Watson quits
He can enter his delayed dotage, stewing in his sullied reputation. Here.
Pan Africa Chemistry Network - Supporting African Science
53 minutes ago
My Blog List
-
-
-
-
Episodic Tremors1 day ago
-
-
-
What is making me happy today: Nathi Nomvula8 months ago
-
-
-
Shameless Self-Promotion2 years ago
-
More on Nigeria's Anti-Gay Bill2 years ago
-
Abuja's Poor Customer Service Culture3 years ago
-
The Root Of All Evil4 years ago
-
-
MOVING ON5 years ago
-
In my defence......6 years ago
-
-
-
Twitter / jeremyweate
Posts
About This Blog
21 comments:
Speaking as someone who has both white and black blood flowing through his veins, allow me: the contentious idea of African intelligence (or the lack) is not going to simply vanish and there are are scientifically germane reasons for asking such a question, political correctness notwithstanding.
If it is indeed true that Africans have, in general, lower intelligence and therefore, social programs designed from the so-called white man's view will always fail, then it behooves society's Thinkers to attempt a redesign which begins, as with all things logical, with a question (premise).
I simply don't know enough about IQ, intelligence (ahem, leaving myself open for insults there so take your shots), society, nurture, and all the correlative and causative concerns involved, but a scientist, the stature of Watson, should be able to ask these kinds of questions without fear or favor. If anything, this is truly "speaking truth to power."
So, unlike you Jeremy, I think Watson's departure is a sad reflection of the degradation of intelligent discourse in western civilization. Instead of the mob crying out for his head, how about tacking the question with a clear head?
it behooves me to yawn. This is SO 2 days ago!
Fred,
Thanks for your tuppence, Uncle Tom.
I just re-read my post. Apologies for the particularly crap construction - mixed-metaphors sullying and stewing all over themselves.
The fact that Watson referred to IQ in the first place is enough to discredit him, before he started to speak about race. Even when I was 12 and did a few IQ tests, I sussed what a stupid measure for intelligence they really are. Should matching squares with triangles and looking for patterns amongst numbers really be the test of how smart you are? Whoever came up with IQ tests had a limited IQ..
Watson's comments do not really deserve commenting on. Its not about avoiding talking about difficult things or political correctness, its simply that the man belongs in an old forgotten museum perhaps somewhere in Bratislava, inside a very dusty old glass case. We (ie contemporary scientific knowledge) are a long way from the Bell Curve understanding of biology and culture. The emerging field of brain plasticity is just one case in point which shows how anachronistic Watson's view into the universe really is..
on that note, "abdul-walid", you can catch fast train back to fictional city of Acerbia.
You're wrong last anonymous: I am not Abdul-Walid. Someone perhaps a little smarter than you would have worked out who he/she really is...
anonymous coward #2: was it difficult to tear your monkey hands away from picking and smelling lice off your father's back to type "Uncle Tom"?
@Jeremy: the proof of the pudding… say what you will about antiquated thinking re Watson, we all still shit and piss the same as always, “brain plasticity”—is that anything like being soft in the head?—or not.
ouch.
Binyavanga of Wainana?
Poor guy, all he was trying to do was promote his new book.
@Opium
Well, that was one book too many!
Its all very well to talk about "scientifically germane reasons for asking such a question"..but ultimately what can humanity GAIN from trying to measure intellect - in the imperfect world we live in it will merely provide ammunition for racists - "yep, I knew it all along, no wonder we cannot teach these kids/no wonder he failed at his job" yada, yada. Whatever problems africa has must be solved by africans - not the western world. And certainly not by funding expensive research to prove africans are intellectually inferior "the pathetics dears lets all smart alecs design a simple (in every sense of the word!)tool to help prop up their failing economies, eliminate poverty and foster growth, yay!
Without meaning to insult fred I've yet to meet ANY mixed race person who has a strong sense of self. I guess it must be hard not actually fitting in anywhere..
