Even if genes play some role in determining I.Q. differences within a population, which Nisbett grants, that implies nothing about average differences between populations. The classic example is corn seed planted on two plots of land, one with rich soil and the other with poor soil. Within each plot, differences in the height of the corn plants are completely genetic. Yet the average difference between the two plots is entirely environmental. Could the same logic explain the disparity in average I.Q. between Americans of European and of African descent? Nisbett thinks so.

• Story of Philosophy by Will Durant. He has a way with his choice of words, which work especially well with this lengthy subject without the space of the massive Story of Civilization.
• Game Theory and the Social Contract by Ken Binmore: two volumes of rivaling social contract theories from the usual suspects (Hobbes, Hume, Smith, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Bentham, Mill) to more modern ones (Rawls, Sen). Rawls’ Theory of Justice figures prominently in the book. Harsanyi (1994 Nobel) provides some of the game theoretical arguments.
• The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell. I’m currently listening to his new book, Blink. They are both pretty similar and both are wonderfully written.
• The Eleventh Son by Gu Long: not his best work, but of this genre, he’s my favorite. I like him better than the more popular Jin Yong and even more so than the Indonesian version which I read a lot when I was in high school.
• 70 tahun of IM by Yusuf Qaradawi. In general I really admire his views and ideas. I read several books of him, but the qualities of the writings vary. I suspect I’m at the mercy of the translators.

Speaking of Qaradawi, Abu Aadvark suggests that he’s quilty of being a Muslim,

Powerline: The real beef with Ratzinger, then, isn’t that he’s a threat to liberal democracy; it’s the fact that he agrees with the substantive tenets of his religion, including those regarding controversial social issues, and takes them seriously. Like it or not, this Pope is Catholic.

Aardvark: The real beef with Qaradawi, then, isn’t that he’s a threat to liberal democracy; it’s the fact that he agrees with the substantive tenets of his religion, including those regarding controversial social issues, and takes them seriously. Like it or not, this Islamist is Muslim.

…. to be clear, the point is not to criticize this Pope, about whom I know little beyond current press headlines, or to promote Qaradawi, about whom I’ve frequently said my piece. Just to note the odd symmetry in their views – supportive of political democracy but culturally quite conservative, although Qaradawi is probably more liberal in his approach to religious jurisprudence and sexual issues – and to note the common disconnect when talking about these issues with regard to Muslims as opposed to Christians in certain circles.