "differently" intelligent.

Of course, he is trying to create hype, to promote his new book. And, hey, it worked!

Orig interview.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle2630748.ece

[Cloud]

Maybe he's losing it.

A statement from Watson's publicist says he is mortified over the quotes. Watson said he cannot understand how he could have said what he is quoted as saying, but he understands the public reaction to the comments.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-10-19-voa4.cfm

that article also says he's "known for his outspoken comments." Guess so, but this one bit him in the ass.

As it should.

[DanaC]

Apparently he's been suspended from his research institute. That may explain his sudden bout of contrition.

[ZenGum]

You think maybe an acute case of "oops, was that out loud?" Syndrome?

[DanaC]

I think it may be so, aye. Or at the very least an acute case of "oh that got me fired? Shit better rescind it" syndrome.

Apparently it's not his first time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7052416.stm

Lab suspends DNA pioneer Watson

His comments led event organisers to cancel his appearances
The Nobel Prize-winning DNA pioneer James Watson has been suspended by his research institution in the US.
Dr Watson has drawn severe criticism over remarks he made in a British newspaper at the weekend.

In the interview, he was quoted as saying Africans were less intelligent than Europeans.