[ExI] completely disgusting

[Stuart LaForge]

Quoting Bill Wallace:

>  In a poll taken on subscribers of Nature, presumably rather  
> science-oriented:
> - only 5% would allow studies linking genes to violence- only 6%  
> would allow studies on sex and genes- only 8% would approve of  
> studies linking genes to intelligence
> And I thought that only the general public was this opposed to un-PC  
> science, assuming that un-PC was the reason in the subscribers'  
> minds.  Or were they the reason The Blank Slate was written?

Yes, I agree. If the wording of the survey question were changed so  
that these genetic studies were conducted on rats, dogs, or dolphins,  
nobody would care. In its unsubstantiated almost faith-like belief in  
human exceptionalism, the philosophy of humanism is nearly as bad as  
religion. The idea that the gender of mice is controlled by their sex  
chromosomes but that people can, by virtue of their humanity, just  
choose their gender without the appropriate medical procedures is  
somewhat delusional. But I suppose if religion is any indication,  
people are entitled to their delusions.

Pinker's "The Blank Slate" sounds interesting. Does he reach a similar  
conclusion?

Stuart LaForge