From: Spike Jones (spike66@ibm.net)
Date: Sun May 07 2000 - 20:09:45 MDT
QueeneMUSE@aol.com wrote:
> The book I am speaking of is called "The Mismeasure of Man' . It is not
> theoretical, or scientific... it's just a rare historical view, documenting
> (somewhat humorously) various (at the time highly respectable, though now
> laughable) scientific experiments in which race and genetics were analyzed to
> account for certain hegemonous nationalists to posit that they deserve a
> biologically "superior" intelligence over other races. Phrenology for
> instance. It is amusing.
Gould has an axe to grind in that book. He seems to promote
the notion that there is no legitimate measure of absolute intelligence:
therefore the whole idea of I.Q. is misguided. I disagree with him
on that. There is no single number to express how strong a person
is, for instance, but still there are strong people and weak people.
Popularizers of science are seldom highly regarded in their own
fields. [Richard Feynman excepted of course.]
Speaking of Gould, he has a new book out, the Lying Stones of
Marrakech. Just bought a copy today, will report back. spike
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