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Title: The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life by Richard J. Herrnstein, Charles Murray, Simon & Schuster ISBN: 0-671-04516-4 Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Audio) Pub. Date: December, 1994 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 2 List Price(USD): $9.98 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.53 (137 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: An Absoloutely Wonderful Book!
Comment: THE BELL CURVE has drawn an extreme amount of criticism because of the facts revealed within. I would not say that these are revealed, but most people already know deep down that they are true. BELL CURVE merely verbalizes them and puts them up to statistical analysis. One of the authors, Murray, says in his Afterword that BELL CURVE was authored in a moderate tone. This is completely true. In fact as I have read a commentator write that this book "bends over backward" to avoid what many would consider "incendiary" statemants. What makes this book so controversial? Why do its detractors call it "Neo-Nazi Propaganda," a term which is used to denigrate anything that seems out of line with any group's stated beliefs and idealogy?
1. Intellegence Quotient (IQ) is much more important in determining one's socio-economic status, academic performance, illegitimacy, and likelyhood of criminal behavior than one's environment.
2. IQ is genetic. It is likely more hereditary than caused by environment. IQ is estimated at being between 40-80% inherited from one's parents. The authors estimate it from their data at being around 60% hereditary.
3. IQ scores differ substantially along racial and ethnic lines.
4. The average white IQ is around 100. The average black and Hispanic IQ is at an 85. This places the average black or Hispanic at the 16th percentile of the white IQ range. This means that the average black or Hispanic is a standard deviation (a lot in layman's terms) lower in IQ than the average white.
5. East Asians (specifically Japanese, Chinese and Korean) score slightly higher than whites, but the extent of this difference is not well known. Asians have better visual-spatial scores while whites have better verbal scores than Asians.
Those above five points I summarized after studying the evidence from this book. I was very intrigued to find that Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews are identified as the highest achievers of any ethnicity on IQ tests, having the best scores in verbal intellegence, and being placed a standard deviation above the white mean of 100. This book is a goldmine of statistical data on the difference between people with different levels of intelligence. In fact, only about fifty of this book's five-hundred seventy pages deal with difference between races. The authors are very careful to avoid discussing racial issues and are able to treat the subject with extreme detachment. The fact is, it is not "racism" if it is true. It is simply objective fact. The book was written so that it should appeal to leftists, that everyone should be given a fair chance based on individual ability, not being given undue "affirmative action" simply based on one's racial backround. Read THE BELL CURVE, and enjoy.
Rating: 5
Summary: Social Darwinism Vindicated!
Comment: Like many (white) males, my ideology has changed over the years. I went from a liberal in my teens to a Libertarian conservative today. The Bell Curve was a long overdue statement of truth with which few can argue the facts.
Intelligence does determine status, health, success and behavior to a large degree. The ocean of evidence also support the authors' views that it is mostly genetic and can therefore be inherited. DUH! Any people who disagree with the thesis of this work will no doubt (as they have) instead of arguing the science, argue the politics and cry "hate, hate".
Nonsense!
Today, to many scientists are politicians INSTEAD of scientists. The authors of the Bell Curve took a bold step in standing up to political correctness, and others have followed. This is healthy for debate in science and in society.
I agree (and had agreed) with virtually all the points in the book, except some of the conclusions on the way we are headed. The authors thought that we might be headed towards a strengthing of the welfare state out of white liberal guilt.
Remember the book was released in 1994, BEFORE the Republicans re-took the Congress and before bipartisan welfare reform. I think that as the genetic intellectual gap grows and as behavior between intellectual classes grows (crime, etc.) we will continue to head away from the welfare state.
By the way, I actually read the book, unlike most of its critics. The conclusions by the authors that intelligence in 40-80% inherited (probably about 70%) is probably an understatement. I welcome comments that are factual in basis.
In short, this book is a great contribution to science, social science, and it is built on solid science, unlike the psuedo-science of the left-wing opponents.
Rating: 5
Summary: Great Book
Comment: Nobody who believes that that genetics play a role in intelligence denies that enviorment does play some role also, even Hitler understood that the enviroment was important. Yet to even mention to "product of our enviroment" people that genetics plays just as big a role is regarded as blasphemy. Why is that?
This book does an excellent job at showing that genetics plays just as big a role if not bigger a role in determining intelligence then the enviorment does. Read the book and see for yourself which side has a better case.
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Title: The Bell Curve Wars: Race, Intelligence, and the Future of America by Steve Fraser, Steven Fraser ISBN: 0465006930 Publisher: Basic Books Pub. Date: May, 1995 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Bell Curve Debate, The by Russell Jacoby, Naomi Glauberman ISBN: 0812925874 Publisher: Times Books Pub. Date: 28 March, 1995 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: Intelligence, Genes, and Success: Scientists Respond to The Bell Curve by Bernie Devlin, Stephen E. Fienburg, Daniel Phillip Resnick, Kathryn Roeder ISBN: 0387949860 Publisher: Copernicus Books Pub. Date: August, 1997 List Price(USD): $33.95 |
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Title: Race, Evolution, and Behavior: A Life History Perspective (3rd Edition) by J. Philippe Rushton ISBN: 0965683613 Publisher: Charles Darwin Research Institute Pub. Date: May, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: Human Accomplishment: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences, 800 B.C. to 1950 by Charles Murray ISBN: 006019247X Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: 21 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
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