1. Places in institutions of HigherEducation? should go to those who will be most likely to come out of it with a good degree (eg If two people are competing for a place, and it is believed person A is likely to get a 1st while person B will likely get a pass degree at best, the place should to be person A, all other things being equal.) 2. The best predictor for success at HigherEducation? is raw ability (eg if person A is very good at maths, but had a crap teacher so got a C at A-level, whereas person B is only ok at maths, but through intensive tuition managed to get a B at A-level, person A would be more likely to come out of a 3 year university maths course with a better degree than person B). 3. There is an insignificant correlation between genetics and IQ in humans, and even if there were a correlation it is not split along the lines of racial phenotype. (This is, I believe, a founding assertion of PoliticalCorrectness. For discussion of this point, read /TheBellCurve.)
PeterTaylor observes that the stuff he's read, published by Mensa? IIRC, claims that IQ is roughly 80% genetic and 20% environmental.
That figure comes from twin adoption studies. See [here] and [here]. --DR
4. Raw ability at academic subjects is the same thing as general intelligence as measured by IQ tests. 5. Where an identifyable sub-group of the population is found to get worse results at LowerEducation? than average, the best predictor of the raw ability of an individual from that sub-group is that individual's results, renormalised according to their sub-group. (eg if person A from a catchment area whose schools average 1 a-level pass gets 2 a-level passes, they likely have more raw ability than person B from a catchment area whose schools average 5 a-level passes who only gets 3.) 6. If, despite this, university selectors are found long-term to be selecting a significantly smaller percentage of people from a particular sub-group than exist in the population they are missing out on candidates who would do better than their current selection (eg if 5% of the population, or catchment area of a university, are of afro-carribean origin as are 5% of the applicants, but they make up only 0.2% of first year students, and have done for the last 10 years, then they are under represented.) 7. If a university, when this is pointed out, fails to correct this situation in a reasonable time, then for its own good, and to improve the quality of the people it graduates, a quota should be installed to positively discriminate in favour of the under-represented sub-group.
1. Not all cultures place the same importance upon HigherEducation?, therefore you would not expect them necessarily to gain the same amount from it, or to be as eager to apply for it. 2. Not all populations areas are homogenous. People from a sub-group may (or may not) prefer to apply to an institution that they already know has a significant population from their sub-group. 3. Nutrition during pregnancy and the first few years of life have a significant effect on adult performance and may be correlated with the wealth of the parents which may in turn be culturally correlated. 4. Quality of lower education, especially in regards to teaching self-discipine, how to study, ways to think and solve problems, etc can significantly affect outcome of HigherEducation?.
Another argument for it (mostly heard applied to women in the boardroom, or in politics) is that the system is unconciously resistant to change. If an environment existed with 50% participation, it would perpetuate itself and be better. But the only way to get there is to force it, regardless of the short-term disadvantages (of people feeling discriminated against, or feeling unfairly advantaged.) On point 4, if by raw ability you mean how likely a pupil is to do well at a subject, given equal teaching, I'd disagree. I'd say that not concentrating, not working hard, being put off by set backs or just disliking that sort of activity are factors that damn at least as many as get damned by having a low IQ. --DR
My interest in SenatorBarackObama?'s presedential bid began when I heard his response to the question of these kind of programs, called 'Affirmative Action' in the USA. (In case you didn't know, Barack happens to be black.) I'm also paraphrasing him.
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PoliticalCorrectness/PositiveDiscrimination