by Frank Miele Westview Press, 2002 Review by Max Hocutt, Ph.D. on Nov 26th 2002 
This little book of about 200 pages
consists mainly of passages from an extended interview conducted by e-mail with
Arthur Jensen, the infamous psychologist.
Following a brief “Prelude” that
tells us a little about Jensen the man, are six chapters, each on a particular
topic. Five of these chapters focus on
Jensen’s controversial contributions to the study of intelligence; one chapter,
the last, concerns his views about public policy. Each chapter begins with a summary of the conversation to follow
and ends with a bibliography. The author’s frank and forthright questions are
admirably intelligent, well informed, and clear—as are Jensen’s frank and
forthright replies. The book ends with
a complete bibliography of Jensen’s prolific writings, a brief summary of what
he and a group of his fellow psychometricians take to be the results of
mainstream science on intelligence. There
is also an index. Anyone who wants a non-technical but lucid exposition of
Jensen’s views about the relations between IQ, genes, and race will find it
here.
Since the statements made in this book are already
simplified—though never simplistic—summaries of highly complex issues, I will
not try here to simplify them still further.
Since these statements have also been the subject of heated controversy
in which I do not wish here to become embroiled, I will also not give you my
opinions about them. Instead, I will
limit this review to listing the issues that are discussed. Chapter 1, “Jensenism,” recounts the story
of the dismayed and intemperate reaction to Jensen’s now infamous, 1969 essay
in the Harvard Educational Review declaring that, since much of the 15 point IQ
gap between blacks and whites is due to genetic differences, only a small part
of it can be eradicated by education.
The chapter also contains Jensen’s assurance that his motives in saying
so were not political. Chapter 2, “What
is Intelligence,” contains a discussion of intelligence and the success of IQ
tests in measuring it. Here, Jensen
gives us his reasons for believing that Carl Pearson’s famous g—for general intelligence—is real and
important. Chapter 3, “Nature, Nurture,
or Both” contains the clearest and simplest discussion of the concept of
heritability that I have ever seen. It
also offers a summary of the evidence —gleaned mostly from comparing twins
reared apart and unrelated persons reared together—for the proposition that the
heritability of g is somewhere around
.70. Chapter 4, “What is Race” gives
Jensen’s reasons for believing, despite recent claims to the contrary, that
races are real and distinguished by gene frequencies that affect behavior as
well as physique. Jensen’s reply to Cavali-Sforza is that the latter’s talk of
“population groups” is just alternative vocabulary for “races.” Chapter 5, “From Jensenism to the Bell Curve
Wars,” recounts Jensen’s remarkably restrained responses to the frequent charge
that his work consists of politically motivated pseudo-science. He says that he will be glad to reply to
criticisms published in refereed journals but will not answer ad hominem attacks. Although Jensen says that his main interest
has always been science, not politics, Chapter 6 “Science and Policy” asks him
to give his opinions on political questions.
He replies that he believes in equal opportunity and thinks that the
schools should tailor educational programs to suit the needs and interests of
individual students.
It is a nicely done book about the
important work of an impressive scientist on an incendiary topic. I recommend it.
© 2002 Max Hocutt
Max
Hocutt, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, The University of Alabama
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