Aporia Podcast Pinker and "not going there"
14 snips
Oct 14, 2025 The discussion dives into the controversial stance that certain genetic research, particularly on race and IQ, should remain unexplored for the sake of civility. Debates arise over the balance between academic freedom and societal norms, questioning whether classrooms should entertain provocative ideas. The hosts dissect the inherent challenges of a voluntary moratorium on this research and the ramifications of silencing such inquiries, emphasizing that ignoring these topics could hinder essential academic explorations. The conversation highlights both the risks of statistical discrimination and the potential benefits of using demographic data responsibly.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Gentleman's Agreement Risks Intellectual Avoidance
- Steven Pinker proposes a gentleman's agreement to avoid researching or spotlighting race-IQ disputes to preserve civility.
- The guests argue this silence equates to deliberate intellectual avoidance with broad consequences for inquiry.
Civility Norms Don't Fit Academic Inquiry
- Everyday social norms (like politeness) can't map cleanly to academic inquiry because classrooms enforce different standards.
- Kicking someone out for mentioning data would be inappropriate in most academic contexts, so the model fails as policy.
Classroom Shaming Example
- The hosts imagine a student loudly pointing out a morbidly obese classmate to show how social norms produce immediate punishment.
- That example contrasts with how academic mention of controversial research would likely be treated differently.
