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This is a vast assumption, and one that often produces inequalities more than it reduces it. In reality, people's preferences often do vary between groups even

This is a vast assumption, and one that often produces inequalities more than it reduces it. In reality, people's preferences often do vary between groups even without discrimination or inequalities of opportunity. E.g. over 90% of pediatricians are women, and there's no evidence that this is due to discrimination against men. The representation of women in technology is actually highest in countries with less opportunities for women, and lowest in countries with the greatest equality between men and women. Efforts to force an equal outcome in the context of unequal preferences does not reduce inequalities of opportunity, it produces inequalities.

6gvONxR4sf7o 6y ago
I would say the same about the case that you’re making. It’s a vast assumption that produces more inequality than it reduces. It’s a question of nature versus nurture. Our preferences are a function of our expectations and the expectations of us. I agree that the underrepresentation of men in pediatrics, for example, is a function of preferences. But I think those preferences are functions of nurture more than nature. If men were the primary caregivers for children, I expect the representation would be flipped. Taking today’s society and culture as a given, yeah I agree with you. But I think that’s a problem with the prevalent culture.
- manfredo 6y ago
  If these disparities are attributable to culture, we'd expect different cultures to produce different outcomes. This is not the case. Women make up the majority of pediatricians in all societies that give men and women equal opportunity to become doctors. Men outnumber women at least 2:1 in all countries. And what variability does exist is actually inversely related to equality: women are more likely to be in STEM in patriarchal countries, and less likely to go into STEM in egalitarian countries.
  - 6gvONxR4sf7o 6y ago
    > If these disparities are attributable to culture, we'd expect different cultures to produce different outcomes. This is not the case. This isn't good evidence. We don't have cultures where birth control was invented hundreds of years ago and then they evolved independently. Or where a knowledge economy mattered more than raw strength for any reasonable time. Biology mattered so much more across cultures for most of history, so the fact that they all have patterns like this isn't really evidence that it must not be culture.
    - manfredo 6y ago
      I think missed the crucial part of the previous comment: when birth control was invented and countries became more egalitarian, the disparities between men and women in many professions increased. Societies where women still aren't permitted good accesses to reproductive control see higher rates of women in STEM. Had birth control been invented earlier, current trends indicate that disparities of women in STEM would be even greater.

6gvONxR4sf7o 6y ago

I would say the same about the case that you’re making. It’s a vast assumption that produces more inequality than it reduces. It’s a question of nature versus nurture. Our preferences are a function of our expectations and the expectations of us. I agree that the underrepresentation of men in pediatrics, for example, is a function of preferences. But I think those preferences are functions of nurture more than nature. If men were the primary caregivers for children, I expect the representation would be flipped. Taking today’s society and culture as a given, yeah I agree with you. But I think that’s a problem with the prevalent culture.

manfredo 6y ago
If these disparities are attributable to culture, we'd expect different cultures to produce different outcomes. This is not the case. Women make up the majority of pediatricians in all societies that give men and women equal opportunity to become doctors. Men outnumber women at least 2:1 in all countries. And what variability does exist is actually inversely related to equality: women are more likely to be in STEM in patriarchal countries, and less likely to go into STEM in egalitarian countries.
- 6gvONxR4sf7o 6y ago
  > If these disparities are attributable to culture, we'd expect different cultures to produce different outcomes. This is not the case. This isn't good evidence. We don't have cultures where birth control was invented hundreds of years ago and then they evolved independently. Or where a knowledge economy mattered more than raw strength for any reasonable time. Biology mattered so much more across cultures for most of history, so the fact that they all have patterns like this isn't really evidence that it must not be culture.
  - manfredo 6y ago
    I think missed the crucial part of the previous comment: when birth control was invented and countries became more egalitarian, the disparities between men and women in many professions increased. Societies where women still aren't permitted good accesses to reproductive control see higher rates of women in STEM. Had birth control been invented earlier, current trends indicate that disparities of women in STEM would be even greater.