LONDON, Oct. 18, 2007

DNA Scientist's Race Comments Draw Outrage

Nobel Prize-Winner James Watson Says Africans Less Intelligent; Museum Cancels Lecture

  • Nobel Prize-winning geneticist James Watson (photographed in Paris in this 1993 file photo) has made controversial statements about race in the past. His latest, in which he said that Europeans and Africans have different levels of intelligence, prompted the cancellation of a lecture at London's Science Museum. Photo

    Nobel Prize-winning geneticist James Watson (photographed in Paris in this 1993 file photo) has made controversial statements about race in the past. His latest, in which he said that Europeans and Africans have different levels of intelligence, prompted the cancellation of a lecture at London's Science Museum.  (Getty Images/AFP/Daniel Mordzinski)

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(CBS/AP)  One of the best-known scientists of modern times has lit the fuse under an old scientific time bomb - an always-explosive mix of genetics, race and intelligence.

In London to promote a new book, Nobel Prize-winning geneticist James Watson provoked widespread outrage after the co-discoverer of DNA's structure told a newspaper that Africans and Europeans had different levels of intelligence.

He is credited with helping to unlock the key to modern genetics, as part of the team that discovered the double helix of DNA. But Watson has courted trouble in the past whenever he's strayed from pure science into social conjecture.

This week’s Sunday Times quoted the 79-year-old American 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.”

He told the paper he hoped that everyone was equal, but added: “People who have to deal with black employees find this not true.”

In the book, titled “Avoid Boring People,” he says, “There is no firm reason to anticipate that the intellectual capacities of peoples geographically separated in their evolution should prove to have evolved identically.”

The comments drew condemnation from British lawmakers, scientists and civil rights campaigners. On Wednesday The Independent newspaper put Watson on its front page, against the words: “Africans are less intelligent than Westerners, says DNA pioneer.”

“I think these remarks are extremely dangerous and extremely offensive to make,” Steven Rose, a neuroscientist and a co-founder of the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science, told CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips. “They distress black people; I think quite rightly, too. And they do no good either scientifically or to the fight against racism, in Britain or the United States.”

Quote

There is no firm reason to anticipate that the intellectual capacities of peoples geographically separated in their evolution should prove to have evolved identically.

James D. Watson
Watson was to deliver a sold-out lecture at the Science Museum, but on Wednesday night the institution said Watson's comments had gone too far and the event had been canceled. The organizers said his comments went beyond the point of acceptable debate.

Calls to Watson's book publisher and his office in New York were not immediately returned.

This is not the first time Watson's speaking engagements have caused a stir.

The Independent catalogued a series of controversial statements from Watson, including one in which he reportedly suggested women should have the right to have abortions if tests could determine their children would be homosexual.

In 2000 Watson shocked an audience at the University of California, Berkeley, when he advanced a theory about a link between skin color and sex drive.

His lecture, complete with slides of bikini-clad women, argued that extracts of melanin - which give skin its color - had been found to boost subjects' sex drive.

“That's why you have Latin lovers,” he said, according to people who attended the lecture. “You've never heard of an English lover. Only an English patient.”

Telephone and e-mail messages left with the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (where Watson serves as chancellor) were not immediately returned.

© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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by rational_1 October 18, 2007 8:54 AM PDT
Yet another example of a hysterical response when one hears something one doesn''t like (like the Harvard/Summers incident). I have no idea if Watson is right, but that''s not the point. Rather than trying to shut him up, why don''t the people who disagree with him show where he erred in coming to his conclusion. If one looks at how races (or genders) do on standardized academic tests like the SAT one might easily conclude blacks do worse (and women worse in math than men) because of some inherent deficiency. Not necessarily so - for it to be inherent would assume everyone received the same quality education and encouragement to excel. Watson may be right or he might be wrong, but this knee-jerk response to muzzle him is infantile.
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by stephengosson October 18, 2007 9:01 AM PDT
Psst. Mr. Watson.
I think Rev. Al Sharpton craves a word.
Reply to this comment
by matter77 October 18, 2007 9:08 AM PDT
starsnbars12 - the same reserach also established that white people are less intelligent than asians.
Perhaps Watson can explain why America is the greatest nation in history, yet was built by "inferiors" - poorly educated, mixed race, low-skill, but hard-working immigrants with a spirit neither Watson, nor YOU have any of.
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by October 18, 2007 9:16 AM PDT
Not to take anything away from the comments, but for all those non believers, there is an exception to every thing. There are a few blacks out there that are intelligent. But, overall the race has a lower intelligence level. There are many reasons for this. The concept of the "dumbing down of America" is because we are making allowances for people who have lower intelligence to make them feel good. There is no way to rush evolution. Africans are behind in evolution. Look at the African countries and what''s going on there and you don''t have to guess what the intelligence level is, you can see it. Look at the cultures in the US and you can see it in the inner cities too. You can only take people so far before they are at their highest learning level. You have to be able to use what you learn, not just have a college degree that says you once knew it. It takes intelligence to get ahead. Like it''s said about life, misery loves company, and blacks are wanting us to come down a level to keep them company rather than step up a level to join us for company.
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by October 18, 2007 9:16 AM PDT
Not to take anything away from the comments, but for all those non believers, there is an exception to every thing. There are a few blacks out there that are intelligent. But, overall the race has a lower intelligence level. There are many reasons for this. The concept of the "dumbing down of America" is because we are making allowances for people who have lower intelligence to make them feel good. There is no way to rush evolution. Africans are behind in evolution. Look at the African countries and what''s going on there and you don''t have to guess what the intelligence level is, you can see it. Look at the cultures in the US and you can see it in the inner cities too. You can only take people so far before they are at their highest learning level. You have to be able to use what you learn, not just have a college degree that says you once knew it. It takes intelligence to get ahead. Like it''s said about life, misery loves company, and blacks are wanting us to come down a level to keep them company rather than step up a level to join us for company.
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by mitdgreenb October 18, 2007 9:19 AM PDT
Rational_1

SPOT ON! Regardless of if one agrees or disagrees with the gentleman, the correct response is to show the error in the logic or in the science. The knee-jerk response that he must be incorrect because the conclusion is distasteful is neither useful nor correct.

We also should be very careful about taking the general to the particular. For instance, on average, people of West African descent tend to have more "fast twitch" muscle fibers... leading (on average) to better performance in sports requiring quickness, like sprinting. But that does not say anythig about an INDIVIDUAL of that descent: s/he may or may not be an above average sprinter. Remember, on AVERAGE, you (dear reader) have one breast and one testicle.
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by myidoncbs October 18, 2007 9:21 AM PDT
I''m not about to stick up for Watson''s ridiculous statements, but I see no reason to support idiocy, either. Someone said, "Perhaps Watson can explain why America is the greatest nation in history."

This concept that "America" (referring to the USA, and not actually to all of America, which contains North, South, and Central portions) is "the greatest nation in history" is just total bunk, mindless jingoism by self-deluded xenophobic fo/ols. Take a look at what "America" is doing in the world today: unprovoked war against a defenseless nation in a foolish attempt to steal their only material assets. Is that what you expect from the "greatest nation"? Not unless by "greatest" you mean "most violent, most destructive, most greedy, and most re/tarded".
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by mudrose-2009 October 18, 2007 9:22 AM PDT
What, what is this another pitch for eugenics? Blacks are dumb, latinos are hot, and what Europeans are superior? Hey, anyone wonder why Nobel Peace Prizes are highly overrated? Far be it for me to advocate political correctness. I''d rather die. But this is something so out of the past with all its implications that this guy should be slapped in the head non-stop. ENOUGH!
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by extremophil October 18, 2007 9:26 AM PDT
I guess if Al what-his-name can win a Nobel Prize, anybody can.
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by dh21187-2009 October 18, 2007 9:30 AM PDT
All,

I think the biggest shame to this article is that people won''t even look at his evidence to see if he is correct or not. Why is he automatically a racist simply because his research has led him in a direction that others fear to tread? Galileo and Copernicus both had strange ideas for their time too and look what happened to them. It took hundreds of years for the Catholic Church to admit they were wrong in stifling their correct view of the world.

