I heart girl6!!!

Greetings, and hiya g6!

I'd like your take on whether the scientific study of race differences on IQ test scores is something that should be researched or marginalized / ignored.

In other words, is even asking the question racist, and should scientists reject this work outright?

Thanks

B

Sorry, I thought I was posting that in the "ask a question" section, but I see it appeared only as a comment...

Here's my question: Are the only two choices to carry out race-based research on IQ vs. "ignore" this phenomenon? Or is there a third option, such as to recognize the overwhelming evidence that races are not really very good biological categories to begin with, and perhaps even to question the motivations of people who insist on using race as a category in carrying out scientific studies. Because it is so 19th century, after all.

Personally I'm white & female, & have been notified that as such I can't do math.

Kahn: Someone has put two and two together on your behalf. Unfortunately they came up with three!

@Greg

Then why do you keep using the term "race"?

Yolande, is that a serious question? In order to talk about why something is nonsense, you have to be able to talk about the nonsense concept. So, in this case, the biological concept of "races" within the human species is bunk, so of course you have to use the word "race."

@Rob B

So-called scientists using the word "race" are perpetuating the myth that it exists. Why perpetuate a myth? Aren't scientists supposed to use the correct terminology to inform the public? In my view, if you want to get rid of racism, scientists (and indeed everyone) should stop using the word "race" and start using the correct term/s to inform the public instead of perpetuating an archaic concept that doesn't exist.

I just listened to the alcohol episode, and in it Desiree asks twice about race - now there is this episode. What is Skeptically Speaking's preoccupation with race?

Interesting question.

The physiological differences between how different races respond to medication, alcohol and such is squarely a practical, science-based question.

But the cultural issues around race are fascinating. We received a number of emails after the episode on gender, asking us to do a show on people of different ethnicities and skepticism. And as soon as we announced the race episode, I started receiving emails about how the queer community relates to skepticism. So expect some preoccupation with that a few months from now. :)