Re: Genetic superiority

In a message dated 5/10/2003 10:52:31 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
prugovecki@laguna.com.mx writes:

> It is not that I shy away from the possibility of genetic superiority of 
>certain groups. In fact, in my novel Dawn of the New Man: A Futuristic novel 
>of Social Change, I dwell on the subject of how an enlightened future society, 
>which enjoys true freedom and democracy, deals with the technology of genetic 
>engineering leading to various superior human species. But the arguments that 
>the Jews, or the Aryans, or whatever, are "genetically superior" at the 
>present time simply does not 
> represent well-established scientific fact.

Any claims of 'superiority' raise obvious questions about 'superior in what 
way'?  Generosity?  Endurance?  Strength?  Mathematical cognition?  Musical 
cognition?  Tolerance? Humor?  Physical attractiveness? etc.  Are all (or any) 
of these measurable on a single scale of 'superiority'?

When Darwin was first writing, and for another hundred years or so, there was a 
belief that evolution produced superior species as time went on.  I have not 
read enough Darwin to know whether or not to blame him for this.  But this view 
is now completely discredited scientifically.  Species are more differentiated, 
from each other and in terms of their internal functioning, but each part has 
become simpler.  It is more endless mutation than ascension.

Humans regarded by some as 'inferior' often have capacities that are superior 
to others in important ways.  The blind, for example, can navigate in the dark 
much better than those with eyesight.  And the reverse is true.  While many at 
the top levels of the contemporary economy would undoubtedly score well on 
intelligence tests produced in our society, it has been my experience that they 
can be stupefyingly narrow-minded and utterly unable to incorporate any facts 
that may lead to self-criticism.

I find any view that suggests that those who have fallen victims to some 
individual or group with bigger guns or muscles are 'inferior' to be 
particularly repugnant and incompatible with anything I would recognize as 
'left' values.

Steven Sherman