Course News

Following the Discussion About Sekula's Body and the Archive

UK's The Independent paper has a story about some comments made by James Watson, one of scientists credited with the "discovery" of DNA. The comments were in regard to racial, ethnic and geographic ties to intellegence:

Dr Watson told The Sunday Times that he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours – whereas all the testing says not really". He said there was a natural desire that all human beings should be equal but "people who have to deal with black employees find this not true".

While some may dismiss Watson as a cranky old scientist with some equally cranky old ideas, the fact that he feels confident making such statements publicly should say something about the persistence of the "absurd" ideas from the 19th Century (end earlier) Sekula discussed in the text. And even more, that such ideas are still considered issues of "science".

posted by ryan griffis at 9:12 AM Thursday, October 18, 2007

 

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| Info For Thursday Oct 18 | For-Educational-Use-Only 6 | More Che, via the New York Times | Speaking of Image and Identity... | For-Educational-Use-Only 5 | Things Due Next Week | Assignments for Tuesday Oct 2 | Swastika In Navy's Architecture To Be Masked | The Production of Creativity (Lecture Today) | Independent Film Making Discussion