The politically correct view is that all men are created equal when it comes to the power to reason, but this simply isn%u2019t so. Just like certain people are better at sports than others, why wouldn%u2019t it follow that certain people are better at brain work than others? To deny this possibility, with is rather obvious, is simply ignorance at its best. If you believe he is incorrect, prove it and stop using the %u201Crace card%u201D whenever you are challenged about an issue.
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by eggy1620 October 18, 2007 9:32 AM PDT
Mudrose: I would advocate for eugenics, if applied appropriately. Starting with Starsnbars, whose brother/sister parents should have sterilized decades ago.
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by cbs_oliver October 18, 2007 9:38 AM PDT
Watson won a nobel prize for some of his chemistry.

The guy is a hopeless bigot and bad scientist in other areas.

I am dismayed, but not really supprised, that this is taken as an occasion for the vile right wing sneer and smear crew to trot out their ignorant and mean spirited slanders of Al Gore.

This behavior is especially weird since racial slurs are standard fare for the right wing hate mongers.
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by truthisbest October 18, 2007 9:38 AM PDT
We are all on this earth together and we all have a moral responsibility to live together in the best possible manner. However I don''t think it is right to slam and destroy someone (James Watson) because they voice an opinion which they believe to be true. It clearly is no accident that just about all of the knowledge in the world today came from European heritage. The European race of people clearly had something mentally better than others. Mr Watson is also correct in that the world''s social policies in dealing with Africa are flawed because they are not working. What sane person, regardless of race can dispute that things are getting worse in Africa.
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by ausar7 October 18, 2007 9:44 AM PDT
First, we must not be bigots when responding to those who are uninformed or speaking off from an ignorant knowledge base. So I as a black man I feel no ill-feelings to Watson, nor those who hastily jumped to %u201Csign off%u201D on his statement. I live by the quote %u201Cdon%u2019t hate ignorance, give it a book.%u201D But what is funny is that now days you have to make sure a racist didn%u2019t write that book (chuckle)%u2026I digress.

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by mudrose-2009 October 18, 2007 9:47 AM PDT
Mudrose: I would advocate for eugenics, if applied appropriately. Starting with Starsnbars, whose brother/sister parents should have sterilized decades ago.
Posted by eggy1620

Nah, Starsnbars is slightly off track - to put it nicely. But our inner cities are hurting not because these kids are less intelligent, but because of socio-economic and mainly educational factors. If schools spent more time on teaching reading, writing and arithmetic rather than making our educational system a propoganda mill for every politically correct ideology we wouldn''t be listening to numbnuts like this Nobel Peace Prize dope. People like Martin Luther King and Clarence Thomas who grew up in extreme poverty to become a Supreme Court Justice are not anomalies. Starsnbars seems to live in a very limited point of view that needs a fresh perspective.
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by ausar7 October 18, 2007 9:47 AM PDT
Moving along%u2026what we must realize first is the way one is defining intelligence and how it is measured. If we are measuring IQ or intelligence by standardized test such as SAT that have been proven to be culturally biased, we can definitely say my people are inferior. Yes, the numbers speak to that, ok cool. If you chose to do so please realize that you are being dualistic. BUT a more informed person of more mature cognitive complexity CLEARLY understand that intelligence can not be measured by futile means it has been traditionally in western culture. A person can be intelligent in many ways that are not measured by standardized tests. Read Howard Gardner%u2019s Intelligence Reframed (yes, he is a white male), or just do a basic Google search if you are so inclined. He presents a few of the many ways we have to reframe how we evaluate intelligence. There is a great deal of information out there that speaks to this issue.

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by abigail70 October 18, 2007 9:47 AM PDT
No race is void of stupid people.
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by ausar7 October 18, 2007 9:48 AM PDT
People, we can not forget about the remnants of oppression and those large fragments and systematic practices that are still looming in the USA. These have infected thinking of the American public; permitting notable figures to say and prove the stereotypes they have been taught. Trust me, just because a person has a PhD does not make them right. If a person is cunning enough they can show you skewed research on why pigs really can fly (hard chuckle). Those folks who are uninformed with their culturally biased points of views cling on to the ignorance of so called experts. Trust me people this race thing is ridiculous. It baffles me that we as a people fail to realize that we are at very least still all part of the same human family. I appreciate my allies from other races that will join me in the battle against ignorance and oppressive measures against not just blacks but all groups. You guys have no idea its much bigger than skin color. Don%u2019t be silly.

