/sci/ - Science & Math

There exists at the moment a scientific consensus that differences in intelligence between individuals are largely caused by genetic differences. A recent meta-analysis puts the difference at about 85% genetic, and 15% environmental.
Hence, we can conclude that differences between individuals are largely the result of nature, as opposed to nurture. Nurture in Western society plays a minor role. Personality type differences between individuals are also at least partly genetic in origin.
Most of this is near universally accepted amongst geneticists, but politics unfortunately tend to influence science, and hence the environmental impact on personality and behaviour is often exaggerated in media portrayal of scientific findings, to confirm existing biases.
Hence as a geneticist, I would argue that an awful lot of money is spend on trying to raise the achievements of a minority of intellectually disadvantaged children who are unlikely to see vast improvement in their academic success. This is not just a waste of limited resources, but it also puts an awful amount of stress on parents, teachers and children alike.
Now, in regards to racist beliefs. As a society we are not yet ready for studies into the plethora of genetic differences that exist between different races, because the political climate would threaten the lives and careers of scientists.