TED Blog

Steven Pinker on Jews and genetics

What to make of recent research positing that ‘selective breeding’ over the last two milennia has resulted in superior intelligence (and rare genetic diseases) among Ashkenazi — or Eastern European — Jews? The unpublished study has been backed up, shot down and certainly hyped. If you’re looking for insight — and you’re in New York — you’re in luck. Steven Pinker (who shies not from controversy) will give his take in a Dec. 1st lecture titled Jews, Genes and Intelligence. Another TED veteran, Noah Feldman, will moderate. And we’ll report back.