Derb has an excellent, provocative, piece on racial differences in the latest NRDT. Derb, if you’re listening, I’d love to read scientifically informed email from readers who disagree with you (or articles which address your arguments). I just don’t know enough about the debate or the scientific issues involved and would like to know more. Also, it would be interesting to know how or what you think the policy consequences of your position would be. Personally, what I find compelling about Charles Murray’s political views is that it doesn’t in fact matter whether you agree with him on the controversial bits of his analysis when it comes to racial differences. Since libertarians and mainstream conservatives believe that the government should be blind to race, the issue of group differences is largely academic. It’s only when you think the state should play favorites on account of race that such concerns become relevant. And, I fear, arguments like Derb’s or Murray’s don’t make the fight for colorblindness easier. But that is a separate issue.