Harvard President: Are Men Better At Math & Science?

Aught Six · 01-19-2005, 10:51 AM

Committee Lambasts Harvard Chief's Remark

I'm not PC and I don't take offense to such a question. As a scientist, I think he has the ability to take a look at the situation and ask some questions based on his initial observations. It's a fact that men outnumber women not only as students, but also as professors, in science and engineering schools around the country. I'm glad he asked why that is. If anyone was offended, I think they took his statements a little too personally.

I think that evolutionary biology makes a lot of sense, and scientists have pointed to dramatic differences between the physical and chemical make up of the brain between sexes. Trying to figure out exactly how and why is worthy of more "sexist" questioning.

kevin1 · 01-19-2005, 02:35 PM

It's been proven that women are more skilled at communicating than men ,
and men outpace women in analytical thinking . Maybe that's why men get so annoyed with women when they want to talk during football games ?

tardfarmer · 01-19-2005, 05:11 PM

Quote:

It's a fact that men outnumber women not only as students, but also as professors, in science and engineering schools around the country

Hence the crazy rationale for women in Affirmative action...

When anyone in a tech field sees a layoff coming, all the males (especially white males) look around for the "glazed look".

Coastie · 01-19-2005, 06:25 PM

Quote:

It's been proven that women are more skilled at communicating than men ,

If they are such great communicators, why do they ask such inane questions at such inapropriate times?!?

tardfarmer · 01-19-2005, 06:58 PM

Quote:

If they are such great communicators, why do they ask such inane questions at such inapropriate times?!?

What are you thinking about now?

Are you mad?

What did I do?

Did something happen?

Do you still love me?

What? What did I do?

Do I look fat?

Aught Six · 01-20-2005, 10:07 AM

What a wuss.

Harvard Chief Says His Remarks on Women Were Wrong

Quote:

"I deeply regret the impact of my comments and apologize for not having weighed them more carefully," Summers said in a letter to the Harvard community posted on his Web site and dated Wednesday. "I was wrong to have spoken in a way that has resulted in an unintended signal of discouragement to talented girls and women."

The impact of his questions (not assertions) was that some cry-babies were offended. I guess nowadays even science is PC. I wonder if his apology will do anything to increase the number of women in the science and tech fields, or if it will just shut up feminists for a bit while nothing else changes.

etothepii · 01-20-2005, 10:13 AM

Let's see, on the average,

men are taller than women

men are heavier than women

men have broader shoulders than women

men have more upper body strength than women...

It seems it's OK to talk about physical differences, but stay away from cognitive differences...

etothepii · 01-20-2005, 10:17 AM

By the way, in gifted classes that I have worked, I couldn't tell much of a difference between male/female achievement, but there usually seems to be more boys than girls in those classes. If we are talking about putting the most talented (mathematically) males against the most talented females, there would probably be no difference. But, talking about averages, I would believe that, by and large, males have more ability in math than girls.

Deleted User · 01-20-2005, 10:39 AM

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North Texan · 01-20-2005, 06:44 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: tardfarmer

Do I look fat?

That's where the analytical skills come into play. They want you to communicate. You must carefully consider the consequences of a yes or no answer. You lose with either one. So you must analyze the situtation and think of a better response. You come up with something and respond. Woman is immediately PO'd. Crap, your communication skills have failed you once again. What sounded like a perfectly great answer in your mind has suddenly turned south.