Does diversity increase intelligence?

Hey,

When you assess the attractiveness of the opposite sex, be it male or female, do you also assess whether they will produce healthy and 'strong' offspring. I know that when I look at someone attractive I ponder whether both mine and their attractive traits will be passed on to their offspring to produce an attractive child.

I live in an area with a very narrow gene pool. It's disgusting. I get on the bus to school and see some of the monstrosities that are human. Some have no teeth, fat and speak with a slurred accent. You often find these specimens working at the local supermarket and doing other remedial jobs. This poor gene pool is self perpetuating i.e. Their children will inherit similar 'weak' alleles and thus, a population with little genetic diversity is formed. This is the reason why I promote immigration because ethnic diversity expands the gene pool and allows offspring to have the best possible chance of survival. Diversity is key for the continuity and development of our species.

To those of you who are narrow minded, please expand your mind and answer this question when seeking a partner: "Does he/she exhibit dominant characteristics that, which combined with mine, will produce a child with a diverse range of genes ensuring it is strong and healthy."

I know my assertions are to some extent, illogical and flawed. Some of the greatest minds originate from genetically weak backgrounds. However, it's worth identifying that during the Renaissance, travel and communication became easier and thus; increasing diversity, especially throughout Italy and parts of Europe. I have noticed a huge gap from the Macedonian empire (ancient Greece) to the Renaissance. The Medieval ages had very little innovation in terms of scientific discovery and human development. There are many factors as to why this is so. However, diversity is to some degree, relative to geographical location. Greece is situated in such an area that makes traveling to regions which vary in diversity greatly, possible. North Africa (Egypt) for example.The Roman empire succeeded the Egyptian Empire and thus; the diversity increased significantly and 'Roman genes' were infused with 'Egyptian genes'. This could explain the huge increase in intelligence and why many Philosophical and Scientific discovers were made during that time.

This theory is highly speculative. It is only an observation!

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

D.R.E

Original post by adamrules247

No. I know some very intelligent people (two of whom are at Cambridge) who grew up in very sheltered, traditionalist households.

What does being from a 'sheltered and traditionalist household' have to do with the gene pool?

Reply 2

Animae

Original post by adamrules247

No. I know some very intelligent people (two of whom are at Cambridge) who grew up in very sheltered, traditionalist households.

Yes but I'm sure that during the past two thousand years or so, his/her ancestors would have not been from sheltered households. They may have lived somewhere completely different. The Renaissance made travel relatively easy and they could have originally been from say... Italy. Just because he was born in a sheltered community doesn't suggest it's always been that way.

Reply 3

adamrules247

Original post by D.R.E

What does being from a 'sheltered and traditionalist household' have to do with the gene pool?

I was using the term diversity to mean open to lots and lots of ideas as opposed to a few.

Reply 4

D.R.E

Original post by adamrules247

I was using the term diversity to mean open to lots and lots of ideas as opposed to a few.

Fair enough. However, OP seemed to talking specifically about whether genetic diversity increases the overall intelligence of a society (or the world).

Reply 5

humanrights

does mixing two different breeds create a new super breed, or just a breed bereft of the qualities of the original breeds?

cross breeding dilutes the original attributes. it does not magicially create new attributes.

Reply 6

D.R.E

Original post by humanrights

Doesn't the evolution of thousands of species invalidate this argument?

Reply 7

humanrights

no.

because i'm not talking about evolution. just cross breeding.

evolution is a different thing.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 8

D.R.E

Original post by humanrights

no.

because i'm not talking about evolution. just cross breeding.

evolution is a different thing.

How do you think different genetic qualities were transferred from species to species? Through sneezing?

Reply 9

humanrights

species to species mating?

is that even possible?

Reply 10

U.S Lecce

Original post by humanrights

Breeds lol

Reply 11

humanrights

Original post by U.S Lecce

Breeds lol

breeds.....race.......no difference.

Reply 12

D.R.E

Original post by humanrights

species to species mating?

is that even possible?

Well, it depends on what you mean by species. I'm not a professional biologist or anything, but it seems logical to think it is possible on some level since we've borrowed qualities from other 'species' through the process of natural selection?

Like how we are supposed to have bred with neanderthals, despite them being a different 'species'. I don't think you can say breeding between different races or 'breeds' creates a backwards evolution because only the strong genes, which are the ones which are dominant (usually) and probably each's survival mechanism, are the ones that get passed on.

So if you have a larger gene pool, only the strongest genes are passed and hopefully the genetic defects we get are lessened.

Reply 13

U.S Lecce

Original post by humanrights

breeds.....race.......no difference.

Your an idiot! That's what you are! :smile:

Reply 14

foolishh

Original post by humanrights

breeds.....race.......no difference.

This is the single most idiotic statement I've ever heard. And sadly it's not the first time I've heard it.

Reply 15

humanrights

species to species breeding is impossible. a fish cannot mate with an elephant. when it does happen, it with 'species' who share genus. they are technically different species by definition of language, but in real terms, not really.

like horse and donkey. who mate to produce an mule. which cannot reproduce.

genetic defects are passed on anyway. they are introduced in a weaker form if one breed is free from original defect.

race mixing creates a new race. not superior race. theres nothing wrong with race mixing, but its not going advance humanity.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 16

humanrights

Original post by foolishh

This is the single most idiotic statement I've ever heard. And sadly it's not the first time I've heard it.

but its true.

but, if you disagree, can you explain why?

Reply 17

Wenger

A well written thread OP,

In response to your question, the characteristics I mainly search for is cultural. I've been raised among many different racial backgrounds, and the most well-mannered, disciplined children were always African and Chinese families.

I was very good friends with a Nigerian, and his dad was a government accountant, and he was so strict with them. They would not dare disrespect their father/mother in the way in which typical White British children communicate with their parents.

While this is just one very brief example, I find that psychologically, people from less-developed countries simply have more respect overall. I recently concluded that the most suitable mother for my children should derive from African/Caribbean descent. Middle-eastern is also on the table. I myself am half white british, quarter cuban, and quarter jamaican.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 18

D.R.E

Original post by humanrights

Well yeah, they have to share the same genus, but they are still technically different species. We might share the same genus as Orang-outangs but we are different species.

'Races' are not different species anyway. And the fact that the defects are passed on in weaker form, is better than in a situation when you have two people of the same gene pool where the recessive gene is stronger and is passed on in place of a more beneficial gene.

Reply 19

foolishh

Personally, I find it difficult to liken the concept of breeds, for example, dog breeds, to the racial classification of human beings. It's not just my opinion, though. If you look up the definitions, there is a distinction.