With love to you all,

Your brother
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by dcunningham81 October 18, 2007 9:52 AM PDT
I am really shocked and disappointed that Watson%u2026%u2026 has the markings of an ***. These comments make me wonder if he had a stroke or something of that fashion to come out with what I would consider stupid remarks.Then I also believe that man did begin in the heart of Africa as dark-skinned and as he migrated North the body lightened in order to take in more Vitamin D, which is a requirement. I guess I am the only white who holds Dr. Drew in high regard - you know- the INVENTOR OF THE CLOSED Blood Bank Administration System that we use today Oh, he was BLACK. %u2026%u2026the spark plugs which was invented by a BLACK man.If Watson is so worried about the African not being as intelligent, why doesn''t he contribute to their welfare.I firmly believe that if you start ANY CHILD OF ANY COLOR OFF WITH GOOD NUTRITION, GOOD HEALTH CARE, GOOD LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND FOSTER EDUCATIONAL HIGHER INSTITUTION LEARNING THROUGH GRANTS AND OTHER AIDS, THEN YOU BOOST ANYONE''S intellectual level. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SAYING WATSON IS CORRECT ABOUT BLACKS, BETTER REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN YOU COULD SUBSTITUTE THE IRISH, THE SWEDES, THE CHINESE,..
WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE *** YOURSELF NOTHING MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER than to put someone or another race down%u2026.
THINK ABOUT IT....Watson saying and thinking this has the smacking of Hitler...if you remember he used this same type of thinking towards Jew. ].
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by adventurepa October 18, 2007 9:59 AM PDT
People are a product of their environment.
Everything you know is what you have been told or taught or been exposed too.
An african, given the right environment, would have very close to the same intelligence as a white or asian. An above average intelligence is a result of a drive to learn and reason. Usually fostered by the environment a youngster is exposed too from an early age. A very high intelligence is also driven by genes and DNA. However, given a bad environment from the beginning, a person with above average intelligence, would not evolve to his or her full potential. Same goes for a not so intelligent person given an above average environment could evolve to his or her full potential with a higher overall intelligence and knowledge.
Our president is a good example. lol
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by talkingham October 18, 2007 10:03 AM PDT
Watson has now also earned the Jimmy the Greek Award for foot in mouth disease. Even if he believes what he has said surely he knows better than to voice an opinion. That''s what''s wrong with all of these liberal academics they are foolish enough to speak their minds even if the oponion (or the science) is controversial. Of course this doesn''t hold true for academics funded by private industry to provide "research" to "prove" a big money making drug is good for America - case in point, the defeaning silence from nutritionists who sat by for 3 decades while we were pumped full of trans fats and corn syrups in deadly quantities.

After all it was a European Jew who laid the groundwork for the atomic bomb - he really wasn''t a European. There are notable exceptions on both sides but it would be good to hear the science based on science rather than a bunch of yaps yapping about stuff they don''t understand and criticizing the Nobel Prize just because Al Gore has done a great job informing the world about a shrinking problem, the world''s ice shelves.

