Controversial DNA scientist retires (DNA linked to IQ and race flap)

AP via Yahoo! News ^ | Thu Oct 25, 10:06 AM ET | AP

[ECM]

James Watson, the Nobel laureate who sparked an international furor last week with comments about intelligence levels among blacks, has retired from his post at a prestigious research institution. ADVERTISEMENT

Watson, 79, and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York announced his departure Thursday. Watson was chancellor of the institution, and his retirement was effective immediately.

[chaos_5]

James Watson, the Nobel laureate who sparked an international furor last week with comments about intelligence levels among blacks, has retired from his post at a prestigious research institution.

Is it true? I don't know. But, it seems like another case of someone who makes a non PC statement that gets forced out of their job. Imus comes to mind, and that professor that made the comments about women and math and science.

I just think that if he was to make a claim like that, there would be a body of evidence to support it, and it could perhaps be proved false. I think it would be more productive to prove him wrong than force him out.

Then again, he is old and maybe he did just retire.

[Walkingfeather]

as I recall he or crick have pointed this out in previous studies. He and his partner are the discoverers of DNA so my bet is he is well informed but not a PC scientist.

[umgud]

I think it would be more productive to prove him wrong than force him out.

Trust me, it's easier to force him out. PC police don't need evidence or facts.

[swmobuffalo]

“Is it true? I don’t know.”

It’s not.

[Williams]

I would defend his right to point to valid statistics. BUT it seems to me he went way outside the bounds of scientific measures of intelligence, and of his own scientific expertise.

He stated that aid to Africa won't work because Africans are not of equal intelligence to Europeans. I doubt he has any scientific proof that a difference in average intelligence will prevent a country from utilizing aid, developing its economy, etc.

Second, he said that anyone who has black employees knows about this intellectual disparity. He certainly can't know that and his own limited personal experience would not be scientific.

[Seruzawa]

Savage has been talking about it the last few days. Someone should inform ol’ Michael that the “facts” that “prove” that blacks are “less intelligent” than whites also prove that whites are “less intelligent” than Asians. So maybe the whiteboys should just STFU.

Intelligence testing is fraught with error and should never be taken too seriously. There are plenty of “high IQ” people who can’t master driving a car.

[Smogger]

He’s a dinosaur. What makes black people “black?” or white people “white?” One letter in 3.1 billion letters of DNA? Race is a social construct.

[Smogger]

We better ask an Asian what they think ;-) My Calculus class is filled with them (but most are women), there are maybe two whites, two mexican’s, and myself. Everyone else Asian. PROOF that Asians are the smartest!

[Just mythoughts]

The man obviously forgot he was not suppose to enlighten the world as to what that TOE theory really means. I think he should have at least put up a fight to keep his job, how totally unPC of his employers.

[billorites]

"Second, he said that anyone who has black employees knows about this intellectual disparity. He certainly can't know that and his own limited personal experience would not be scientific."

And therein lies the chink in his argument.

[chaos_5]

Scientists would have us believe that something like sexual orientation is genetic, why not intelligence?

What I find hard with this, besides the uber un PC nature of the topic, is I personally know of black people who are extremely intelligent, and conversely whites who are as dumb as a brick.

I don't think it is impossible that some statistical mean may place one group of people as more intelligent than another. It’s a stretch though. It seems like you would have to have pinpointed the gens that make intelligence and then be able to prove that one race has more of them than the other.

I still think intelligence can be genetic, but it useless without education and a cultural emphases on education.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Race is a social construct."

Try telling that to those who suffer from sickle-cell anemia.

[EDINVA]

the Cold Springs Harbor Inst was founded in the heyday of eugenics

[chaos_5]

I think such disparities are proof that a cultural emphasis on education makes a difference.

[Radix]

Watson and Crick was also (are also) considered to be anti feminists as they were complacent in the denial of Rosalind Franklin’s contributions to their Prize winning DNA work.

[chaos_5]

Try telling that to those who suffer from sickle-cell anemia.

I remember reading that sickle cell anemia improved ones survivability of malaria. A trait that would be very beneficial in Africa. I should try and find a source for that.

k, found it =o)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/2/l_012_02.html

[Just mythoughts]

the Cold Springs Harbor Inst was founded in the heyday of eugenics

Hmmm who funds them, do you know? Are they recipients of taxpayer dollars?

[Seruzawa]

“I still think intelligence can be genetic, but it useless without education and a cultural emphases on education.”

Heh heh. Another theory that has been entirely disproven is the theory that intelligence is related to brain size. Einstein ha a smaller than average brain. That one fact completely invalidates the theory permanently. Yet you still see supposed “authorities” spewing the same bilge. I have a feeling that genetics will ultimately prove to be entirely irrelevant when it comes to actual intelligence. Especially since intelligence testing is basically just a test of how well someone can learn to pass tests.

That and the fact that MENSA seems to be the biggest collection of idiots you could ever find.

[chaos_5]

That and the fact that MENSA seems to be the biggest collection of idiots you could ever find.

LOL, you have a good point there.