Response to “Criticism of the Bell Curve”
Response to “Criticism of The Bell Curve”
This article is based on the comparing of cognitive abilities in different groups of people of all different categories such as IQ and social problems, IQ and race, and IQ and social policy. The Bell Curve, published in 1994, was written by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray as a work designed to explain, using empirical statistical analysis, the variations in intelligence in American Society, raise some warnings regarding the consequences of this intelligence gap, and propose national social policy with the goal of alleviating the worst of the consequences attributed to this intelligence gap. Many of the assertions put forth and conclusions reached by the authors are very controversial, ranging from the relationships between low measured intelligence and anti-social behavior, to the observed relationship between low African-American test scores, compared to whites and Asians, and genetic factors in intelligence abilities.
The book is said to be controversial, especially where the authors write about racial differences in intelligence and discuss the implications of those differences. The authors were reported throughout the popular press as arguing that these IQ differences are genetic. They wrote in chapter 13: "It seems highly likely to us that both genes and the environment have something to do with racial differences." The introduction to the chapter more cautiously states, "The debate about whether and how much genes and environment have to do with ethnic differences remains unresolved." The Bell Curve serves many arguments. Herrnstein argues that Intelligence exists and is accurately measurable across racial, language, and national boundaries. Intelligence is one of, if not the most, important factors correlated to economic, social, and overall success in the United States, and its importance is increasing. Intelligence is largely (40% to 80%) heritable. No one has so far been able to manipulate IQ to a
This article is based on the comparing of cognitive abilities in different groups of people of all different categories such as IQ and social problems, IQ and race, and IQ and social policy. The Bell Curve, published in 1994, was written by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray as a work designed to explain, using empirical statistical analysis, the variations in intelligence in American Society, raise some warnings regarding the consequences of this intelligence gap, and propose national social policy with the goal of alleviating the worst of the consequences attributed to this intelligence gap. Many of the assertions put forth and conclusions reached by the authors are very controversial, ranging from the relationships between low measured intelligence and anti-social behavior, to the observed relationship between low African-American test scores, compared to whites and Asians, and genetic factors in intelligence abilities.
The book is said to be controversial, especially where the authors write about racial differences in intelligence and discuss the implications of those differences. The authors were reported throughout the popular press as arguing that these IQ differences are genetic. They wrote in chapter 13: "It seems highly likely to us that both genes and the environment have something to do with racial differences." The introduction to the chapter more cautiously states, "The debate about whether and how much genes and environment have to do with ethnic differences remains unresolved." The Bell Curve serves many arguments. Herrnstein argues that Intelligence exists and is accurately measurable across racial, language, and national boundaries. Intelligence is one of, if not the most, important factors correlated to economic, social, and overall success in the United States, and its importance is increasing. Intelligence is largely (40% to 80%) heritable. No one has so far been able to manipulate IQ to a