For the question “How would you describe your opinion of the [sic] the idea of “human biodiversity”, eg the belief that races differ genetically in socially relevant ways?”
20.8% answered 4 and 8.7% answered 5.
Where 1 is Very unfavorable and 5 is Very favorable
Taking that at face value, 30% of Scott’s readers think favorably of “HBD”.
(I guess you could look at it as “80% of SSC readers fail to condemn scientific racism”. But that doesn’t strike me as charitable.)
From the same survey, 13.6% identified as EAs, and 33.4% answered sorta EA.
I should mention that the survey has some nonsensical answers (IQs of 186, verbal SATs of 30). And it appears that many answers lean liberal (Identifying as liberals, thinking favorably of feminism, and more open borders, while thinking unfavorably of Trump.)
“… If HBD is true, then all the existing correlational and longitudinal evidence immediately implies that group differences are the major reason why per capita income in the USA are 3-190x per capita income in Africa, that group differences are a major driver of history and the future, that intelligence has enormous spillovers totally ignored in all current analyses. This has huge implications for historical research, immigration policy (regression to the mean), dysgenics discussions (minor to irrelevant from just the individual differences perspective but long-term existential threat from HBD), development aid, welfare programs, education, and pretty much every single topic in the culture wars touching on ‘sexism’ or ‘racism’ where the supposedly iron-clad evidence is confounded or based on rational priors.”
I’m trying to imagine what global development charities EAs who believe HBD donate to, and I’m having a hard time. Assuming this implies that some EAs (1-5%?) believe in this, I would reckon they’re more focused on X-risks or animal welfare. (I don’t think this is true anymore, see comment below) It would be helpful to see how the people who identify as EAs answered this question.
Finally, from Scott’s email (which I think sharing is a horrible violation of privacy), the last sentence is emblematic of the attitude of lots of people in the community (including myself). My Goodreads contains lots of books I expect to disagree with or be offended by (Gyn/Ecology, The Bell Curve), but I still think it’s important to look into them.
Valuing new insights sometimes means looking into things no one else would, and that has been very useful for the community (fish/insect welfare, longtermism). But unfortunately, one risk is that at least some people will come out believing (outrageously) wrong things. I think that is worth it.
On a personal note, I’m black, and a community organizer, and I haven’t encountered anything but respect and love from the EA community.
I’m trying to imagine what global development charities EAs who believe HBD donate to, and I’m having a hard time.
I don’t totally follow why „the belief that races differ genetically in socially relevant ways“ would leave one to not donate to for example the Against Malaria Foundation, or Give Directly. Assuming that there for example is on average a (slightly?) lower average IQ, it seems to me that less Malaria or more money still will do most one would hope for and what the RCTs say they do, even if you might expect (slightly ?) lower economic growth potential and in the longer term (slightly?) less potential for the regions to become highly-specialized skilled labor places?
I think you’re right. I guess I took Gwen’s comment at face value and tried to figure out how development aid will look different due to the “huge implications”, which was hard.
Hey, I thought this discussion could use some data. I also added some personal impressions.
These are the results of the 2020 SSC survey.
For the question “How would you describe your opinion of the [sic] the idea of “human biodiversity”, eg the belief that races differ genetically in socially relevant ways?”
20.8% answered 4 and 8.7% answered 5.
Where 1 is Very unfavorable and 5 is Very favorable
The answers look similar for 2019
Taking that at face value, 30% of Scott’s readers think favorably of “HBD”.
(I guess you could look at it as “80% of SSC readers fail to condemn scientific racism”. But that doesn’t strike me as charitable.)
From the same survey, 13.6% identified as EAs, and 33.4% answered sorta EA.
I should mention that the survey has some nonsensical answers (IQs of 186, verbal SATs of 30). And it appears that many answers lean liberal (Identifying as liberals, thinking favorably of feminism, and more open borders, while thinking unfavorably of Trump.)
A while ago, Gwern wrote
I’m trying to imagine what global development charities EAs who believe HBD donate to, and I’m having a hard time.
Assuming this implies that some EAs (1-5%?) believe in this, I would reckon they’re more focused on X-risks or animal welfare. (I don’t think this is true anymore, see comment below) It would be helpful to see how the people who identify as EAs answered this question.
Finally, from Scott’s email (which I think sharing is a horrible violation of privacy), the last sentence is emblematic of the attitude of lots of people in the community (including myself). My Goodreads contains lots of books I expect to disagree with or be offended by (Gyn/Ecology, The Bell Curve), but I still think it’s important to look into them.
Valuing new insights sometimes means looking into things no one else would, and that has been very useful for the community (fish/insect welfare, longtermism). But unfortunately, one risk is that at least some people will come out believing (outrageously) wrong things. I think that is worth it.
On a personal note, I’m black, and a community organizer, and I haven’t encountered anything but respect and love from the EA community.
Great comment!
I don’t totally follow why „the belief that races differ genetically in socially relevant ways“ would leave one to not donate to for example the Against Malaria Foundation, or Give Directly. Assuming that there for example is on average a (slightly?) lower average IQ, it seems to me that less Malaria or more money still will do most one would hope for and what the RCTs say they do, even if you might expect (slightly ?) lower economic growth potential and in the longer term (slightly?) less potential for the regions to become highly-specialized skilled labor places?
I think you’re right. I guess I took Gwen’s comment at face value and tried to figure out how development aid will look different due to the “huge implications”, which was hard.