A 1998 special edition of the scientific journal Intelligence, entitled "A King among Men: Arthur Jensen," was devoted to analyses by 13 leading experts of the career of the great psychometrician, who died last week at 89. Editor Douglas Detterman of Case Western Reserve University wrote:
"When I first met him personally, I wondered what his biases and prejudices really were and tried to identify them for many years. My effort was wasted. I finally came to the conclusion that he just doesn't have any. I think this may be a point that is impossible for his critics to understand. On the other hand, it is the very reason he has stood up so well against his critics. He has invested himself in pursuit of the truth, not any particular set of ideas. … He would gladly know the truth even if it proved him wrong."
It's Douglas Detterman, not Daniel.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
ReplyDeleteWho care's about "intelligence" ?!
ReplyDeleteThe East Coast is going down!!!
Strange (or not) and sad, but a quick Google News search shows no mention of Jensen's death. Nada. Down the memory hole already?
ReplyDeleteHaddox, my experience exactly.
ReplyDeleteAmazing. The Soviets truly won the Cold War.
Anon.
This issue of INNTELLIGENCE contains a professionally orientated autobiographical sketch by Jensen--"Jensen on Jensenism" that taken along with a 1992 interview of him by Jared Taylor
ReplyDeleteand published in two parts in AMERICAN RENAISSANCE would be an
excellent introduction to Jensen's work and somewhat of an innoculation against media misrepresentations.
This issue of INTELLIGENCE contains at Jensen's request a complete bibliography of his then nearly 400 publications. It is not dry reading like maybe reading the white pages of the phone directory might be. It shows the principled progress and expansion of his work. His graduate training was in the early 50's at a time of Freudian hegemony. He seems laconic about the matter, but it appears he had a quiet but keen aversion to the lack of scientific rigor in the thought and practices of that time. The works of the great Hans Eysenck enlisted Jensen's interest (Eysenck likely was not even mentioned in most American psychology classrooms and seminars of the time ). For two consecutive years in the late 50's, Jensen had a sabbatical in London to work with Eysenck. Jensen became devoted to the scientific rigor and principles of the London School. It appears at that time what a bright and honest psychology grad student most needed to "get with" was found off campus rather than off campus. My, how times have not changed!!
ReplyDeleteThe commemorative issue devoted to
ReplyDeletethe work of Arthur Jensen does NOT have a complete bibliography.
Jensen sat for a lengthy interview with his friend Jared Taylor that , somewhat edited, was published in two parts in
AMERICAN RENAISSANCE back in 1992.
This was omitted from the bibliography given in the special
commemorative editon of INTELLIGENCE.
In some ways now the best introduction to Jensen--aside from the excellent Miele interview/book--would be the
ReplyDeletesection from INTELLIGENCE, "Jensen on Jensenism"; the full approx. 38 standard size 8 x 11 pages of the unedited 1992 interview of Jensen conducted by Jared Taylor and in edited form published in two parts that year in AMERICAN RENAISSANCE; and , finally, Chris
Brand's excellent, clear, summary given in his de-published--yes, de-published--1996 book entitled "The 'g' Factor..." While Jensen published a far longer and more academically detailed book on this topic, Brand's summary and treatment of
historical-social implications makes his work of introductory importance.
In some ways now the best introduction to Jensen--aside from the excellent Miele interview/book--would be the
ReplyDeletesection from INTELLIGENCE, "Jensen on Jensenism"; the full approx. 38 standard size 8 x 11 pages of the unedited 1992 interview of Jensen conducted by Jared Taylor and in edited form published in two parts that year in AMERICAN RENAISSANCE; and , finally, Chris
Brand's excellent, clear, summary given in his de-published--yes, de-published--1996 book entitled "The 'g' Factor..." While Jensen published a far longer and more academically detailed book on this topic, Brand's summary and treatment of
historical-social implications makes his work of introductory importance.