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Are you of the opinion that some questions should not be asked (even if they can be formulated in a testable, formalized way) no matter what? Also, would you c

Are you of the opinion that some questions should not be asked (even if they can be formulated in a testable, formalized way) no matter what? Also, would you consider that it's all right to ask questions about correlations between race/ethnicity and the incidence of heart disease / hypertension / sickle-cell anemia etc., but not about correlations between race/ethnicity and IQ? (I don't have a dog in this fight, and I understand that IQ measurement is a very unreliable and culturally predicated way of measuring intelligence; I am just curious about the way that people who are indignant about such inquiries think.)

youdontknowtho 9y ago
I think it matters who is asking the questions. IQ is BS and is just a stand in for implying inferiority.
- azangru 9y ago
  > I think it matters who is asking the questions. That's unfortunate. Results of scientific inquiry should not depend on who is asking the questions.
sheepmullet 9y ago
> and I understand that IQ measurement is a very unreliable What gives you the idea that it is unreliable? It is one of the most consistent and reliable measurements in psychology. > culturally predicated way of measuring intelligence In what sense? In the sense that it is only a good indicator for success because of the way our society is currently setup? Quite possibly. But I don't see that as a criticism of IQ. It is really a criticism of the disturbed individuals using "intelligence" as the key driver of human worth. By the way that kind of thinking is more prevalent with the intellectual elite who visit hacker news than it is of the average alt-right supporter.
- azangru 9y ago
  I probably phrased it poorly. On second thought, I should have said that I am aware of the opinion that IQ tests are culturally biased (due to different linguistic and cultural background of test subjects) and thus may unfairly favor some groups over others. This is a pretty common (and therefore easily googlable) opinion, whose correctness I am unqualified to judge, but can accept it as an argument worth considering.

youdontknowtho 9y ago

I think it matters who is asking the questions. IQ is BS and is just a stand in for implying inferiority.

azangru 9y ago
> I think it matters who is asking the questions. That's unfortunate. Results of scientific inquiry should not depend on who is asking the questions.

sheepmullet 9y ago

> and I understand that IQ measurement is a very unreliable What gives you the idea that it is unreliable? It is one of the most consistent and reliable measurements in psychology. > culturally predicated way of measuring intelligence In what sense? In the sense that it is only a good indicator for success because of the way our society is currently setup? Quite possibly. But I don't see that as a criticism of IQ. It is really a criticism of the disturbed individuals using "intelligence" as the key driver of human worth. By the way that kind of thinking is more prevalent with the intellectual elite who visit hacker news than it is of the average alt-right supporter.

azangru 9y ago
I probably phrased it poorly. On second thought, I should have said that I am aware of the opinion that IQ tests are culturally biased (due to different linguistic and cultural background of test subjects) and thus may unfairly favor some groups over others. This is a pretty common (and therefore easily googlable) opinion, whose correctness I am unqualified to judge, but can accept it as an argument worth considering.