Suggested Answers to the Short Quiz

[johnkarls]

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Part A – Discrimination

Question A-1

Does Thomas Sowell posit that there are many kinds of laudable “discrimination”? Would a good example be patronizing a fancy restaurant with a friend who is a DISCRIMINATING wine connoisseur?

Answer A-1

Yes. Yes.

Question A-2

Does Thomas Sowell posit that other kinds of “discrimination” – many of which are reflexive – are necessary for survival? Would a good example be jumping back upon seeing a snake?

Answer A-2

Yes. Yes.

Question A-3

Indeed, don’t lower animals have such DISCRIMINATING reflexes? For example, haven’t we often noted that the best way to protect rose gardens from deer is to buy some black garden hose, cut it into 3-foot lengths, and place the pieces around the rose garden because deer immediately mis-perceive the pieces of hose as snakes?

Answer A-3

Yes. Yes.

Question A-4

Have we “plowed this ground” before on our website in a posting entitled “The Meaning of ‘Systematic’ in ‘Systematic Racism’” for our 9/9/2020 meeting for which our focus book was “The Revolutionary Lives of Malcom X and Martin Luther King” by Prof. Peniel Joseph (please see viewtopic.php?f=601&t=1958&sid=de4bafc9 ... b8cf56e7c8)?

Answer A-4

Yes.

Question A-5

In that posting, did Yours Truly admit what I do the more-than-10-times per year after midnight in Manhattan’s theater district (after drinks with friends following a show) when I am walking alone to my car and see on a deserted street coming toward me –

a) A group of young African-Americans?
b) A group of older African-Americans?
c) A group of young African-Americans who are well-dressed with coat and tie which had been de rigueur for attending the theater until the last decade or so?
d) A group of young African-American FEMALES?
e) A group of poorly-dressed Caucasian males?
f) The originally-posited group of young African-Americans if I had been an armed police officer?
g) A group (a) or group (e) or, possibly, group (f), for whom I would have crossed the street if I had spotted them at a distance of more than one block -- in the event that I hadn’t spotted them that far away?

Answer A-5

Yes.

BTW, it is respectfully suggested that you consider what your reactions would be.

Question A-6

Does Thomas Sowell posit that there are even cases of racial discrimination for which he claims the discrimination serves a laudable objective? Would a good example of this be a business in which hiring employees with criminal backgrounds would be prohibitively costly – so rather than simply refusing to hire members of racial groups which statistically have a higher incidence of criminal backgrounds, an employer uses criminal-background checks for racial groups with a high incidence of criminal backgrounds to ascertain which individuals do NOT have criminal backgrounds?

Answer A-6

Yes. Yes.


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Part B – Disparities

Question B-1

Does Thomas Sowell note that throughout history and around the world there have been many disparities that did NOT result from (A) differences in genetic makeup, or (B) differences in the way people/groups had been treated by others?

Answer B-1

Yes.

Question B-2

Was Yours Truly intrigued by one of his examples that claimed that differences in “measured IQ” depends on whether one is an only child, a first child, a second child, etc.?

Answer B-2

Yes.

Question B-3

Was Yours Truly especially intrigued by the impact of birth-order on “measured IQ” because of our many focuses on “Identical-Twin Studies” which are the “Gold Standard” for ascertaining what is caused by genetics and what is the result of the environment?

Answer B-3

Yes.

Question B-4

Are “Identical-Twin Studies” the “Gold Standard” because they focus solely on identical twins orphaned before their first birthday where each is adopted by a family providing a different environment?

Answer B-4

Yes.

Question B-5

For example, have the “Identical-Twin Studies” which we have studied, focused on INNER-CITY identical twins orphaned before their first birthday where ONE identical-twin is adopted by another INNER-CITY family and the OTHER identical-twin is adopted by a suburban family?

Answer B-5

Yes.

Question B-6

And do those “Identical-Twin Studies” show that by adulthood the identical twins adopted by suburban families develop average “measured IQ’s” equal to average “measured IQ’s” of suburban children, whereas their identical twins adopted by inner-city families develop average “measured IQ’s” equal to average “measured IQ’s” of inner-city children?

Answer B-6

Yes.


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Part C – Conclusions

Question C-1

Whenever we have focused on America’s “Permanent 30% Under-CASTE,” have we always concluded that the abysmal statistics for our inner-city schools are a SOCIOLOGY problem, rather than an EDUCATION problem?

Answer C-1

Yes.

Question C-2

Is this because our inner-city children know by age 5 that they are NOT eligible for their dreams and that their only realistic career objectives are pusher or pimp, or girl friend of a pusher or pimp graduating to whore (none of which requires much education)?

Answer C-2

Yes.

Question C-3

Do sports help to reduce racial prejudice as athletes from inner-cities NOT ONLY achieve greatness BUT PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY proceed after their sports careers to become famous sport commentators, convincing other Americans (at least sub-consciously) that minority members are as intelligent and well-informed as their own friends?

Answer C-3

What do you think??? Let’s discuss!!!

Question C-4

Ditto entertainment, both movies and TV?

Answer C-4

What do you think??? Let’s discuss!!!

Question C-5

Has this been accelerated in the last year or so by TV commercials that seem, almost-exclusively, to feature African-Americans?

Answer C-5

What do you think??? Let’s discuss!!!

Question C-6

Is perhaps the most important aspect of the recent featuring of African-Americans in TV commercials been that young African-American children see adult African-Americans who appear to be intelligent and affluent and “living the American dream”?

Answer C-6

What do you think??? Let’s discuss!!!

Question C-7

If we would like to focus on this imbroglio in greater detail, particularly vis-à-vis American K-12 schooling, would that be an another reason in addition to those already set forth great detail, in the “Suggested Topic for Future Meetings” in Sec. 3 of our bulletin board entitled “Re-Visiting The Issue of Charter Schools with Thomas Sowell” (please see viewtopic.php?f=150&t=2092&sid=de4bafc9 ... b8cf56e7c8)?

Answer C-7

What do you think??? Let’s discuss!!!