"In 2007, Nobel Prize winning US scientist James Watson was quoted referring to research suggesting that black people were less intelligent than other races. His comments caused a storm of controversy, Watson was condemned.
Although he apologised for the offence he caused, his public engagements were cancelled and he left his British speaking tour in disgrace.
Meanwhile, right wing websites hailed him as the new Galileo - a martyr to political correctness that was concealing the fact that there is indeed evidence that shows different races score differently in IQ tests. But are the tests biased? Is race really a scientific category at all?
In this documentary, part of the season Race: Science's Last Taboo, Rageh Omaar sets out to find out the truth, meeting scientists who believe the research supports the view that races can be differentiated as well as those who vehemently oppose this view. By daring to ask the difficult questions, Omaar is able to explode the myths about race and IQ and reveal what he thinks are important lessons for society."
This could have been an interesting impartial examination of the evidence for and against the claims of James Watson and others but somehow I think the programme's collective mind was made up before the programme was made as a Channel 4 spokesperson is quoted as saying that (my emphasis):
"This new season of programmes sets out to explode some of the myths about race and science and to cast light on the history and consequences of scientific racism.So that's settled then. I wonder how Channel 4 stand on the accepted fact that Black athletes are naturally better runners than White athletes; is that racist science as well?
The Season debunks the myths about science and race – science has been misused to legitimise racist beliefs and practices – these programmes are the antidote to that.
Season roundly dismisses the ideas: that race is a predictor of intelligence; that racial purity has scientific benefits and that any one race is superior to another."
1 comment:
This show sounds like a joke based on those comments. Genes vary in frequency across population groups. This includes those that are so far linked to cognitive function although it will take years to uncover all of them.
In the meantime you can't say anything has been debunked.
http://www.futurepundit.com/archives/005501.html
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