And before you come back at me with "monkey abuse" - (yep, so typical of the self-haters/closet racists - notice the way they lash out super quickly with that type of stuff the minute their paper thin egos crumple) - yes as I was saying don't bother to insult me - I only find it amusing.
well done jeremy, carry go! @ foxy brown..anh anh...lol
foxybrown: I repay in kind. When anonymous coward #2 declined to answer except by throwing "Uncle Tom” invective, of course a reciprocal insult is the only language they’ll understand.
As for your “brilliant” amateur psych evaluation, I could say you have no fucking idea what you're talking about and toss off a few appropriate insults and accompanying psych evaluation of someone who likes to call themselves "foxybrown" but I'll desist for the time being and instead, unlike anonymous asshole #2, answer your question.
Would you teach a mongoloid the same as you would a regular student? Of course it is necessary to approach different people differently; there is EVERYTHING to gain from knowing and understanding intellect—I’ve already give a pretty good example why for starters. There are more. In point of fact, while IQ tests per se aren't completely valid, intelligence is a requirement for living a productive life in the 21st century and requires Complex Systems analysis. That many African countries are complete and utter failures at fulfilling those requirements speaks volumes and should naturally engender more questions that should lead to some answers rather than no questions for fear of providing fodder for racists. Leaving Africa to Africans, as you flippantly assert, hasn’t worked so far and the question should be why. Only fucking retards insist on doing the same thing over and again then expecting different results.
Since you’re afraid that intelligence data can be used as ammunition by racists, rest assured that ANYTHING can be used to base prejudice on, including even facts that contradict a priori prejudices! However, this should not preclude scientists from asking questions about why Africa is still not out of the doldrums that many other societies have successfully managed to navigate.
Now let’s turn the Klieg lights back on you, “foxybrown.” Since I like to think of myself as a funny guy and since you’ve assured me insulting you will be amusing, allow me to tickle your funny bone: from a surface analysis of your grammar, syntax and content, to the ready use of ad hominem, you’re no better than anonymous asshole #2, maybes a higher species of ape, perhaps Orangutan. You’re obviously a cretin. If you’ve never met ANY (sheesh) mixed-race person with a “strong sense of self”, I’d suggest you move out of the shithole neighborhood you live in, but I’m not sure if your zoo keepers will allow that. Now, munch on yo nanas and leave such discussions to us higher mammals.
Sadly, that time has come in our world when there will never be curious, open, reasoned discourse about things like race, about male-female dynamics, about religion. Many have learnt the art of hiding laziness under wit, and no one wants to be seen as the class nerd. Which is perhaps why we have had as compared to other generation no quantum leaps in knowledge correct me if i'm wrong. If that guy had come up today to say 'the earth is not flat' - he would have had a much tougher time. someone would ask 'and what value would your argument add to society?' and all of us would go on our jolly way - feeling good with ourselves.
I hate to sound sanctimonious, but I wish those days of fearless curiousity would come back. Or maybe the books that retell those days only speak about them in hyperboles. Perhaps humans were never capable of such openness.
Chude
Yada yada yawn. Why can't you come up with some original abuse "fred". Oh and my "foxybrown" blog name means absolutely nothing - merely chosen to reflect that I'm black and female. My younger brother is a fan of those so-called blaxploitaion movies of the 70's.
Merely observing many african countries will clue people in re why there are so many problems - blatant corruption, little respect for the rule of law, lack of education for most and what educational system is available is frequently basic or poorly designed.
The question is - on what research or evidence was Watson's statements based? If he indeed conducted some kind of study, what was his study design, who were his subjects? Africans? Since he talked about africa I can only assume he travelled over there,investigated the cultural terrain, then recruited subjects from all over (has to be randomized!), applied whatever tool he created to measure their intelligence also factoring in differences in culture and lifestyle while somehow finding ways to eliminate any potential bias including recruitment of a control group (who I wonder.) What a joke. There was NO study and NO research. Watson is a controversial figure - notorious for spouting sexist and now racist comments - who has not been relevant since his DNA-helix-discovering heydeys. This was not about helping africa - it was about prejudice - if he had evidence to back up his claims and he acquired this evidence by honourable, reproducible means and with the full support of his peers - why retract his comments and apologise? Sure we are in a PC era but as a scientist you have to own your statements - afterall they are (supposedly) backed up by hard facts.
