Stereotyping

[NewYorkRoark]

As an Objectivist, is it ethical to stereotype? For instance, consider this post:

http://forum.ObjectivismOnline.com/index.p...ndpost&p=104315

Note: I'm not attacking Eternal here, it's just a point of reference - and I grouped "Jews" and "blacks" in posts further down.

Is referring to groups of individuals formed by specific cultural / religious / racial identities anti-individualistic?

[Thales]

As an Objectivist, is it ethical to stereotype? For instance, consider this post:

It's ethical to generalize. That's part of the process used to reach concepts. You must and should generalize in order to think. It's an epistemological mistake to make wrong generalizations, such as "All blacks are lazy", but that's an issue of getting your facts straight.

Fundamentally, people should be judged as *individuals*, because that's what they *are*. It is wholly unjust to treat people otherwise. The decisions, accomplisments and character of a person are the basis on which you should judge him.

http://forum.ObjectivismOnline.com/index.p...ndpost&p=104315

Note: I'm not attacking Eternal here, it's just a point of reference - and I grouped "Jews" and "blacks" in posts further down.

Is referring to groups of individuals formed by specific cultural / religious / racial identities anti-individualistic?

Well, religion is a choice, so it definitely should be used as a basis for judging people, although it takes effort, because different people have different levels of responsibility for the ideas they hold.

Culture is also a choice, but perhaps less so.

Racial identity is not a choice, so you can in no way morally judge a person based on race. Perhaps race has an essential connection to some things. For instance, perhaps some diseases are much more common in some races, and thus there is reason to consider racial differences as something to study to look for causes.

Btw, the whole field of psychometrics is something I strongly question. How good is that field, given how little is known about the human mind? I know Charles Murray makes big use of it in his book The Bell Curve, and even in his book "Human Accomplishment: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences, 800 B.C. to 1950 (Hardcover)". I'm also aware that Binswanger has strongly criticized "The Bell Curve", though I've never heard his lecture.

Btw, as an aside, "Latino" is not a race. One of those little annoyances. That category doesn't fit in with the rest. I know that many Latino's have indian decent, but to be latino is to be from Mexico, central and S. American, which includes all races.

[JMeganSnow]

Is referring to groups of individuals formed by specific cultural / religious / racial identities anti-individualistic?

What about political or ideological groups?

Grouping anything by similar characteristics is a cognitive shortcut, nothing more. It only becomes unethical when you reverse the cognitive function of the group and imagine that the group determines the characteristics of the individuals included within it. I don't think Objectivists are prone to making that mistake.