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On Ethnicity and intelligence- The case of Ashkenazi Jews
The Economist ^ | 02 june 2005 | The Economist

Posted on 06/02/2005 4:00:59 PM PDT by voletti

THE idea that some ethnic groups may, on average, be more intelligent than others is one of those hypotheses that dare not speak its name. But Gregory Cochran, a noted scientific iconoclast, is prepared to say it anyway. He is that rare bird, a scientist who works independently of any institution. Even he, however, might tremble at the thought of what he is about to do. Together with Jason Hardy and Henry Harpending, of the University of Utah, he is publishing, in a forthcoming edition of the Journal of Biosocial Science, a paper which not only suggests that one group of humanity is more intelligent than the others, but explains the process that has brought this about. The group in question are Ashkenazi Jews. The process is natural selection. Ashkenazim generally do well in IQ tests, scoring 12-15 points above the mean value of 100, and have contributed disproportionately to the intellectual and cultural life of the West, as the careers of Freud, Einstein and Mahler, pictured above, affirm. They also suffer more often than most people from a number of nasty genetic diseases, such as Tay-Sachs and breast cancer. These facts, however, have previously been thought unrelated. The former has been put down to social effects, such as a strong tradition of valuing education. The latter was seen as a consequence of genetic isolation. Even now, Ashkenazim tend to marry among themselves. In the past they did so almost exclusively.

(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: europeanjews
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To: Doodle; ScreamingFist
Jews do well academically because, on average, they are smarter than other ethnic groups.

Perhaps a genetic basis for the accomplishments of Ashkenazi Jews might just as much be for having genes that endow them with the opposite of attention deficit disorder.

That is, genes giving them the patience to endure long, boring hours studying dry facts and equations.

One could see how the historical repression of Jews in Europe, for example, would require the ability to postpone gratification (like slugging the peasants who hurled garbage and insults at them).

This would lead to genes enabling great discipline and a withdrawal into mental life.

And the rest would be obvious.

I think that makes more sense:

A gene or genes conferring the ability to concentrate and postpone gratification is more likely to exist than a gene or genes conferring intelligence--especially since there are many different kinds of intelligence.

Yet no matter the kind of intelligence a particular society celebrates, the ability to postpone gratification while engaged in boring study and research (90% perspiration), would confer the ability to excel by the standards of that intelligence.

121 posted on 06/02/2005 8:55:19 PM PDT by Age of Reason
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To: mikegi

So your thesis is that Jews won the Nobel Prize because of their popularity?

uh huh.


122 posted on 06/02/2005 9:26:24 PM PDT by dervish
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To: voletti
I would credit it to the emphasis placed on education and academia in most Jewish families more than anything else.

You'd be hard pressed to find anyone Jewish who thinks a grade of a 'C' is at all acceptable.

123 posted on 06/02/2005 9:39:11 PM PDT by Bella_Bru (In Mercuristan, such questions are not tolerated.)
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To: Helms
No, it's a religion with an attached culture. Marrying a shikse will greatly diminish the chances of your children following Judaism.
124 posted on 06/02/2005 9:41:16 PM PDT by JAWs
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To: ChicagoHebrew
Emma Lazurus and Hank Azaria are on that list as well!
125 posted on 06/02/2005 9:42:53 PM PDT by JAWs
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To: JAWs
Marrying a shikse will greatly diminish the chances of your children following Judaism.

Marrying a shiksa will mean your children are not Jewish, halachically, unless she converts before she has the children. Otherwise, they will have to be converted.

126 posted on 06/02/2005 9:46:05 PM PDT by Bella_Bru (In Mercuristan, such questions are not tolerated.)
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To: dervish
So your thesis is that Jews won the Nobel Prize because of their popularity? uh huh.

Uh, exactly how do you think the NP is awarded? They send out nomination letters to thousands of scientists, etc. who then record their nominations. A small group then select from those nominations. You don't think that popularity and promotion have an effect on that process??? Uh huh...

127 posted on 06/02/2005 9:47:54 PM PDT by mikegi
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To: iconoclast
Jews were awesome before the diaspora.

You know, I've considered that angle as well. After all, they were one of the first peoples to fully develop the idea of a monotheistic god. From a technological perspective, that is quite a leap from a pantheon of gods for every nook & cranny.

So, on one hand we have superior intellects from the days of Egypt, and on the other (or in combination), geniuses bred through environmental conditions.

