<p>Let me preface this by stating Charles Murray is a personal hero of mine. So I think you can predict where this is going.</p>
<p>I believe IQ tests are valid and they offer predictive measure of success (as job wages are generally related to the g-loading of the tasks). The military notes a strong correlation between death rates and scores on the military intelligence test. OK let me just briefly touch on some of the points. IQ test scores or SAT scores are NOT deterministic predictors of academic achievement. Those scores are malleable somewhat and they only apply to groups AVERAGES. Individuals are not bound to these scores. </p>
<p>As far as the genetic question, cultural influences are highly exagerrated. From reading some psoters on this thread, just about anyone can become a doctor or a lawyer or even a theoretical physicit. From the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared APart (or some title like that, I don't feel like getting the link), genetics accounts for about 70% of an individual's intelligence or an IQ score, which I believe is a good indicator of intelligence (study followed identical twins who were raised in different households, twins scores had a 0.7 correlation). From the following, we see cultural differences do not define an individual's attainment: [url=<a href="http://www.eugenics.net/papers/murray.html%5DIQ">http://www.eugenics.net/papers/murray.html]IQ</a> Will Put You In Your Place<a href="start%20w/" title="A very large database...">/url</a>. Bascially, it shows a study of siblings who were raised in the same household but had significantly divergent IQ scores. The smarter siblings made an average of double the money.</p>
<p>As far as the race issue, just come on. Is race an ambigious concept? Sure. Is it difficult to define? Sure. But it undoubtedly exists. All I need is commonsense to justify it. How could different groups be in vastly different environments and not develop different traits? Traits more common amongst Europeans than Africans is a result of the respective environments each evolved in. From what I've read, races are basically very very large extended, inter-bred families. Oh and as far as IQ and race, the black-white gap has NOT closed since IQ tests started in the 1920's. Programs such as Head Start have showed no long term effects either. </p>
<p>And come on, how can anyone seriously deny the biological existence of race? So it's a coincidence that descedants of West Africans (from Canada, Jamaica, Britain, US, Nigeria,etc..) have completely dominated the 100 meter Olympic race? Since 1984, every SINGLE FINALS competitor has been of black heritage (that's over 60 and not one Asian, white, or Hispanic). How about Nobel prizes? Coincidence that Jews, who constitute about 2% of the world's population, have won about 30% of the prizes in math/science? How about 40/50 best NBA players ever are black? How about Asian students dominating population of the Ivy League colleges? How about across a given socioeconomic class, Asians score better than whites who score better than blacks on the SAT? And lo and behold, all the intellectual achievements coincide directly w/ average IQ data.</p>
<p>Finally, we need to realize that education is a big waste of time. Everyone on this thread is most likely only familair w/ above average individuals. You simply odn't eealize just how dumb the average person is. Well unless you watched Sarah Palin's interviews. The average person can not grasp the nuance of Shakespeare, derive a differential equation for a thermodynamic system, hell even write a clear essay on justy about any topic. Further, it's unecessary they do so. Really the entire education process is either an exercise of futility (for the dummies) or simply a waste, Does the saleperson need to learn trigonometry? Does the carpentar need to understand the symoblism of TJ Eckleberry in the Great Gatsby? Does the physicist need to know the history of Ancient China? Finally, the average person doesn't benefit from simply an intellectual pleasure perspective. He isn't intelligent enough to grasp the concepts in order to be intellectually fullfilled. The interesting aspects of education are simply over his head.</p>
<p>I say we do what China does. I have way more, but now I'm just rambling and that last paragraph wasn't exactly concise and transparent.</p>