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Egalitarians need the Flynn Effect. They are very bothered by the reams of data showing IQ is over 70% heritable and group differences are persistent over gener

Egalitarians need the Flynn Effect. They are very bothered by the reams of data showing IQ is over 70% heritable and group differences are persistent over generations. The Flynn Effect is more comforting and makes it possible to wave your hands and say IQs are rising. Nevermind that Flynn is just some random Political Scientist, not a Psychologist or psychometric expert, or genetics expert. And also nevermind that Flynn is active in left wing organizations.

api 12y ago
I'm a liberal who kind of agrees with you. If you want to change some miserable condition of the world, you don't start by denying reality. You start by acknowledging the way things are, and then you start thinking creatively about how one might go about changing things. ... which leads me to be an ardent supporter of all kinds of research that often falls under the popular banner of "transhumanism" -- human genetic engineering, cognitive enhancement, augmentation of human intelligence, etc. I also think a great way to "sell" that kind of research is to position it as a way to treat severe cognitive impairment. After all, if we can allow someone born with an IQ of 50 to function normally, what can we do for someone with an IQ of 100? 150? Unfortunately that makes me a lonely liberal indeed. Most liberals today insist on simultaneously ignoring the reality of heritable inequality and taking a naturalistic-fallacy based position against any form of human augmentation or genetic tinkering. "No GMO!" The total takeover of the "left" by naturalistic fallacy thinking is insane. Where in nature do we see equality, fairness, or an active attempt to uplift the disadvantaged outside of very small family and kin groups? Nature is all about selfish genes. Evolution takes some meat, wads it up, and throws it at the wall to see if it sticks. Never mind that it's sentient and gets to experience its success or its failure. Fuck nature.

api 12y ago

I'm a liberal who kind of agrees with you. If you want to change some miserable condition of the world, you don't start by denying reality. You start by acknowledging the way things are, and then you start thinking creatively about how one might go about changing things. ... which leads me to be an ardent supporter of all kinds of research that often falls under the popular banner of "transhumanism" -- human genetic engineering, cognitive enhancement, augmentation of human intelligence, etc. I also think a great way to "sell" that kind of research is to position it as a way to treat severe cognitive impairment. After all, if we can allow someone born with an IQ of 50 to function normally, what can we do for someone with an IQ of 100? 150? Unfortunately that makes me a lonely liberal indeed. Most liberals today insist on simultaneously ignoring the reality of heritable inequality and taking a naturalistic-fallacy based position against any form of human augmentation or genetic tinkering. "No GMO!" The total takeover of the "left" by naturalistic fallacy thinking is insane. Where in nature do we see equality, fairness, or an active attempt to uplift the disadvantaged outside of very small family and kin groups? Nature is all about selfish genes. Evolution takes some meat, wads it up, and throws it at the wall to see if it sticks. Never mind that it's sentient and gets to experience its success or its failure. Fuck nature.