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Here (section "Why we are blind"): "[...] the Left tends to deny science concerning biological differences between people (e.g., IQ and sex differences)" I don

by tdg 9y ago

Here (section "Why we are blind"): "[...] the Left tends to deny science concerning biological differences between people (e.g., IQ and sex differences)" I don't know how else to read that other than "men are smarter". Is there any other reading?

ThomPete 9y ago
Yes, of course, there is. The correct reading is that there is biological difference both between the sexes and inside each of the sexes. This is a reference to the identity politics you see especially in 2ndwave/3rd wave feminism which claims that almost everything is a social construct. He isn't talking about who is better just that there are differences.
- tdg 9y ago
  My reply is here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16398806 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16398806
  - ThomPete 9y ago
    And mine is here What is it you don't get? He is referencing the people (mostly feminists on the left) who claim there are no biological differences and that almost everything is social constructs. If you want to understand what he is talking about here is an example https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-is-racial-identity/race-and-racial-identity-are-social-constructs https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-i...
dragonwriter 9y ago
It's just possible to read it as a poorly written attempt to say that the Left ignores science on biological IQ differences (perhaps, as is quite popular to point to on the Right, those associated with race) and also biological sex differences, rather than it being intended to refer to biological, sex-linked, IQ differences.
- UncleMeat 9y ago
  If we charitably assume that the entire thing is poorly written then it can mean anything we want! If you write something that people interpret as sexist due to your poor language and then spend no effort to correct that error.... that's still bad.
  - ThomPete 9y ago
    All it requires is that you read it in its full context. Read the memo. Then it's fairly obvious what he is talking about.

by tdg 9y ago

ThomPete 9y ago

Yes, of course, there is. The correct reading is that there is biological difference both between the sexes and inside each of the sexes. This is a reference to the identity politics you see especially in 2ndwave/3rd wave feminism which claims that almost everything is a social construct. He isn't talking about who is better just that there are differences.

tdg 9y ago
My reply is here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16398806 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16398806
- ThomPete 9y ago
  And mine is here What is it you don't get? He is referencing the people (mostly feminists on the left) who claim there are no biological differences and that almost everything is social constructs. If you want to understand what he is talking about here is an example https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-is-racial-identity/race-and-racial-identity-are-social-constructs https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/how-fluid-i...

dragonwriter 9y ago

It's just possible to read it as a poorly written attempt to say that the Left ignores science on biological IQ differences (perhaps, as is quite popular to point to on the Right, those associated with race) and also biological sex differences, rather than it being intended to refer to biological, sex-linked, IQ differences.

UncleMeat 9y ago
If we charitably assume that the entire thing is poorly written then it can mean anything we want! If you write something that people interpret as sexist due to your poor language and then spend no effort to correct that error.... that's still bad.
- ThomPete 9y ago
  All it requires is that you read it in its full context. Read the memo. Then it's fairly obvious what he is talking about.