Dr. Sanjay Gupta Endorses Craniometry; Stephen Jay Gould Rolls in His Grave
Posted by Osagie K. Obasogie May 18, 2007
Biopolitical Times
We here at Biopolitical Times have a number of concerns about human biotechnologies and their possible misuse. At the top of the list is how these technologies might lead to a new eugenics, in which an old pseudoscience of trying to improve the human race through breeding out undesirables takes a new high-tech form.
However, judging from CNN's recent episode of "Paula Zahn Now," eugenics isn't the only pseudoscience threatening to make a comeback.
Zahn's May 16th episode featured an in-depth investigation of why Asian Americans' academic achievement is disproportionately better than other races. In the midst of a troubling conversation about Asians' genetic endowments, CNN's Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta took things to a whole new level:
"Some scientific evidence suggests that, yes, Asians might just be smarter by nature genetically, higher scores on I.Q. tests, larger cranium sizes, faster reaction time."
Larger cranium sizes? Craniometry is the completely discredited 19th and early 20th century scientific theory that group intelligence is predictable by measuring skulls. Blatant racism was an inherent to the theory; skull measurements conveniently placed Whites at the top of the ladder while darker skinned peoples occupied the bottom rungs.
Is Dr. Gupta trying to reshuffle the craniometry deck with Asians on top, suggesting that there might after all be some connection between race, skull size, and aptitude? Is he serious? Is this part of a growing trend for pop culture's doctors to tie social outcomes to long discredited scientific theories? Only three words are needed to respond: Mismeasure of Man - the definitive work by the late Stephen Jay Gould on how this whole line of reasoning is as absurd as it is harmful.
However, judging from CNN's recent episode of "Paula Zahn Now," eugenics isn't the only pseudoscience threatening to make a comeback.
Zahn's May 16th episode featured an in-depth investigation of why Asian Americans' academic achievement is disproportionately better than other races. In the midst of a troubling conversation about Asians' genetic endowments, CNN's Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta took things to a whole new level:
"Some scientific evidence suggests that, yes, Asians might just be smarter by nature genetically, higher scores on I.Q. tests, larger cranium sizes, faster reaction time."
Larger cranium sizes? Craniometry is the completely discredited 19th and early 20th century scientific theory that group intelligence is predictable by measuring skulls. Blatant racism was an inherent to the theory; skull measurements conveniently placed Whites at the top of the ladder while darker skinned peoples occupied the bottom rungs.
Is Dr. Gupta trying to reshuffle the craniometry deck with Asians on top, suggesting that there might after all be some connection between race, skull size, and aptitude? Is he serious? Is this part of a growing trend for pop culture's doctors to tie social outcomes to long discredited scientific theories? Only three words are needed to respond: Mismeasure of Man - the definitive work by the late Stephen Jay Gould on how this whole line of reasoning is as absurd as it is harmful.