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STANFORD UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305 e (415) 321-1200
February 8, 1972

STANFORD UNIvVerstry SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Department of Genetics

Members of this department are repeatedly asked for their
views about genetic factors in intelligence, and about possible
differences among races in this respect. We have repeatedly
expressed ourselves about the futility of attempts to identify genetic
components of behavioral differences among races in the face of over-
whelming differences in environmental milieuy, Environmental effects
are a priori likely to bias the outcome of most efforts to investigate
this question with present techniques; and special cautions are
therefore needed to prevent public misunderstandings about such
research in this field as may be attempted. No significant new
information or insight has emerged in the last half-dozen years
to alter this view.

A credible demonstration of race-genetic factors, were it
achievable, could perhaps be useful in designing strategies for
ameliorating socially harmful personality traits, like aggression,
learning defect or perhaps racism, The advertisement of unproven
hypotheses about race differences seems likely to do little but harm,
not only to the harmony and welfare of different groups, but even
to the possibility of pursuing some lines of research that might
illuminate these very questions. ‘The policies that should be advocated
if these hypotheses were true, are a matter of social rather than
scientific judgment. It seems hardly necessary to go into these on
the basis of mere speculation about the scientific facts, It seems to
us nevertheless that coercive differential sterilization is almost
the most ineffective, inhumane and ethically indefensible proposal that could be

devised,whether for genetic improvement or for the rationalization of welfare assistance,

Memo from

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Jpsttua LEDERBERG Genetics Faculty

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LT. J. P. Ke nivces, y—. CINE, DEDICATED TO RESEARCH IN MENTAL RETARDATION

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY HEREDITY NEUROBIOLOGY DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE