Is Dr James Watson a Racisit?
Short answers: yes. “Races” are no more valid when it comes to the human species as for other species. I’m a zoologist and I deal with populations, but ‘geographical races’ are arbitrary divisions in a continuum of genetic variation. As a geneticist, Watson can’t ignore this. He must also know that genotype is NOT destiny, and that even if there existed those so-called “intelligence genes” (LOL), there are many other factors interacting during the development of any individual that have a huge influence on the final outcome. I’ve read Watson’s declarations, and also his recent apology… and I have to say I don’t buy the latter, since he’s made similar statements in the past. He seems to be a perfect example of what epigenetic phenomena can achieve: he started out with his ‘normal’ genetic complement and the potential to become an intelligent man, but unfortunately, his developmental history, his cultural, socioeconomical, and personal context, have led him to make a fool of himself.
NO HE CERTAINLY IS NOT! Originally he was quoted as saying he was “inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa” because “all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours — whereas all the testing says not really.” There is NOTHING racist in this, he is merely forming a theory based on results from tests, which is what scientists DO, it’s how knowledge is gained. Often results are controversial as they go against what is taken as truth, or in this case what people want to believe. As much as we all would like to believe that everyone is equal in every sense, there is no PROOF of this, especially with regards to intelligence. Personally I think that the Japanese are more intelligent than the rest of the world. Does that make me racist? NO. Would it if I were Japanese? NO. The problem is that we are all (especially the media) so obsessed with avoiding being prejudiced that we immediately attack anyone who makes a remark that can be classed so,
I suppose there is quite a lot of difference between wisdom and intelligence. Watson made a very foolish statement, and I suppose he felt he could do this because of his importance. Then again Simpson wrote a book about how he murdered his wife, and I assume the same sort of huburus was behind this equally tasteless act. Personally, I don’t beleive there is any difference in overall intelligence as reguards the races. There is certainly no known genetic basis for intelligence, and I’m sure Watson realizes this. Regaurding “African Americans”, most of them are about as much “white” as “black”; the original African genome has become saturated with caucasian genes and even the Asian genes of native Americans. It is equally easy to say blacks are stupid because whites are also stupid. I believe Watson was confusing genetics with social science. Personally, I have seen a lot of ignorance in black culture, but this isn’t because of genetics, but rather a sad legacy of black American history.