Actually you know what? I'd like to see scientists conduct studies geared towards "teaching africans how to sort out their problems"; I wonder what conclusions they will come up with (apart from the "less intelligent" one of course) and how they will apply their findings. That will be fun to watch.
Finally, refering to your comment
"from a surface analysis of your grammar, syntax and content, to the ready use of ad hominem"..
______________________________
You are so funny fred. You think I am impressed or awed by your ability to string a bunch of meaningless phrases together? I'm sure you imagine it makes you sound super smart or what? Well I've got news for you - it does not - you merely sound like an insecure, angry man parroting phrases used by your English Professor and desperate to be of relevance. What higher animals are you talking about BTW? Since your dead end blog has failed to ignite the interest of even ONE poster I can only assume the debate by higher animans is being conducted right here. By all of US.
Have a lovely day.
foxybrown...i couldn't have said it better myself.For a renown scieentist.The statement was not evidence based.This kind of thinking and talk was fodder for the dreaded holocaust when hitler said the aryans were more intellectually superior.It's very dangerous.I'm sure glad watson lost his job.It's a shame.I've been such an admirer of his work.The DNA helical structure discovery has caused a revolution in the medical field.
foxy, obviously nuance is not a strong point. Someone (your keeper perhaps) needs to beat you with a clue stick. Hard.
Ah..the unfunniest "funny" guy strikes again.
Definition of nuance according to "the freedictionary.com" (oh how I love the net)
1.A subtle or slight degree of difference, as in meaning, feeling, or tone; a gradation.
2. Expression or appreciation of subtle shades of meaning, feeling, or tone: a rich artistic performance, full of nuance.
Now here we have some of freds finest points...
_______________________________
*the contentious idea of African intelligence (or the lack) is not going to simply vanish and there are are scientifically germane reasons for asking such a question, political correctness notwithstanding.*
______________________________
*If it is indeed true that Africans have, in general, lower intelligence and therefore, social programs designed from the so-called white man's view will always fail, then it behooves society's Thinkers to attempt a redesign which begins, as with all things logical, with a question (premise)*
________________________________
*So, unlike you Jeremy, I think Watson's departure is a sad reflection of the degradation of intelligent discourse in western civilization. Instead of the mob crying out for his head, how about tacking the question with a clear head*
________________________________
*Would you teach a mongoloid the same as you would a regular student? Of course it is necessary to approach different people differently; there is EVERYTHING to gain from knowing and understanding intellect—I’ve already give a pretty good example why for starters. There are more. In point of fact, while IQ tests per se aren't completely valid, intelligence is a requirement for living a productive life in the 21st century and requires Complex Systems analysis. That many African countries are complete and utter failures at fulfilling those requirements speaks volumes and should naturally engender more questions that should lead to some answers rather than no questions for fear of providing fodder for racists. Leaving Africa to Africans, as you flippantly assert, hasn’t worked so far and the question should be why. Only fucking retards insist on doing the same thing over and again then expecting different results.
Since you’re afraid that intelligence data can be used as ammunition by racists, rest assured that ANYTHING can be used to base prejudice on, including even facts that contradict a priori prejudices! However, this should not preclude scientists from asking questions about why Africa is still not out of the doldrums that many other societies have successfully managed to navigate.*
_____________________________
Enough of his nonsense..
Nuance? Yeah right. Your comments possess as much subtlety and delicacy as a sledgehammer.
I am totally bored with you and our "fascinating discourse" fred and this will be my final post on this particular thread. So get over yourself. Or better still go stuff your fat face with more food..so hopefully you'll explode or something...
Proving my point!
What a dipshit.
I have read your blog, there is a lot of bitterness about your Nigerian experience.According to you, your spoken word is forever damaged because you grew up poor in Nigeria, so your overcompensate with your written words.Here is the deal Fred, you alone carry your bitterness, drop the crutch and move on. Who is bitter, you , who suffers, you. No one else. You may lash out at Nigerians and try to hurt them with your words the same way you are hurting but you only end up hurting yourself.It is all in your head.
Move on, or wallow in misery. Your choice, your life.
Ezinne Chukwumah.
Post a Comment