Intelligence, genes, and success

de Bernie Devlin

The Bell Curve drew a lot of attention. But was it sound science? When it was first published in 1994, Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray's bestselling book The Bell Curve set off a firestorm of controversy about the relationships among genetics, IQ, and various social outcomes. Much of the reaction was polemical and based on whether readers agreed with the authors' conclusions about welfare dependency, crime, and differences in earnings. But how valid were the statistical, genetical, and psycho-social arguments underlying the book's conclusions? In Intelligence, Genes, and Success, a group of respected social scientists and statisticians presents a scientific response to The Bell Curve.