1054 The Bell Curve

Egalitarianism, the idea that all people are equal, appeals to those who are measurably not equal, and in a society that rewards inequality, that makes the stakes the highest possible, meaning any science that supports inequality must be demonized. This is what happened to the notorious 1994 book “The Bell Curve” which argues using irrefutable data & scientific analysis that intelligence is the best predictor of outcome; essential it proves nature, not nurture, is the true source of social division in the U.S. The book establishes the following facts: 1. Human beings have different cognitive abilities. 2. Cognitive ability is substantially inherited: (40-80%). 3. IQ tests are an accurate way to measure cognitive ability. 4. IQ scores are relatively stable throughout life. 5. IQ tests are not biased against social, economic, ethnic, or racial groups. The specious argument against The Bell Curve concept is to conflate individuals with groups. Bell Curve data requires huge numbers to be predictive, and doesn’t apply to individuals. On a racially-segregate IQ Bell Curve, the average white is higher than the average black, and the average Asian is higher than the average white, but all of those people, white or black or anything else, match up IQ-wise everywhere along the curve except at the very tail ends. If society would simply address those outliers, the other 95% of people could move along as intellectual equals, but apparently everyone worries they are an outlier because feeling inferior is also a basic human trait.