From: ichudov@algebra.com (Igor Chudov @ home)
Date: Thu, 12 Dec 1996 20:36:56 -0800 (PST)
To: dthorn@gte.net (Dale Thorn)
Subject: Re: Redlining
In-Reply-To: <32B03E27.5EF9@gte.net>
Message-ID: <199612130431.WAA13881@manifold.algebra.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text


Dale Thorn wrote:
> 
> E. Allen Smith wrote:
> > From:   IN%"ichudov@algebra.com" 11-DEC-1996 23:46:57.12
> > >I would appreciate if some attorney on this list shed some light on the
> > >legal definition of discrimination.
> 
> [snip]
> 
> > P.S. Please note that we cannot yet tell if the racial differences in
> > IQ are environmental or a mixture of environmental and genetic; I
> > believe they are purely environmental, but there is about as much
> > evidence for this belief as there is for God's existence (something
> > I also believe in).
> 
> Actually, there is not only good evidence for the environmental argument,
> but you can reason it out yourself if you give attention to some things
> that don't make it into most discussions on this topic.
> 
> Example:  Environment has a profound effect on a person's mind (outlook,
> perceptions, attitudes, moods, etc.), and thereby has a significant, if
> indirect effect on that person's hormone production (quantity, balance).
> Those hormone productions have more effect on the body and brain long-
> term than any other influence I can think of.
> 
> And believe it or not, in some (perhaps unusual) cases, unexpected
> changes in hormone production can happen later in life as well, not
> just during the "development" years. And I'm not talking about decreased
> production either.
> 
> 

Dale,

I am sorry if I sound rather harsh, but this is a typical example how
real statistical research is replaced by politicized bullshit.

How to test a null hypothesis that differences in IQ between whites
and blacks are at least partially a result of genetic differences and
are not explained by "environment" solely?

All this "environment" stuff is rather easy to test and control for: take
two groups of children -- one from one race, another from another race,
who live in essentially the same conditions. Then compare the average IQs 
and check statistical validity of your samples.

There was one study. They took a number of white adopted children and a 
number of black adopted children, and made sure that they controlled for
other conditions such as adopted parents' income, etc.

Guess what was the result of IQ tests of children?

	- Igor.