<p>I don’t think culture is determined by genes at all. I think culture is primarily a response to the environment if anything, and we do not have enough data to argue that culture is completely or even partially determined by genes.</p>
<p>A lot of these arguments have huge social implications but little to no data to support them. I believe that it is folly for people to jump on the IQ/G/correlation-super-statistics-this-must-be-right-because-a-phd-said-so bandwagon without substantial evidence backing it up, especially when the claim is so controversial.</p>
<p>I am not arguing that “intelligence” is not heritable. But heritability should not confine one’s intelligence. There is no evidence out there saying that someone born with a low heritable intelligence cannot reach normal or even above normal intelligence given proper training. </p>
<p>It is very easy to see perceived heritable differences in intelligence, and blame it on genes. But our understanding of the brain is extremely limited, and our data is often from pseudo-scientists or psychologists like Terman and Spearman. To me, a sociological explanation for IQ differences is far less controversial, and makes much more sense given limited data. Low indicators of intelligence can exist and persist in generations due to persisting sociological factors. A poor minority mother with few educational resources will give birth to a child in the same conditions, etc. A professor will give birth to an economically privileged child in a very strong academic environment. Sure, there are studies with adopted twins in different families, but my argument still holds in that that only applies to initial intelligence. Society is not doing a good job of helping those in need for us to draw conclusions about the maximum capability that individuals can reach.</p>
<p>GPA may be a result of both hard work and intelligence. But, like using IQ to measure intelligence, I don’t think we have any strong data to draw any good conclusions with.</p>