After all Watson wouldn''t have won the Nobel if the US Government had not forced Linus Pauling to work on weapons technology, pulling him away from his research on DNA in the early 50''s.
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by solarisgod October 18, 2007 10:04 AM PDT
The race card is not the primary issue here - the real issue is that this man has said something that he can not support. Furthermore, why did he single out Blacks? Why not Hispanics, Asians, etc? Why does everyone have the desire or need to throw baseless claims regarding blacks just like Vicentee Fox, president of Mexic0 did some years back. To further this point who was the the first female mathmatician? Look it up. Who were some of the worlds scientist before Copernicus, etc? Egyptians!! That is a known fact. Additonally, power of the brain is subjective. If man has simple needs to kill on a daily basis for food and farm his land. Is he considered less intelligent that this scientist? There comes a time when intelligence is based on need for the knowledge not capability. That''s the point that is missing. What this scientist is suggesting is more of a superiority complex than race. He obviously has had some personal dealings with African-Americans or Blacks, however what does that have to do with his DNA studies and double helix of DNA. I am sure if he were in the African areas where people live without all the Western education and technology, who would be deemed less intelligent on a daily basis?
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by eggy1620 October 18, 2007 10:05 AM PDT
The is plenty of evidence in existence to dispel Watson%u2019s theory. Just look at mixed race families. Not sexually mixed race, but black kids adopted by white families. The black & white kids are raised in the same environment, given the same opportunities academically, the same socio-economic status, the same cultural/family values. I.E. when all factors are held equal, the kids perform statistically the same.
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by huangagain October 18, 2007 10:08 AM PDT
Personally I find the fact that people are outraged at his comments kind of ridiculous. If his conclusion that blacks in general have evolved to a less intelligient state than whites is based on scientific fact, then people are upset at science! They may not like the conclusion, but it''s science. In the end, that conclusion if true doesn''t mean we should treat people differently and/or give them less in the way of rights.
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by mudrose-2009 October 18, 2007 10:14 AM PDT
Personally I find the fact that people are outraged at his comments kind of ridiculous. If his conclusion that blacks in general have evolved to a less intelligient state than whites is based on scientific fact, then people are upset at science! They may not like the conclusion, but it''''s science. In the end, that conclusion if true doesn''''t mean we should treat people differently and/or give them less in the way of rights.
Posted by huangagain

I''m just so glad that someone made the case for science. Since all the social progressives tend to uphold science as the be all and end all of truth. Well, here''s a side of the argument that isn''t very favorable of science.
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by solarisgod October 18, 2007 10:23 AM PDT
LOL!! - Use your Intelligence? Listen to what was said. Dr. Watson spoke of Africans, not blacks. Blacks live in every part of the world. To say "blacks" are less intelligent would be a far more ludicrous comment than this one he has already made. This person is not a expert in this field of study. Which begs the question, "why does he feel the need to make this outrageous claim"? There are many African doctors, (i.e. the outgoing UN Leader) that would totally disagree with his hypothesis. He is pompous and is using his fame for his soapbox thoughts and opinions.
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by mnelsonix October 18, 2007 10:24 AM PDT
From the article, ==controversial statements from Watson, including one in which he reportedly suggested women should have the right to have abortions if tests could determine their children would be homosexual.==

lmao...This guy is not respecting our POLITICALLY CORRECT sensibilities. And this is a good thing. It opens up the dialog to include concepts some people find offensive. These PC ideas should be debated and not swept under the rug of denial.

Anyway...this is fun!!
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by solarisgod October 18, 2007 10:33 AM PDT
I just read the last comment about Rosalind Franklin and then looked it up. All you pundants about science need to read it as well. This Dr. Watson started with someone else''s knowledge to build his own. Read for yourself - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_Franklin

Thanks george2221
Reply to this comment
by mnelsonix October 18, 2007 10:37 AM PDT
You are correct george2221. Franklin would of gone on to greatness had she lived into her forties.

http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/AB/BC/Rosalind_Franklin.html

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by tcoleman12 October 18, 2007 10:40 AM PDT
He should have started out by saying that blacks are better athletes, but....
Then no one would have noticed.
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by whatithink-2009 October 18, 2007 11:01 AM PDT
Wow, they give anyone a PEACE PRIZE these days.
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by gunownerdan October 18, 2007 11:10 AM PDT
I think this is called "The Bell Curve" or something like that.

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by mitywhity October 18, 2007 11:11 AM PDT
It''s interesting that the liberal''s pet scientists are so revered when they speak for Global Warming and against God, but when they present findings that offend THEM, oh man, do they ever do a 180 and start attacking the scientists! Don''t they realize that they are pawns of the socialist agenda and that they are not free to operate outside of the socialist agenda? Geesh!
Reply to this comment
by mitywhity October 18, 2007 11:12 AM PDT
Actually I think it is called the Bull-Curve on this one GunOwnerDan! lol
Reply to this comment
by sassalin October 18, 2007 11:15 AM PDT
dh21187,

Well said. Someone mentioned that our tests are bias or other races cannot take them....to me that would prove the theory that we also developed differently as far as brain power. Some people are better at sports, problem solving, art so maybe some are better at intelligence. It''s sad that his work is being discounted just because it may make one race upset.
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by brianbwb-2009 October 18, 2007 11:25 AM PDT
Shades of william shockley, another "white" supremacist idiot masquerading as a scientist, whose name doesn''t even rate capital letters. Here is a test for all "white" people who still believe in Hitler''s eugenics, take a "white" person from Pasadena, Ca., and drop them in the middle of Africa with no money, or weapons, or shoes, and see if they have the IQ to survive in that environment.
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by antoniof123 October 18, 2007 11:27 AM PDT
So does that mean that he has a lack of common sense.

Some people are too stupid to breath the air.
Reply to this comment
by actornaught October 18, 2007 11:29 AM PDT
"It''s interesting that the liberal''s..."
Posted by MityWhity at 11:11 AM : Oct 18, 2007

Oops, your own lower IQ and bigotry are showing right at the top!

"...pawns of the socialist agenda..."

lol... tinfoil hat a bit tight this morning, mr mccarthy?
Reply to this comment
by myidoncbs October 18, 2007 11:40 AM PDT
someone asked, "Why is he automatically a racist simply because his research has led him in a direction that others fear to tread?"

Actually, the research you refer to is subject to interpretation. "IQ" is a measure of something, but not necessarily intelligence. It varies by educational level, cultural background, upbringing, diet, race, religion, EVERYTHING. It''s a VERY complex subject, one not well understood by the masses.

Most of the comments by people here who support what Watson said are, in fact, racist. I don''t know if Watson truly is a racist, but he sure has given them fuel to feed their racial prejudices.

As someone pointed out, however, Asians score much higher than North Americans and Europeans, who score higher than South Americans, who in turn score higher than Africans, etc., so if you''re going to be racially prejudiced based on perceived "inferiorities" then you should despise the honkeys just as much as some of you despise black people.

It turns out that EVERY religion says, in its own unique way, that man is made in the image of God. The potential of each and every human being is infinite. Nearly everyone has failed to live up to that potential, so there''s absolutely no excuse for one race of people to feel "superior" to another. But there is EVERY reason to try to help one another to achieve their God-given potential.
Reply to this comment
by gkc99 October 18, 2007 11:42 AM PDT
There is no "science" to Watson''s opinion, it''s just his opinion, unsubstantiated. Just because the guy helped determine the molecular structure of DNA (based on Franklin''s X-ray spectrum showing the molecule to be helical), gives him no extra credibility in anything else.

Just look at his co-discoverer, Crick! The guy is a big proponent of the "life came from outer space" school of thought (panspermia)!
Reply to this comment
by splish3 October 18, 2007 11:49 AM PDT
Unfortunately there is no scientific evidence, only rhetorical, to refute anything that Watson says. In fact, the extensive studies on the subject by don''t even dispute the issue any more, only what should be done to address the differences in human populations. Here''s a good article on the topic from the American Psychological Association that addresses the article scientifically, and not emotionally: http://www.udel.edu/educ/gottfredson/30years/Rushton-Jensen30years.pdf#search=''Thirty%20Years%20of%20Research%20on%20Race%20Differences%20in%20Cognitive%20Ability''
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by October 18, 2007 11:49 AM PDT
The bottom line is "stupid is as stupid does".

He is not the only person who has said there is a difference in the IQ of different races. Look across the board at the entire race and you''ll see that there is an IQ difference no matter how you measure it. Blacks overall are lower on brain power and it doesn''t take a scientist to figure it out. If you can''t figure it out, then you might be down there too.
Reply to this comment
by splish3 October 18, 2007 11:50 AM PDT
Unfortunately there is no scientific evidence, only rhetorical, to refute anything that Watson says. In fact, the extensive studies on the subject by don''t even dispute the issue any more, only what should be done to address the differences in human populations. Here''s a good article on the topic from the American Psychological Association that addresses the article scientifically, and not emotionally: http://www.udel.edu/educ/gottfredson/30years/Rushton-Jensen30years.pdf#search=''Thirty%20Years%20of%20Research%20on%20Race%20Differences%20in%20Cognitive%20Ability''
Reply to this comment
by solarisgod October 18, 2007 11:52 AM PDT
dh21187 and sassalin,

"Well said. Someone mentioned that our tests are bias or other races cannot take them....to me that would prove the theory that we also developed differently as far as brain power. Some people are better at sports, problem solving, art so maybe some are better at intelligence. It''''s sad that his work is being discounted just because it may make one race upset."

