Educability-and-Group-Differences-1973-by-Arthur-Robert-Jensen

40 Educability and Group Differences
by servitude to political dogma - in the bizarre racist theories of
the Nazis and the disastrous Lysenkoism of the Soviet Union under
Stalin.
Serious consideration of the question whether the observed
racial differences in mental abilities and scholastic performance
involve genetic as well as environmental factors has been generally
taboo in political, academic, scientific, and intellectual circles in
the United States. Nevertheless, it remains a persistent question.
My belief is that scientists in the appropriate disciplines must
finally face the question squarely and not repeatedly sweep it under
the rug. In the long run, the safest and sanest course we can urge
is intensive, no-holds-barred inquiry in the best tradition of
science. The obstructions to rational discussion, outlined above,
probably will be increasingly overcome in future discussions the
more widely and openly the subject is researched and discussed
among scientists, scholars, and the general public. As some of the
taboos and misconceptions that hinder open discussion of the topic
fall away, the issues will become clarified on a rational basis. We
will come to know better just what we do and do not yet know
about the subject, and we will then be in a better position to deal
with it objectively, humanely, and constructively for the good
of all.
NOTES
1. Geneticists distinguish between broad and narrow heritability. Broad
heritability is the proportion of variance attributable to all genetic
components of the genotype; it is the total genetic variance. Narrow
heritability refers to that part of the genetic variance which ‘breeds
true,’ i.e., which accounts for the genetic resemblance between
parents and offspring, and is called ‘additive’ genetic variance. It is
primarily of interest to agriculturists and animal breeders. Psychologists,
on the other hand, are primarily interested in broad heritability,
i.e., all the genetic factors involved in individual differences
in a given trait. Throughout this article, unless it is specified otherwise,
the term heritability is used in the broad sense. Some geneticists
reserve the term heritability only for the narrow sense, and for
heritability in the broad sense they use the expression ‘degree of
genetic determination’ (Haseman & Elston, 1970). The quantitative