I thank that the Tay-Sachs disease mutation linked to increased intelligence may have some veracity. I’ve been arguing for years that gene for sickle cell anemia is probably linked to an increased athletic ability. Also, genes for pasty-white skin and red hair also likely contribute to sexiness. But that’s just my personal experience.

~dpa

Frankly, for someone with your often nuanced view of the world, I am surprised at the condescending tone of your post.

Obviously you are not familiar with the American Enterprise Institute. I know it’s easy and saves stress on brain cells to put people in ideological boxes as a way not to have to think challengingly abut issues. But AEI has in its ranks some of the top public policy scholars from across the ideological spectrum on any number of issues. Every scholar is independent. No one checks what we write.

I for one was recruited to the AEI as a part-time fellow after I wrote an article, co-authored with a current AEI scholar (and the moderator of Monday’s talk) Sally Satel, in the Washington Post blasting the Bush Administration for its genetically/scientifically ignorant and (unintentionally) racist stem cell policy. The board at AEI wanted someone to be able to address genetic issues, and I was one person who had a growing expertise in that area (and a prior book, “Taboo: Why Black Athletes Dominate Sports and Why We’re Afraid to Talk About It,” that was widely read, and had many strong reviews in many major publications, scholarly and popular, including The NY Times, Washington Post, Population and Environment, Scientific American, Psychlogy Today…you can go on and on. Was it somewhat controversial? Absolutely, but it presented arguments in a balanced way–because I have a respect for genuine dialogue.

I am certain, based on your post, that you have no clue about the breadth of issues researched by the 100 or so scholars associated with the AEI. Many of its scholars, including those writing on complex medical and science issues, are neither left nor right–they are public policy wonks, interested in solutions.

No one at AEI has required me to turn in my Democrat voter registration card, I can assure you.

As for Monday’s conference…it focused only slightly on the IQ issue, but mostly on the issue of why people have such a difficult time discussing the prickly issue of human biodiversity — population genetics. Your post (and interestingly, Dana’s article) proved that point. If you don’t have the background to discuss these incredibly important issues–after all, the Human Genome Project is now focused on finding patterns of DNA that influence behavior and disease–it’s easier to resort to ad hominem attacks.

As for the Jewish IQ debate–one chapter in my book– here are some facts: Ashkenazi Jews have consistently tested out as havign high IQ. IQ is largel genetically based, as 90 percent of psychometricians and and geneticists will tell you. There is a vigorous debate, discussed carefully in Abraham’s Children, about all of the factors, cultural and genetic, leading to variation in IQ.

In fact, there are numerous genetic studies discussing this issue, few by the way, by Jews. Scientists interested in neurological diseaes and DNA repair diseases are extremely interested in this subject for all the right reasons–understanding how the brain functions could leads to medical cures.

So, here’s a challenge: if you are genuinely interested in this issue, instead of trying to show off how sneering you can be, then read the book. If you hate it or think it ill-informed, lay out your case. That’s totally fair. But this posturing in the name of ‘moral superiority’–well, I’ve read your website and it demeans you.

Regards,

Jon Entine
http://www.jonentine.com
http://www.abrahamschildren.net