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Why is asking whether there is a superior race frowned upon in science?


Axe

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Why is asking whether there is a superior race usually frowned upon in science when asked in different websites, the thread either gets closed or get kicked from a chat room. Couldn't you find who is a superior race (and by superior I mean smarter and stronger basically) by giving a population a chance to do an IQ test or various forms of physical exercises to find out who is strongest and smartest?

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There are historical and scientific reasons.

Past movements exploring this subject were overtly racist, or otherwise supremacist, culminating in cleansing programs.  I'm sure you can understand why it's still a sensitive topic on historic grounds alone.

And as Arete alludes to there are genuine problems with any actual science. Defining race and applying it to populations What does IQ actually measure? How do we account for numerous confounding variables? But people who advocate for 'supremacist science' don't usually address these problems but instead insist they are being censored, mistaking science for a democracy, and it soon breaks down into a shouting match. It's about this time the thread gets shut down. 

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There are problems defining and measuring intelligence (and strength) in a way that is independent of culture and background. Common questions like “which word doesn’t belong with the others” is obviously culture specific, but so can “which shape doesn’t belong with the others”. And how do you separate any effects of “race” on strength from socio-cultural background. 

These things can be addressed, but there will always be complaints of bias (one way or another) and, from what I have seen, any effects are small and may not be significant. 

But that doesn’t stop people doing this sort of research. And it does have applications in medicine for example, where it seems that people from particular backgrounds may be more susceptible to diabetes or skin cancer or heart disease etc

p.s. in case anyone missed it, the OP has been banned as a sock-puppet

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29 minutes ago, Strange said:

But that doesn’t stop people doing this sort of research. And it does have applications in medicine for example, where it seems that people from particular backgrounds may be more susceptible to diabetes or skin cancer or heart disease etc

It's important to note that this is only a proxy marker for more specific genetic markers. Once bedside genetic testing becomes common place race will become irrelevant as you can test for those specific markers of interest. 

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Why is asking whether there is a superior race frowned upon in science?

Because it's not scientific question.. ? ..and insulting.. ?

Some individuals are extraordinary intelligent.

Some individuals are extraordinary strong.

Color of skin does not matter.

Proper nutrition during pregnancy, proper nutrition during childhood, intellectual exercises and physical exercises during childhood and life... that's what really matter..

People ("pseudo-scientists") who were making comparison in late XIX and early XX century, were trying to compare healthy, rich, after higher education, properly fed at any stage of development people, with poor, uneducated, hungry people from other continents..

 

 

Edited by Sensei
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