Has anyone read this book, I just finished it.

[brokemommy]

The Bell Curve

Published in 1994, and was written by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray as a work designed to explain, using empirical statistical analysis, the variations in intelligence in American Society, raise some warnings regarding the consequences of this intelligence gap, and propose national social policy with the goal of mitigating the worst of the consequences attributed to this intelligence gap. Many of the assertions put forth and conclusions reached by the authors are very factual and documented, ranging from the relationships between low measured intelligence and anti-social behavior, to the observed relationship between low African-American test scores (compared to whites and Asians) and genetic factors in intelligence abilities. The book was released and received with a large public response. In the first several months of its release, 400,000 copies of the book were sold around the world. Several thousand reviews and commentaries have been written in the short time since the book's publication.

I would recommend anyone with a literary mind, to enjoy the fascinating reading this book creates.

[no_it_all]

Yes, I have read it and found the connection between the "research" and funding from the Pioneer fund a <little> disturbing...

I read the book while at Arizona State University and although there are some compelling issues brought out, the notion of Eugenics (which is basically what the book is about) needs far more emperical research than is demonstrated by the two authors of the Bell Curve. Much of the their secondary research was gleaned from social scientists funded by the Pioneer Fund (although the authors themselves were not)..You are correct in that it is an interesting read....NIA

[anonymuse]

It still doesn't differentiate well between correlation and causation. Just because two variables appear to be related doesn't mean there is indeed a cause and effect relationship.

[lrprn]

For those who haven't heard about The Bell Curve before, Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_Curve provides a good summary of what the book is about plus has a good list of related website links that discuss the authors' original data analysis and findings. Some links agree with the findings, and some don't agree with the findings and explain why.

Looking at all sides when the research findings are as controversial as these are before making up your own mind is always a good idea.

[brokemommy]

In The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (co-authored with the late Richard J. Herrnstein, author of the previously controversial IQ in the Meritocracy, and co-author with James Q. Wilson of Crime and Human Nature), Murray has pushed the envelope of public political discourse to its breaking point. He has now been dubbed by the New York Times Magazine "America's Most Dangerous Conservative." When editor Andrew Sullivan ran an excerpt from The Bell Curve in The New Republic, its entire editorial board rose in revolt. But a group of leading researchers in the field of human intelligence published a statement in the Wall Street Journal agreeing with the factual basis of The Bell Curve.

Herrnstein and Murray argue that IQ is real; that it matters (ever so much more as society becomes more equitable and technological); that it is somewhere between 40% and 80% heritable; and that it relates to not only school performance, but to jobs, income, crime, and illegitimacy; and that it cannot be ignored in any meaningful look at America's future. But the most explosive of The Bell Curve's arguments is that some of the difference in mean IQ scores between the white European population of the United States and the African-American population (one full standard deviation of 15 points) is probably attributable to genetic factors. No one in the field disputes this difference. The argument is over why the difference exists and, of course, whether and how it can be reduced. (Read the now-infamous Chapter 13 of The Bell Curve for yourself. It is a lot more tentative and nuanced than popular denunciations of the book may have led you to believe.)

Charles Murray is a graduate of Harvard with a Ph.D. in Political Science from MIT, and currently is a Bradley Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. The late Richard J. Herrnstein received a Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard, where he taught from 1958 until his death last autumn. He held the Edgar Pierce Chair in Psychology (the oldest such chair in America).

[JeepMom]

Are you aware that you can go to jail or face severe fines for plagiarizing other people’s works as your own?

http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/bellcurve.shtml

[jane taylor]

I am aware of the book although I have not read it in it's entirety. Anon is correct. There is a difference between causation and correlation. A correlation describes the degree of a relationship between two variables and not cause and effect. I can't tell you how many of my students miss that question on my examinations even after I go over it several times!

Additionally, intelligence is multi-facted and influenced by many variables. I would much rather hire someone with an IQ of 85 (low average on the Wechsler scales) who has compassion, common sense and good work ethic than someone with an IQ of 135 (superior) with none of the above.

Intelligence has been defined as the ability to adjust to one's surroundings, learn from experiences and solve problems. It has nothing to do with one number.

Okay, enough time on my soap box today. I've taught this more than one semester.

jane

[Minnymouth]

Having a high IQ does not mean that you are a "smart" and "intelligent" person..... it means you have the ability to be!!

What good is a high IQ for a drunk, a junkie, a gambler, a hoe, an abusive spouse, a criminal? It is wasted on them, they don't use it! (race has nothing to do with it)

What good is a high IQ if you have no "common horse sense", no "decency about yourself", no "moral standards", no "compassion or sympathy for your fellowman", no "pride in yourself"? (race has nothing to do with this either)

To say that the level of IQ is based on race is debatable...... it is more genetic than anything.

People with high IQ's can contribute a lot to society if it is used correctly and for the right reasons. Many people from different races, different countries, have extremely high IQ's about "one topic or another." No one person is a walking Genius about everything!

Nothing wrong with someone having a high IQ - BUT a "stupid Genius" is dangerous to society!!

My opinion,

[no_it_all]

I would much rather hire someone with an IQ of 85 (low average on the Wechsler scales) who has compassion, common sense and good work ethic than someone with an IQ of 135 (superior) with none of the above.

Cool, as long as the job is like, sweeping the floor or handing out yellow smiley faces at the door of Walmart.

Please don't hire that person to do any project management on anything remotely technical or that requires cognitive skills found at the upper levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Why? 'cause not only will he screw up the job, but there is a great chance you will also be wacked for hiring someone so incompetent. JMHO....

[Minnymouth]

I have to agree with No It All, its not wise to hire someone for a position that you KNOW that person is not qualified for or trained for. That's just asking for trouble......
Many times companies will hire relatives and put them in positions that they don't have the slightest idea of what their "doing", but they are put in the job position because they are "family"....... Good, experienced, well trained and educated employees are "overlooked" for advancement in companies due to employee relatives being hired...... Has been the downfall of many a small company....