Is discussing iq differences between nations taboo?

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exactly! and to compare one nation with another would largely disregard concerns of genetics and 'race' in favour of socio-conomic factors, approach to education, culture etc

That just made me think of how when you do inbreed a line, as in to make a pure breed (with dogs for example), you eventually get undesirable traits coming out due to mutations like with dalmations which are often born deaf or blind. So pure breeds are only really desirable for specialist purposes like showing, breeding or ruling people. Some of the purest human lines must be in the royal families of europe.

Just some more random nonsense, carry on.

Resume (after 80 replies): yes, it is taboo on wrongplanet.

no. It's just a dumb idea.

If you dont like an idea, its dumb.

no, if an idea is demonstrably dumb, it is dumb

if the question was about difference between two comparable nations, say germany and france (as opposed to comparing uganda and denmark), then it's not much of a topic because IQ isn't a terribly good indicator of intellectual ability and carries cultural bias, amongst other problems. The problem is that discussing the differences between nations isn't particularly taboo in any circle unless someone is defining a 'nation' (which is a contingent entity arising out of specific historic and economic conditions, not a natural one) along 'race' lines (differences in intellectual ability also being the favourite topic of many a eugenicist), which carries some level of taboo for very good reasons, but is also pretty dumb.

Last edited by TitusLucretiusCarus on 26 Sep 2009, 12:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

No, you don't like an idea because it's dumb.

You re the RC church of the 16th century, i am the Galilei.

^^now that is dumb!

You needed 6 minutes for this reply?

I'm embarrased for you, galileo - what is 19 take away 12? I'll give you a head start - it's not 6. Then I'll ask why how long it takes to reply is in any way important.

It is taboo in the same sense that Holocaust denial, 9/11 conspiracies, homeopathy, vaccine-autism theories, and other assorted quackery is taboo: it is dismissively rejected by the overwhelming majority of marginally intelligent people because it is obvious nonsense.

I like how avowers of psuedo-science are quick to play the "Galilei" card. Sometimes an idea is just demonstrably dumb.

So true. And what did they get for their troubles? Hemophilia. There is something to be said for hybrid vigor.

Oh hardly. You're more like a Flat Earther, clinging to a notion that doesn't fit with science just because it conforms to your world view.

Only if the gene is already in the line.

ruveyn