128 posted on 06/02/2005 9:48:23 PM PDT by lemura
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To: SJackson

If the thesis to which your are referring is that natural selection contributed to an increase of average I.Q. among the Ashkenazim over time, Ayn's observation neither proves nor disproves it. Ayn was pointing out that the average of a set does not control the value of any member of that set.

For example:
{2, 3, 6, 9} Average: 5.0
{1, 6, 7, 8} Average: 5.5

The 2 and 9 in the first set are greater than the 1 and 8 in the second, even though the second set has the higher average.


129 posted on 06/02/2005 9:52:15 PM PDT by Ruadh (Liberty is not a means to a political end. It is itself the highest political end. — LORD ACTON)
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To: iconoclast
Do you watch any sports?

None. I can't relate to chasing a ball. Off subject but I'm curious why you like basketball. What makes it entertaining? I'm at a loss. Most people need some connection to make an entertainment venue enjoyable. For example people who can watch golf or fishing on TV are usually golfers or fishers. Do you connect with the players, or with being a coach, or am I way off?

Bragging about intelligence or any other ability doesn't offer many benefits. To 98% of the public, the "smarter than you" and "Chosen People" stuff seems terribly vain.

130 posted on 06/02/2005 10:04:50 PM PDT by Reeses
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To: mikegi

"A small group then select from those nominations."

And who is that small group?

This process does not award the prize based on the number of times a particular person is nominated. It is the antithesis of a popularity contest, otherwise known as a democratic process.

Considering the history of anti-Jewish European sentiment, and historical anti-Semitism, I would be hard pressed to understand how it was Jewish popularity that gave them the prize.

How about these prizes, were they awarded based on Jewish popularity?

1922 - Otto Meyerhof
1930 - Karl Landsteiner
1931 - Otto Warburg
1936 - Otto Loewi
1944 - Joseph Erlanger
1944 - Herbert Spencer Gasser
1945 - Ernst Boris Chain
1946 - Hermann Joseph Muller


131 posted on 06/02/2005 10:05:59 PM PDT by dervish
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To: dervish
And who is that small group?

Those in the Nobel group for the specific category.

... were they awarded based on Jewish popularity

Ok, now I see where the problem is. I didn't say that the NP was awarded on "Jewish popularity". I said it was popularity of the recipients efforts in the field of work. That popularity comes from promotion, something that can be manipulated. Scientific fields are no different from others in this respect.

132 posted on 06/02/2005 10:32:04 PM PDT by mikegi
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Comment #133 Removed by Moderator

Comment #134 Removed by Moderator

Comment #135 Removed by Moderator

To: JAWs

Hank Azaria ain't exactly a genius.


136 posted on 06/02/2005 11:18:49 PM PDT by ChicagoHebrew (Hell exists, it is real. It's a quiet green meadow populated entirely by Arab goat herders.)
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To: proxy_user

"In a culture that emphasizes education, this may be a widespread phenomenon."

Right you are.


137 posted on 06/02/2005 11:21:33 PM PDT by Baraonda (Demographic is destiny. Don't hire 3rd world illegal aliens nor support businesses that hire them.)
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To: iconoclast

"And the result?"

Jews voted for Gore over Bush 80%-17%.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2000/results/index.epolls.html


138 posted on 06/02/2005 11:33:55 PM PDT by Baraonda (Demographic is destiny. Don't hire 3rd world illegal aliens nor support businesses that hire them.)
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To: Helms
Judaism is a Group Evolutionary Strategy and partially explains your Satan, George Soros, as well as the Fallen Angels of Hollywood, Major Meddia, ACLU.

Oh, dear the Kevin MacDonald BS.
Look, there is more than one Judaism. It is a religion. Certain practices have evolved to keep Jews cohesive, but the religion is not a predetermnined survival strategy. If it were, we would have made up a better historical myth.

As for George Soros, he is not Jewish by faith. Heck, his assimilated father changed their name and bought papers declaring them Magyars, not Jews. Soros goes around trying to destroy Israel.

The leftist who hate Jewish law and traditions are no more part of a survival strategy than the Unitarian "Priests" who are part of comintern are part of a Christian strategy.

139 posted on 06/02/2005 11:36:38 PM PDT by rmlew (Copperheads and Peaceniks beware! Sedition is a crime.)
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To: Leo Carpathian
Or Nikola Tesla, his work and contribution to mankind, practical applications outshine all the Askenazims together.

That's a little bit hyperbolic, wouldn't you say--the contributions of one scientist outshining those of thousands from another ethnic group? Are you from the same background as Tesla?
140 posted on 06/03/2005 2:18:55 AM PDT by HostileTerritory
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