Re: BELL CURVE CRITIC EXPOSED?

Eric Postpischil (edp@math.zk3.dec.com)
8 Feb 1995 21:46:45 GMT

In article <3h7esd$f61@ousrvr.oulu.fi>, mplauron@paju.oulu.fi
(Mika-Petri Lauronen) writes:

>In practice it means that if some members of
>a "white" race settled down in a sunny area, after many generations they
>would be black.
>
>Which, according to the Bell Curve, would mean their intelligence has
>gone down.

_The Bell Curve_ says no such thing. Did you read it?

A small part of the book addresses ethnic differences in intelligence.
They do not attribute these differences to skin color and specifically
state that the differences in intelligence are neither entirely genetic
nor entirely environmental. Nothing in the book suggests that evolution
that would occur from settling in a sunny area has any relationship to
intelligence.

>Another thing is of course the relevancy of the tests they use for
>defining a person's intelligence.

What "they"? Did you read the book?

>If you look at the history of IQ-tests, you find some interesting material.

I'd love to look at your so-called history. Please give me some references.

-- edp (Eric Postpischil)
"Always mount a scratch monkey."
edp@mv.com

Disclaimer: The opinions of Digital Equipment Corporation do not reflect mine.

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