MORE 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.

Return to Issues/Cases Page