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DIVERSITY DEBATES AT UNIVERSITY OF
TORONTO
(The Bulletin, University of Toronto)
Inborn Abilities Have
Effect on What we Become
John
Graydon
Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry
July 26, 2004
Vassos Hadzilacos
misrepresents the point John Furedy makes about the superiority of
academic merit over quotas (Case Resorts to Sophistries, June
28). His point is simply that all of us inherit variations in our
interests and abilities. And, not surprisingly, these traits have
been found to be correlated with various characteristics including
sex. Of couse these traits are modified by our experiences but
they are not obliterated. Our inborn interests and abilities are
certainly not insurmountable but they do have an effect on what we
choose to become.
If there is any doubt of this ins Vassos Hadzilacos' mind, let him
ponder the reason for the relative numbers of different races and sexes
in his own classroom. His classes are decidedly unrepresentative
of the population from which the University of Toront draws its
students.
Given the stated objective of quotas, I too "cringe at the thought of
the untapped talents of people written off because they have the
"wrong' colour or sex." It's called reverse discrimination.
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