Is Dr James Watson a Racisit?

Question

The Nobel Prize-winning DNA pioneer James Watson has been suspended by his research institution in the US. Dr Watson has drawn severe criticism over remarks he made in a British newspaper at the weekend.

Answer 1

A bit of an oaf...yes..

A racist... I'm not so sure yet.

Answer 2

Short answers: yes.

"Races" are no more valid when it comes to the human species as for other species. I'm a zoologist and I deal with populations, but 'geographical races' are arbitrary divisions in a continuum of genetic variation.
As a geneticist, Watson can't ignore this. He must also know that genotype is NOT destiny, and that even if there existed those so-called "intelligence genes" (LOL), there are many other factors interacting during the development of any individual that have a huge influence on the final outcome.

I've read Watson's declarations, and also his recent apology... and I have to say I don't buy the latter, since he's made similar statements in the past.
He seems to be a perfect example of what epigenetic phenomena can achieve: he started out with his 'normal' genetic complement and the potential to become an intelligent man, but unfortunately, his developmental history, his cultural, socioeconomical, and personal context, have led him to make a fool of himself.

*******************
EDIT: Here's some interesting reading:
http://raceandgenomics.ssrc.org/Lewontin/
And I highly recommend this book "Not in our genes":
http://www.amazon.com/Not-Our-Genes-Richard-Lewontin/dp/0394728882

Answer 3

No. This is a matter of pc and it's a damn shame he is now being labeled a racist. If he were black and said whites had a lower level of intelligence than blacks then his statement never would have made the news.

I find it depressing that being pc mostly applies to only white people. Do you remember when Sharpton made a politically incorrect statement about Mitt Romney being mormon? Most people don't because it was in the news for like 5 seconds. Did Al ever apologize?.... Exactly! If the roles would have been reversed, Mitt would no longer be running for pres.--- Fact!

Answer 4

I suppose there is quite a lot of difference between wisdom and intelligence.

Watson made a very foolish statement, and I suppose he felt he could do this because of his importance. Then again Simpson wrote a book about how he murdered his wife, and I assume the same sort of huburus was behind this equally tasteless act.

Personally, I don't beleive there is any difference in overall intelligence as reguards the races. There is certainly no known genetic basis for intelligence, and I'm sure Watson realizes this. Regaurding "African Americans", most of them are about as much "white" as "black"; the original African genome has become saturated with caucasian genes and even the Asian genes of native Americans. It is equally easy to say blacks are stupid because whites are also stupid. I believe Watson was confusing genetics with social science. Personally, I have seen a lot of ignorance in black culture, but this isn't because of genetics, but rather a sad legacy of black American history. I'm sure rural caucasians can be just as clueless as inner city blacks.

Answer 5

Not necessarily but he probably is. He concluded that blacks are not as intelligent as whites due to their DNA. If some are less intelligent it is probably due to environmental factors as much or more than their DNA. He probably failed to consider environment because he is a racist, then again he could just be senile. He's 79 years old so I wouldn't doubt it. Anyway I think scientists should be able to discuss their findings without being called racist. He found what he found and if the politically correct crowd don't like it that's not enough to label him a racist. I just think it was his failure to examine other variables that made him sound racist.

Answer 6

He has claimed that the statement was out of context and did not mean what it has been taken to mean!

I would have to read the whole text before making an opinion, but this is far from the first time he has said something controversial.

There is a recurring theme to his statements; He seems to be saying that there are indeed genetic differences between the races and ignoring them because of political correctness is a betrayal of the objectivity of science. He then goes on to plea that he attaches no value judgements to these differences, he merely points them out.

I dunno. I'm not a geneticist.

Answer 7

I know very little about this man, apart from what I read about him in an article in yesterday's Independent newspaper. They said he had come out with extreme (unscientific?) views before on various themes. I have to say he sounds racist to me, but the trouble is a lot of people will probably give his theories credence because he's such an eminent academic.

Answer 8

NO HE CERTAINLY IS NOT! Originally he was quoted as saying he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours -- whereas all the testing says not really." There is NOTHING racist in this, he is merely forming a theory based on results from tests, which is what scientists DO, it's how knowledge is gained. Often results are controversial as they go against what is taken as truth, or in this case what people want to believe. As much as we all would like to believe that everyone is equal in every sense, there is no PROOF of this, especially with regards to intelligence. Personally I think that the Japanese are more intelligent than the rest of the world. Does that make me racist? NO. Would it if I were Japanese? NO. The problem is that we are all (especially the media) so obsessed with avoiding being prejudiced that we immediately attack anyone who makes a remark that can be classed so, particularly if the remark can be easily misinterpreted. Dr. Watson is a great man who has contributed massively to the advancement of our knowledge. To see him viciously attacked like this by those who have little understanding of how the scientific world operates and as such are blinded by their own ignorance makes me sick. Yahoo in particular should be very ashamed of themselves for posting news from AFP, manipulating his words to such an extreme that today on the news page they have put that he "reportedly claimed black people are less intelligent than whites". In my eyes that is effectively slander. As I said, he is a great man, and deserves to be treated with a lot more respect then this.

Answer 9

This is a classic example of how science has been politicized and can no longer be trusted in its declarations that "race does not exist." Watson isn't the only outstanding scientist being blacklisted because he will not acquiesce to attempts to deny its existence.

Race is a reality as plain as the nose on your face, and we do a great disservice to humanity by denying it.

Answer 10

No not at all. Stating results from studies is not racist. You heard what the media wanted to report, he went on to say that this belief does not justify being a racist. When people say that blacks are faster runners than whites...they are not racist...while some whites are fast and faster than some blacks...on a whole blacks are faster. White on average have scored higher on IQ tests and have larger brain capacity, fact. How is that racist? It's controversial because it suggests something that we have tried not to acknowledge post slavery. We like to think we are equal in every way but we are not. In reality, these studies should have no relevance in everyday life, such as saying blacks are better athletes doesn't really affect anyone's life.

Answer 11

He is reporting the facts. They are unpalatable to many as they say that some races are "inferior" intellectually.
It is a sad trait in people that when they hear something they can't agree with but cannot refute, the attack the messenger.
I am sorry to say it but on average African people are not as smart as the rest of us and that Asians are the smartest of all.
Every study on this through the years comes to the same conclusion and those reporting the results are vilified and marginalized. It seems as if people only want to hear what they want to hear and that the facts are dismissed as not politically expedient. They have made up their minds and do not want to be confused with the facts. I don't care how dim PPL are, they are still worthy of respect.