That is the WORST way I have ever seen a conclusion drawn. You have just indicated that taking a test and passing is INTELLIGENCE. That is 100% falsehood even amongst the most noted scholars of our times. INTELLIGENCE is what you dod with the information you are given, not how well you pass a test. The test was developed by person that is imperfect. Again, how do people survive in the rain forest against pythons, anacondaa and other hazards that we have no knowledge of? Would I be considered more intelligent, because I passed an SAT or a GRE exam? Intelligence is based your needs in your environemnt and when you are given the ability to exceed that mark based on those factors.
Reply to this comment
by actornaught October 18, 2007 11:55 AM PDT
The bottom line is "stupid is as stupid does" ....Blacks overall are lower on brain power and it doesn''''t take a scientist to figure it out.
Posted by t1stsgt at 11:49 AM : Oct 18, 2007

hahaha... you proved your first statement by your stupid, and painfully racist, second statement!

go back under your rock...
Reply to this comment
by prairiefox1 October 18, 2007 11:55 AM PDT
JUST FACE FACTS! LOOK AROUND AND IF YOU HAVE HALF A BRAIN YOU WILL SEE THAT IT IS TRUE!
THE EVIDENCE IS STARING YOU IN THE FACE!
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by upload4u October 18, 2007 11:57 AM PDT
You know it seems strange to me why one race (white) has to spent all of their time trying to prove that they are superior to another race (blacks).Could it be they either are not superior and are afraid somebody is going to find out? The only other reasonable answer is that they have the same mentality as that guy named Adolf Hitler!
Reply to this comment
by splish3 October 18, 2007 11:58 AM PDT
Unfortunately there is no scientific evidence, only rhetorical, to refute anything that Watson says. In fact, the extensive studies on the subject don''t even dispute the issue any more, only what should be done to address the differences in human populations. A recent article by the The American Psychological Association addresses the issue very well in their 2005 article called "Thirty Years of Research on Race Differences in Cognitive Ability," written by researchers at the University of California at Berkley and the University of Western Ontario.
To assume that everyone around the world evolved in the same way, ignoring the obvious physical differences in races while assuming everything else turned out identically is quite foolish.
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by cbs_oliver October 18, 2007 12:00 PM PDT
Watson and Crick indirectly obtained a prepublication version of Rosalind Franklin''s DNA X-ray diffraction data (possibly without her knowledge), and a prepublication manuscript by Pauling and Corey, giving them critical insights into the DNA structure.[42]

Francis Crick and James Watson then published their model in Nature on 25 April 1953 in an article describing the double-helical structure of DNA with a small footnote to Franklin''s data.

Rosalind Elsie Franklin (25 July 1920 Kensington, London %u2013 16 April 1958 Chelsea, London) was an English biophysicist and crystallographer who made important contributions to the understanding of the fine structures of DNA, viruses, coal and graphite. Franklin is best known for her work on the X-ray diffraction images of DNA which formed the framework of Watson and Crick''s hypothesis of the double helical structure of DNA in their 1953 publication, and when published constituted critical evidence of the hypothesis. Later she led pioneering work on the tobacco mosaic and polio viruses. She died in 1958 of bronchopneumonia, secondary carcinomatosis, and cancer of the ovary, within minutes of her last paper being read at the Faraday Society.


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by splish3 October 18, 2007 12:00 PM PDT
Unfortunately there is no scientific evidence, only rhetorical, to refute anything that Watson says. In fact, the extensive studies on the subject don''t even dispute the issue any more, only what should be done to address the differences in human populations. A recent article by the The American Psychological Association addresses the issue very well in their 2005 article called "Thirty Years of Research on Race Differences in Cognitive Ability," written by researchers at the University of California at Berkley and the University of Western Ontario.
To assume that everyone around the world evolved in the same way, ignoring the obvious physical differences in races while assuming everything else turned out identically is quite foolish.
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