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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated
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To: kech who wrote (102170)2/26/2005 8:24:05 AM
From: Mary Cluney  Read Replies (4) of 793927
 
The second point is about fat tails for the distribution inate ability even though the mean is the same.

Educated and intelligent people in this day and age cannot make this point.

Who knows how many black kids were discouraged from pursuing golf because some one in a position of authority told them the data overwhelmingly told them that innate ability may be a reason for black's failure in golf (good thing Tiger Woods was not effected).

In the scheme of things golf is relatively trivial compared to women in the sciences.

But the concept is the same. Bogus attitudes have an impact on children.

Point two of Dr. Summers remarks is a completely bogus and discredited notion. It is harmful to society that someone in a position of authority holds such discredited views.

Dr Summers appears to understand that. He has been going around apologizing. He is not apologizing because he was right to hold those views and that the only problem is that some people's feelings are hurt.

He is apologizing because he knows he is wrong.

However, the damage has been done, and the retraction is not going to undue all the harm.

The debate should be about point number 2 in his remarks.

Is there any validity to it?

If there is no validity, how bad is it to continue to spread such a notion - no matter how innocently one does it?

How does one go out and undo the damage?
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