Is it racist to accept scientific facts about IQ differences between "races"?

[Anonymous]

I believe race is a social construct. However, people's ancestry is not. And science tells us that people with Asian ancestry generally (not always) have higher IQs than those whose ancestry descend from Africa. Those who descend from Europe are in the middle. But is believing this science considered racist?

Yes, it is racist.

No, it does not.

Ugh. I don't know. That is a tough one.

A total of 18 votes were cast: 3 girls and 15 guys. See detailed results

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

Yes it is.

It's a specific form of racism called biological racism. As opposed to the more common racist take that consists in hating whatever culture of whatever neighbour you have.

Once in a while, somebody brings back biological racism using two biases: The first bias is about this questionable tool that is an IQ test, which predicts academic performance/failure, but not intelligence. The second one is to believe that this test has been ran on entire populations all over the world, whereas in truth it has been ran on small population samples instead.

[MrChinaski]

Assuming blue anon is a typical American who only thinks about American things, it is a statement of fact that people of different racial descent in America have different IQs on average (which by definition is the score you take on an IQ test). Your arguments are fine but don't relate to blue anons question.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

Oh yep, I did read somewhere that IQ tests were oddly common in the US. It's not the case here, these tests seem to be mostly suggested by school personnel whenever they pick up abnormal behaviour from a kid

[Clara4567]

I don't want to seem a knows it all, but after my anthopology studies I find it wront to use the word race as a reference for human beings, modern science shows it's actually incorrect to use the word "race" for humans the way we do for animals. We're all just one single species, so researchers look at ethnicity and ancestry instead. When people try to link those stats to built-in genetic advantages, they're missing how much outside stuff—like schooling, money, and environment—actually drives those numbers, and they're using a biological term that doesn't even apply to us. There are rcountries that are richer than others, so it is normal that there is a biggest number of people that recieve an education and have also media that can make them aware of how the world in general works, but it doesn't mean that a person coming from Nigeria is less intelligent than an Italian, American or Indian one.

[Asker]

Yeah, I know. That's why I put "race" in quotes. I believe it's a social construct. But there are biological/genetic differences between people who hail from different parts of the world because they evolved differently for tens of thousands of years. Different genes get passed down. It's illogical to believe than when two groups of people evolve differently for tens of thousands of years they will remain genetically the same. And why do Asians have higher IQs than whites when white nations are generally richer than Asian ones?

[Clara4567]

We come from the same origins, we can be different yes, but because of social and cultural reason not according to our ethnicity

[Asker]

Well, there are genetic differenced between the "races." Here is an article from a medical journal that describes how genetic differences affect Asians regarding alcohol: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6875758/

[Clara4567]

What alcohol has to do with intelligence? And plus alcoholist are everywhere

[RavVid]

I think Asker is pointing out differences can exist due to genetics. Lactose intolerance is another. Most European adults can drink milk. Most Asian adults cannot. The reason is milk was an important food for Yamnaya pastoralists and their gene line predominated in Europe.

Sexual selection is significant as well and it seems women probably selected for smarts. Especially in cold climes. A man/family who could plan and execute was an advantage. So women entered patrilocal marriages.

[jennifer_bloom]

I. Q. differences do not equate to skin colour but to diet and academic infrastructure. Africa has many environmental intrusions from drought to uneven mining arenas due to natural resource dissemination differences between different regions, so they allocate a comparatively reduced amount to educational enterprise.

[Asker]

I think it has more to due with genetics. Then why do whites have lower IQs than Asians?

[jennifer_bloom]

Asian countries are more rigorous with academic training because they have less primary industry options due to reduced farm land. It is a nation wide economic strategy to ensure a nationally active work force.

[RavVid]

I'm yet to use the word race IRL though i might on GAG as many do. I don't see much difference between phenotype and race. I guess ancestry is just as good.

There does indeed seem to be systemic difference between IQ results in different ancestries. That is just a fact.

Of course it is argued IQ tests have systemic biases but that seems hard to sustain when Europeans are mid level

[FreyaRed]

Human subspecies differ because of environmental pressure. Those who went in northern direction and didn't develop necessary skills to survive long winters just died and didn't gave their genes further. Natural selection.

In Africa and south Asia this selection didn't happen, since environmental pressure was different there.

[msc545]

This is a very complicated question but there is some sort of underlying assumption that culture does not play a part in these sort of results they've described. I want to suggest to you that some cultures are more likely to produce people that are good at taking IQ tests and not necessarily good and much of anything else any more than anyone else is. If you believe that race is the sole determinant of the ability to do well on an IQ test then yes, that is racist and also quite ignorant.

[msc545]

Additionally, someone that administers, designs, and evaluates the adequacy of IQ tests. IQ tests I can tell you that they don't measure what you think they measure. The only thing that IQ tests are good at predicting his academic progress and achievement which is very different from your construct of intelligence if you would like to to find that construct then I can probably tell you what we might use to measure it eventually.

[KostasKouvalis]

THIS guy thinks it IS

Why does Trump continue to embrace a vile, racist, lunatic like Laura Loomer?

[strateguy632]

It is just stupidity. You can only compare the smartest of one with other. But every race has a "mix some weaker inteligence" than other races. No superior. It is foolish to compare.

[Anonymous]

Everything is racist. They argue that more black women die in child birth than white women because of racism but refuse to acknowledge the obvious factor that answers why. Because more black women are obese and have diabetes

[itss_lily]

its more nuanced than that and requires some context

[Asker]

How is it more nuanced and what is the context?

[exitseven]

I think IQ tests are stacked to favor certain groups

[canamlusciouslad73]

That racist BS was scientifically disproven generations ago. FYITA, AnonymousLad (36-45!!!)

[jahaims]

It's not because of race it is because of culture. Some cultures value education more over others.

[Likes2drive]

It’s based on statistics and geography so it’s not exactly racism, it’s just facts

[Anonymous]

Keyword being “generally”. Saying it based on data is fine.

[Smegskull]

No. The issue is when that is projected onto individuals. Same problem with stereotypes.

[Anonymous]

IQ tests are culturally biased.

[Opinion Owner]

Think of it this way. If you are going to measure animal IQ tests by swimming obviously fish are going to perform better than monkey.
If you are going to measure IQ tests by climbing trees the monkey are going to perform better than the fish.
If you are going to perform IQ test by watching which animal can run faster a cheeta is going to be better than a Chihuahua.

[Opinion Owner]

If you are going to measure IQ test by testing which animal can fit through a dog door a chihuahua is going to perform better than a cheeta.
If you are going to perform IQ test by watching which animal can run faster a cheeta is going to be better than a Chihuahua.

[Opinion Owner]

Western standard IQ tests are culturally biased.

[fishbone77]

Reality isn't racist.

[Iron_Man]

it depends what they say