By Haaretz
Genetic diseases prevalent among Ashkenazic Jews (of European descent) may actually be tied to a higher intellience quotient, according to two American professors.
Anthropology researches Gregory Cochran and Henry Harpending argue that neurological disorders such as Tay-Sachs and Canavan disease have made Jews smarter, due to what is known as heterozygote advantage.
The condition of having one copy of a mutated gene can present a health benefit, they say, whereas having two can be deadly.
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The controversial theory was first presented in professors their book,” The 10,000 Year Explosion”, released in February.
The Baltimore Sun quotes the professors as citing sickle cell anemia, common amongst people of African descent, where two mutated hemoglobin B genes distort red blood cells until they cannot carry oxygen to internal organs.
On the other hand, people of African descent who have only one mutated hemoglobin B gene develop a resistance to malaria.
Under Cochran and Harpending’s theory, natural selection would favor those Jews who only formed the single mutated gene, which has the potential to lead to greater brain power, according to a recent article in the Baltimore Sun.
The theory could stir uncomfortable memories of race-based theories of intelligence, and some researchers have said it fails to take into account social and cultural factors that may affect how intelligence is gauged in different ethnic groups.
“…and some researchers have said it fails to take into account social and cultural factors.”
It’s known that the more the one use his/her brain the more folds appear resulting in more ‘intelligence.’ Perhaps persecution, assimilation, etc. either lent itself to less study of Torah (The greatest chochmah) and consequently a weakening of intelligence – the reverse is, of course, true.
There are different types of intelligence. Also, what good is intelligence without wisdom?
Example: The first Word Trade Center bombing happened because The Port Authority bosses who hired a security firm didn’t listen to their recommendations!
bhoffinger@aol.com
Which known Sefardic rabbis are reliable today except for Mordechai Eliyahu?
Perhaps Ovadia Yosef who ruled that women are allowed to read the Megillah for men?
what is next? a story about the superiority of people who spend 15 years learning in kolele?
take this story off any site associated with chabad..
“Under Cochran and Harpending’s theory, natural selection” Darwinism is demonstrative of a lack of ‘brain power’ on behalf of the scientists. Yes, Darwinism is a disease and demonstrates a paucity of intelligence. ‘Darwinian Evolution’ is for dumbells. It’s more fantasy than reality. A. All the Jews were dispersed to different areas. They are all from the 12 Tribes. There is no ‘Ashkenaz’ or ‘Sephardie.’ The scientists tendancy to separate them indicates a separation in themselves and with each other: kelipot exactly! B. Since ‘Loshon HaKodesh’ (Hebrew-Mod. Name) is so far advanced over any other language we DE-VOLVED not EVOLVED. Isn’t… Read more »
who cares and why is it important to know,
Many of the Rishonim were Sephardim, but throughout the Acharonim period, past 500 years, Ashkenazim have dominated.
There was a time, long ago, that most Gedolay Yisroel were Sefardim, then later (past 100 years) most were Ashkenazim, but recently – especially in Eretz Yisroel – it’s perhaps equal.
It only gieves way to racism within am yisrael,
and in the days of sefirah on top of that