What if...

[Limper]

What if it were proven that one ethnicity was less intelligent than another? What do you think the impact on society would be?

Modern western civ is founded on all men being equal but if that underpinning was proven untrue what do you think would happen?

[doc]

The Bleeding hearts would make employers hire the disadvantaged before everyone else, special programs would help them though school while the rest of us pay the bills. Sounds like whats going on now

[Freedom Canadian]

Modern western civ is founded on all men being equal but if that underpinning was proven untrue what do you think would happen?

Mmh, it's pretty obvious that all men are not equally intelligent. Therefore, if our civilization is founded on all men being equal, it's pretty obvious that equality in this case is not meant to refer to intelligence.

In any case, even if a race were on average dumber than another (which is a very real possibility), then the difference is not large enough that we can infer anything much about individuals. I mean we all know stupid and bright individuals of all ethnic groups. :)

[Iron Jenny Kidd]

Well, it would give me yet one more reason to disregard people who base someone's worth on their intelligence.

[Xavier Lang]

What if it were proven that one ethnicity was less intelligent than another? What do you think the impact on society would be?

Modern western civ is founded on all men being equal but if that underpinning was proven untrue what do you think would happen?

Lots of time, energy, and a shitload of money would be used in court cases. Everyone would sue everyone over the study, arguing it was wrong, arguing it was right, arguing X or Y should be changed because a person of that ethnicity was involved, etc....

[FeatsofClay]

Well, it would give me yet one more reason to disregard people who base someone's worth on their intelligence.

And what if they are the brain surgeon about to open up your child?

The woman hauling 20 tons of explosives through your neighborhood?

The chap with the scissors an inch form your eye vutting your bangs?

How far down the scale do you go before you quit judging and choosing based on intelligence?

[Iron Jenny Kidd]

And what if they are the brain surgeon about to open up your child?

The woman hauling 20 tons of explosives through your neighborhood?

The chap with the scissors an inch form your eye vutting your bangs?

How far down the scale do you go before you quit judging and choosing based on intelligence?

Well, I certainly don't request IQ scores when dealing with the general public. The surgeon, however, he will have to prove his capability and knowledge with some sort of documentation and references. I judge people in many different ways, it's my nature, but intelligence is not something that I personally hold to a high standard as it fluctuates between individuals and doesn't tell me shit about their character, which, at least to me, is what counts.

[Schizm]

What if it were proven that one ethnicity was less intelligent than another? What do you think the impact on society would be?

Modern western civ is founded on all men being equal but if that underpinning was proven untrue what do you think would happen?

Given that we would first need to understand the genetic and environmental (and all the other factors that might be causal) basis of intelligence (as your question is based on another thread here) before any such study on ethnic intelligence could be even properly peer-reviewed, I'm inclined to say that the ramifications of it aren't conceivable in modern society.

The whole host of other factors that might be changed with that kind of understanding of genetics and environment would change society in a much more tangible way than just this kind of single-study.

If, of course, you meant that an absolutely provable from on-high proclamation, then here's your answer: nothing would change. It would be fought just like battles over creationism and evolution, religions would take sides, and the rule of the lowest common denominator would continue.

[strawberry]

What if it were proven that one ethnicity was less intelligent than another? What do you think the impact on society would be?

People who already believed it would be more smug and sleep better at night, and people who already disbelieved it would find their life's work fighting it. Otherwise, not much.

[Atticus_of_Amber]

What if it were proven that one ethnicity was less intelligent than another? What do you think the impact on society would be?

Modern western civ is founded on all men being equal but if that underpinning was proven untrue what do you think would happen?

I don't think Western Civilization is founded on the idea that all people are equal. Current liberal civilization is founded on the idea that, before the law, all people should be treated as if they were of the same value. That's a different thing.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turned out that the average IQ of those humans of African descent was slightly lower than the average of humans of northern European descent. We already know that black people tend to be better runners than honkies.

But I don't see that such a discovery should change anything.

First, its just an average. The average black guy is going to run faster than the average white guy, but a fast white guy is going to kick average black's guy's but.

Second, talent is only one element in success and moral worth. Lazy smart people get their asses handed to them by diligent workers of average intelligence every day. For example, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas are bit conservative Supreme Court judges. Scalia is clearly smarter than Thomas (though whether race has anything to do with that, I have no idea). But, in my view, Thomas is by far the better judge. Why? Because Scalia is a lazy, arrogant windbag and Thomas is a hard working, earnest man.

[doc]

It's just common knowledge that Americans, Canadian and British (and the Dutch) posters here are more Intellegent then certin others.

[Black Angel]

It's just common knowledge that Americans, Canadian and British (and the Dutch) posters here are more Intellegent then certin others.

At least we can spell and use punctuation though.

[Ancalagon]

There is a curious sort of irony on how often people misspell intelligence, especially in a context like this...

Ancalagon

[doc]

That's was a joke BA :)

[Edena_of_Neith]

(meant as HUMOR)

We'd be like those elves.

We, the Gold Elves, are better than the Silver Elves.
We, the Silver Elves, are better than the Green Elves.
We, the Green Elves, are better than the Drow.
We, the Drow, are better than the Grey Elves.
We, the Grey Elves, are better than the High Elves.
We, the High Elves, are better than the Wood Elves.
We, the Wood Elves, are better than the Wild Elves.
We, the Wild Elves, are better than the Snow Elves.
We, the Snow Elves, are better than the Ice Elves.
We, the Ice Elves, are better than the Shadow Elves.
We, the Shadow Elves, are better than the Eladrin Elves.
We, the Eladrin Elves, are better than the Elf Elves.
We, the Elf Elves, are better than the Half-Elves.
We, the Half-Elves, are better than the One-Quarter Elves.
We, the One-Quarter Elves, are better than the Crinti Elves.
We, the Crinti Elves, are better than the Athian Elves.
We, the Athian Elves, are better than the Silvanesti.
We, the Silvanesti, are better than the Qualinesti.
We, the Qualinesti, are better than the Kagonesti.
We, the Kagonesti, are better than the Dark Elves.
We, the Dark Elves, are better than the Dagonesti.
We, the Dagonesti, are better than the Dimernesti.
We, the Dimernesti, are better than the Taladas Elves.
We, the Taladas Elves, are better than the Olvenfolk.
We, the Olvenfolk, are better than the Noldor.
We, the Noldor, are better than the Vanyar.
We, the Vanyar, are better than the Teleri.
We, the Teleri, are better than the Falathrim.
We, the Falathrim, are better than the Sindar.
We, the Sindar, are better than the Avari.
We, the Avari, are better than the Sea Elves.
We, the Sea Elves, are better than the Star Elves.
We, the Star Elves, are better than the Spelljamming Elves.
We, the Spelljamming Elves, are better than ...

Everyone Else: SHUT THE FUCK UP.

[doc]

And the Gnomes are better then all of them

[Snatch]

(meant as HUMOR)

We'd be like those elves.

We, the Gold Elves, are better than the Silver Elves.
We, the Silver Elves, are better than the Green Elves.
We, the Green Elves, are better than the Drow.
We, the Drow,[...]

Everyone Else: SHUT THE FUCK UP.

It's posts like these that make me glad Edena is around. :)

[Edena_of_Neith]

Thanks. And cheers. :)

And remember, the real elves are the dragonlance kender, and they are the best elves of all ...

[doc]

Thanks. And cheers. :)

And remember, the real elves are the dragonlance kender, and they are the best elves of all ...

You are one wierd duck