The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (A Free Press Paperbacks Book) Paperback – Illustrated, 7 Feb. 1996

An outstanding book on a controversial social issue. Many people may disagree with his opinions, however, you cannot keep a blind eye on this or accuse it of pseudoscience. I disagree on many important aspects. A few of them are below.Authors have mentioned that the IQ score improves over generations (in the US as well as in many other countries), This may not be due to genetic changes rather it may be due to environmental/cultural changes. That in turn indicates that the influence of environment/culture has a significant impact on IQ (which is contrary to the main theme of the book). There is not much discussion on this. Also in another chapter authors indicate that the IQ of the US population decreasing over generations due to the low birth rate among educated women. This is contradicting the previous observation.Another thing I disagree with is their opinion that difference in IQ is leading to stratification and class difference.Despite these disagreements, the book discusses many important aspects of social science that most scientists avoid for political correctness.A few points are below.* IQ is in part inborn (part of it hereditary, part random), and part environmental.* Most of the life skills (education, job performance, law obedience, etc) are highly correlated to IQ. This is difficult to believe but his arguments are compelling.* There is a significant difference in IQ between ethnic groups. Very difficult to believe, however they claim that there is ample evidence. It is not clear though if this difference is due to genes or cultural differences. My personal observation is that Asians do better in Science because parents encourage kids in STEM subjects for better employment opportunities. The bar for such controversial claims should be high.* Unequal representation of different ethnic groups in employment or higher education not necessarily due to discrimination.When they discuss the rationale for affirmative action, I felt one justification left out. It (affirmative action) is like representative participation (a legislative body is not elected based on the best qualification for legislation rather a quota for each region). When you are allocating a scarce resource (college admissions), it has to be equal among different parties as the resource itself has not produced the higher IQ of the applicants. However there is one catch - race and sex are not the only discrepancies, there will be huge discrepancies between urban and rural as well as different regions of the country.I appreciate the authors for the courage to present such a controversial topic also done in a fair way (I think so).

Perhaps the most controversial book published in the US in the 1990s. Apart from being a meticulous account of how intelligence - IQ - is measured and the impact that intelligence has on socio-economic status - it also suggests that IQ has a genetic component. This implies that there are racial differences in intelligence. Some races are superior to whites, and some are not. As can be imagined, this provokes fierce debate as critics propose non-genetic reasons for the discrepancies in racial IQs, such as discrimination.The only bad thing about the book is the material from which the cover is made - it curls up ridiculously. If I'd known I'd have bought the hardcover, despite the extra cost.

Written 25 years ago but the ability of people to believe something while the statistical evidence is showing they are wrong has if anything increased. It would be interesting to see what the author's view of the somewhat dystopian future he paints in the book is now, with the advent of the internet and robotics.

Now I understand why IQ, especially the part about inherited, is a no-no subject and a no-go land. It is because the whole subject, cause and effect, after all is so scientifically clear, that the only response left in a politically correct world is to demonize and deny. The response has been: “You cannot say that”. But, sorry, there it is: IQ is extremely important, the most important factor in explaining the fate of groups of humans. And why wouldn’t it be? The idea of denying the importance of the quality that is the separating factor between humans and apes is ridiculous. After all, do apes have history, books, mathematics, roads, bridges…etc?This thorough, evidence-based, book is such an eye-opener that I read it in one go, and then started all over again. To the authors and scientists: Thank you for that. It is like the pleasure of seeing the missing parts of a complicated equation surfacing before your eyes.The authors have added a chapter explaining basic statistical distribution told in easy words. Hooray for that. It should give all normal-IQed journalist the means to understand the book if they want to write about it.

This book identifies clearly that the single variable most important for sociology and politics is IQ. It underlies the vast majority of other variation between humans that is important for society: crime, productiveness, stable marriages. As behavioural genetics has advanced the position of the anti-IQ crowd who've argued against Murray will become increasingly tenuous----there's now a huge number of traits, from BMI to smoking which are strongly genetically correlated to IQ. While a substantial tome, I imagine that most people will find it gripping once they start reading, as Murray and Hernstein dissect one aspect of society after another. The importance of this book will only grow with time as the sheer weight of evidence on their side becomes impossible to ignore.

Very interesting take on the invisible hand of 'g' guiding the outcomes of society. I think that there is an overemphasis on the 3rd level education element and equating success with whose who attend elite schools. These days, more and more people with high IQs are skipping collage altogether and are as 'successful' I would say.

An excellent look at IQ and society. There's nothing really controversial in this book at all, just data some people would rather not be faced with. Book itself arrived in perfect condition other than a small kink on the rear cover. Nothing to complain about.

Very interesting topic.

Wollte es lesen

Anyone with an interest should read the book ... can get a bit heavy in places and was originally written a few years ago ... but this is essential for anyone interested in the FACTS ... sadly many people rely on their feelings and ideology and get offended when the facts don't agree with their view of the world

This is a landmark book that in its days caused much uproar, accused of being racist behind the guise of science. I certainly don't agree with that. It has the merit of making you think and question everything and anything we take as absolute and proven truths.