In your “Talk Nerdy” podcast discussion with Angela Saini you spoke definitively that there are not mental or trait differences between the different races of people.
We identify races by their external appearances. Clearly there have been divergent evolutions that led to differences in external appearance. Those “external” appearance differences are actually due to underlying tissue and structural differences which we see as the “external”.
As there are, then, internal physical differences between races, and the brain and associated organs are physical structures, there simply must be some mental or trait differences. It seems absurd to claim otherwise. There is no magical rule of nature that says evolutionary changes do not affect brain and behaviors. In fact, we know that evolution does affect those things, or else we would not have modern humans.
Per your objections, there are consequential problems with how people perceive and use this information. The problem is not whether or not there are differences, but how that affects an individual’s interaction with others.
First, it is generally acknowledged that we humans are not intuitively very good at understanding statistics. In this case, the concepts involved are averages, deviations from the average, and distribution of those deviations.
For the sake of an argument, let’s assume that Race A, on average, is 5% better at spelling than Race B. So upon meeting a person of Race A, will they be a good speller? The correct answer is that we have no way of knowing. The average for Race A tells us nothing about an individual.
Just as adult height varies from less than 3 feet to over 8 feet, the variation within a population is far greater than a 5% average difference. The spelling aptitude differences among the members of a race are very, very large. The statistics are straight forward, but we are not good at grasping just how simple that is.
Another example, a second grade teacher gets a class of 20 kids each year and 10 are Race A and 10 are Race B. Will Race A kids not have to work as hard on spelling? Again, the answer is we have no way of knowing. The average race difference says nothing about individuals. If the teacher has 30 classes over their career, will they see that difference in spelling ability? And again, no way of knowing. The knowledge about an average race difference of 5% tells us nothing.
To be correct, the average difference tells us nothing as long as there are many millions of people of Race A and Race B. If Race B has a population of, say 1000, then there would be a likely probability of seeing that difference in 300 of their children.
Over the lifetime of a person of Race A of working with, being friends with, or simply encountering people of Race B, the knowledge of a 5% average difference in spelling ability is completely useless information.
There is a second problem with how we humans might perceive information about average race differences. And that is our cultural beliefs about what are the most important traits.
What if I tell you in the example above that while Race A is 5%, on average, better at spelling, that Race B is 5%, on average, better at math. You probably at least subconsciously had been believing that Race A was a little better. But now that you know Race B is better in math?
What’s more important, spelling or math?
Well that depends, doesn’t it, on what you value in life. Here’s another way of looking at this.
Suppose you must choose the future of the human race. Let’s say that people will be chosen who will be the first generation of the future of humans, and that humans will exist for not just another 100 years, or 1,000 years, but 500,000 years. (For reference, if we count the beginning of agriculture as a marker of modern humans, then we have been around for about 14,000 years.)
You must choose between these 2 people:
1) Elon Musk
2) A married Dad with 2 children who loves his family and is loved in return, who works part time as an electrician and part time in a Bob Marley tribute band.
What does it mean to be a human? What are your values?
Does working 60 hrs per week mean you are a “better” example of humanity?
Does coaching the little league baseball team mean you are “better” person? What if you coach, but you abuse your spouse?
From the earliest writings we know people have been trying to work out what it means to be human. Take a moment and realize that what society seems to give as an answer may not actually be what you believe and value. Do you want to judge others based upon a popular, but perhaps inaccurate, belief?
I believe there are differences between races. What those differences are or how large they are I have no idea. I can tell you that those differences have no significance to our lives. Individuals are just that, individual, unique, not defined by their race, where they were born, by their parents, …
P.S.
I have written this in a blog because Cara does not make public an email address. She is on Twitter and Facebook and other social media, none of which are suitable for a something of this length. I would be delighted if Cara somehow got the link to this and read it, but statistically speaking, not a chance.
On a personal note, the choice of a person was a trick question. The obvious choice is the one who is a Representative in the state legislation – the wife/mother.
StoppedThoughts 