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A Race-And-IQ Research Dilemma Abstract Most Researchers Edugenics: A race-and-IQ research dilemma Abstract Most researchers agree it is socially harmful to research so-called inter-racial IQ variation. Edugenics, an emerging educational technology, may do social harm by racialising education: We cannot know if it will without researching so-called inter-racial IQ variation. Edugenics Behavioural geneticists research human trait variation. Following the mapping of the human genome, researchers analyse Genome Wide Association Surveys (GWASs),1 observe how sub-gene data known as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)2 interact with each other and with the environment, and seek to discern polygenic effects in humans.3 Some say they are increasingly able to predict, on a probabilistic basis, traits in the individual such as such as IQ4 and GRIT5 which have significant effects upon learning proclivities and other life outcomes. Some of these researchers argue for the application of their research to general education. They advocate the use of universal DNA, supplemented by regular IQ, testing in order to facilitate the creation and maintenance of students’ “personalised learning” programmes.6 Other possible future applications for this technology include human embryo selection7 and genetic engineering.8 This short discussion paper uses the term edugenics to refer to such potential applied research. The term is intended to have a cautionary effect rooted in the principle of dual-use technological risk as employed in defence equipment export regimes.9 The notions of embryo selection and genetic engineering have considerable oversight. This paper refers only to the proposal for the application of such research through personalised education programmes. Race and IQ research Most researchers, including edugenics scholars, agree that race is socially constructed.10 Many argue that “folk” categories such as Black and White, based on the principle of self-identification, have a useful but contingent research function.11 Most researchers agree that inter-racial IQ variation, using these folk categories, exists.12 Some argue that this variation is caused wholly or almost wholly by environmental factors such as nutrition and economic circumstances.13 Others14 have argued it is partly a function of genetics and heredity.15 Most researchers, including edugenics scholars, agree that they should not study the notion of inter-racial IQ variation.16 Two reasons are often advanced for this. First, that the study of racial difference in this way is socially destructive and exacerbates lived racial discrimination. Second, that such research is either not useful or is a distraction from more useful scholarship. IQ testing in contemporary education At present, analogous forms of IQ testing are used to select students for educational programmes. In some parts of England, for example, an ‘11+’ examination is used to select students for attendance at grammar schools. These tests yield lower pass rates amongst students who identify as black than amongst those who identify as white.17 This racialises education provision by, for 1 example, ensuring proportionately fewer black students than white are permitted to attend selective grammar schools in England.18 The Edugenics Race and Intelligence research dilemma 1. Edugenics, in the form of personalised learning informed by genetic testing, IQ testing and the probabilistic prediction of learning proclivities, is a lawful and unregulated technology. 2. If genetics influences inter-racial IQ variation, edugenics may yield racialised patterns of education based upon probabilistic genetic prediction. 3. We do not wish to research inter-racial trait variation because this is harmful. If we do not carry out such research, we cannot know if edugenics will be harmful. Discussion This section is written in the first person as I wish to expose my own subjectivity. The above is not quite a true dilemma in the philosophical sense. Instead the device is designed to facilitate reflection and discussion on the quasi-dilemma policymakers face. My own current views, presented here at face value for simplicity, are that racial folk categories are important social constructions to those who identify as belonging to such categories; a number of conceptions of intelligence exist; IQ variation based on racial folk categories exists; IQ testing has useful predictive validity; inter-racial variation is likely overwhelmingly environmental; it is not possible to rule out a genetic effect upon such variation without further research; it is socially undesirable that such research be conducted; judgements about whether a given research field or technology amounts in effect to scientific racism are best made by the non-white victims of personalised and structural racism. However, edugenic research and innovation is led and championed by leading scholars, funded by bodies such as the UK’s Medical Research Council and is perfectly lawful. Such research does not control for race since edugenics is concerned with application of empirical science at the level of the individual, not the social effect of or upon a socially constructed category. The technology is relatively far advanced and is moving quickly. Commercial products are likely to arrive in some form on the market in the fairly near future. For some parents and schools, the notion of benefitting students through a DNA-testing regime will be attractive and it seems likely that there will be early voluntaristic uptake. For policymakers, there appear to be 3 substantive ways of proceeding: 1. Do Nothing . Maintain the status quo; conduct no research into inter-racial IQ variation; accept the risk that edugenics may embed racialised patterns of education. 2. Prevent . Legislate to ban the use of DNA information in education provision. 3. Pause and research . Agree a moratorium on the use of DNA information in education provision and research to determine if there is a risk of a racialised outcome. At present, racialised patterns of provision exist as caused by environmental conditions. In some parts of England they also exist on the basis of 11+ testing, which is rooted in IQ testing. If genetics informs IQ, then the UK already tolerates a degree of racialised provision based upon genetics. However, for reasons likely related to structural racism, this notion has limited traction in public discourse. 2 The innovation of DNA testing for education will likely place edugenics and genetically-informed education near the top of any national policy discourse. It seems unlikely that policymakers will wish to be seen to tolerate a new technology that could lead to the genetic racialisation of education. Option 1, the status quo, looks inherently unattractive. Option 2, a permanent ban through legislation would indemnify national policymakers from risk even if edugenics were permitted by other governments. However, this would entail outlawing an innovative and potentially useful technology where no public harm had been demonstrated. It could also generate public misunderstanding and suspicion that truths were being suppressed. It would also have read-across to other technology-related decisions involving risk Option 3, a moratorium followed by research into inter-racial IQ variation, would protect society and indemnify policymakers in the short to medium term without stifling a potentially useful new technology in the absence of evidence of harm. It could be agreed without legislation between policymakers, trades unions and employers. This option would entail the harm implied by research into inter-racial intelligence variation. Concluding points to note Pharmacogenetics,19 the trend in medical research towards personalised medicine, has obvious implications for race and ethnicity. Whether any given line of research amounts to scientific racism on the one hand, or to well-directed science and medicine on the other, is best judged by the non- white victims of personalised and structural racism. Edugenics researchers often stress the application of their research to the field of early learning difficulties. Where such conditions are medically diagnosed, it may be that edugenic interventions could be judged by the same principles as pharmacogenetic ones. This could, however, cut both ways.20 The ‘no useful application’ argument is circular for the purposes of this dilemma and so may be discounted. This paper was written following a very helpful (from my point of view) exchange with Slate Magazine’s (@slate) Will Saletan (@saletan), following his article (Ref 16); for which, many thanks. Comments are most welcome here; to @ericjoyce; to ‘[email protected]’; or by any other means. Eric Joyce Doctoral Candidate University of Bath References and links (Publicly accessible where possible. Links accessed 30 April 2020) 3 1 https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Genome-Wide-Association-Studies-Fact-Sheet 2 https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/genomicresearch/snp 3 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-018-0147-3 4 https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/dna-predicts-differences-in-intelligence-and-educational-achievement 5 Rimfeld, K., Kovas, Y., Dale, P.S. and Plomin, R., 2016. True grit and genetics: Predicting academic achievement from personality. Journal of personality and social psychology, 111(5), p.780. 6 Asbury, K. and Plomin, R., 2013. G is for genes: The impact of genetics on education and achievement (Vol. 24). John Wiley & Sons. 7 https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/24/ivf-couples-could-be-able-to-choose-the-smartest-embryo 8 https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Genetic-Engineering
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