[GAB-1955]

Yes. I posted a response on one of them. The summary: 1) Intelligence is not one absolute score; it is an overall factor with specific sub-factors such as verbal fluency, spatial comprehension, and so forth. 2) Experiments show this is right. 3) Group intelligence tests have a tendency to show linguistic and cultural biases, but they’re easier to give than one-on-one intelligence tests. 4) Watson is not a psychologist, nor has he worked in the fields of intelligence and cognition (where there has been a major revolution since the 1970s). His statements in this field cannot be authoritative, any more than Stephen Hawking could address the concerns of Frida Kahlo. 5) Watson has his inherent intellectual biases, being an evolutionist and an atheist, and having a personal arrogant streak. His conclusions, therefore, are those of an ill-informed private person who is using his celebrity to speak on public affairs . It’s appeal to authority, and logically suspect.

[olezip]

The summary: 1) Intelligence is not one absolute score; it is an overall factor with specific sub-factors such as verbal fluency, spatial comprehension, and so forth. 2) Experiments show this is right. 3) Group intelligence tests have a tendency to show linguistic and cultural biases, but they’re easier to give than one-on-one intelligence tests. 4) Watson is not a psychologist, nor has he worked in the fields of intelligence and cognition (where there has been a major revolution since the 1970s). His statements in this field cannot be authoritative, any more than Stephen Hawking could address the concerns of Frida Kahlo. 5) Watson has his inherent intellectual biases, being an evolutionist and an atheist, and having a personal arrogant streak. His conclusions, therefore, are those of an ill-informed private person who is using his celebrity to speak on public affairs . It’s appeal to authority, and logically suspect.

Well said! The gist of what he is saying may or may not be so, but it is out of context without explanation in that intelligence is not one absolute score. Plus such a statement tends to bias the entire body implying that the dumbest member of one race is smarter than the smartest person of the target race. Better that he would say nothing. Darwin already said what he said with consequences of slavery for years!

[Wonder Warthog]

"3) Group intelligence tests have a tendency to show linguistic and cultural biases, but they’re easier to give than one-on-one intelligence tests."

How does a test that compares a group of different shapes and asks one to make logical inferences from those patterns show "linguistic and cultural bias"????

Such tests show the same "racial" differences as those which use regular language.

[Tired of Taxes]

His conclusions, therefore, are those of an ill-informed private person who is using his celebrity to speak on public affairs . It’s appeal to authority, and logically suspect.

An excellent summary. Thank you for posting it.

[BobS]

All he has to do for clarification is use Zimbabwe as an example. That will shut everybody up.

[Tax-chick]

Watson has his inherent intellectual biases ...

I'm reminded of the saying that, when you're holding a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. I guess when you discovered the mechanism of heredity, you're inclined to imagine that every situation is a matter of inherited characteristics.