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␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓βS␈↓∧ Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Stanford, California 94305
␈↓ ↓H␈↓∧Telephone 415 497-4430␈↓ 	pJanuary 21, 1976




␈↓ ↓H␈↓Prof. William Shockley
␈↓ ↓H␈↓McCullough 202
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Stanford, Calif.94305

␈↓ ↓H␈↓Dear Professor Shockley:

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        Thanks for the material you sent me.  I have read it,  and  I have the following comments:

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        1.␈α
 I␈α
presume␈α
that␈α
the␈α
newspaper␈α
reports␈αthat␈α
you␈α
are␈α
opposed␈α
to␈α
equal␈α
opportunity␈α
are␈αa
␈↓ ↓H␈↓misunderstanding␈αof␈αyour␈αposition.␈α Anyway␈αmy␈α
 own␈α view␈α is␈α that␈α equality␈α of␈α
opportunity␈αto
␈↓ ↓H␈↓compete␈αis␈α
right␈αregardless␈αof␈α
whether␈αone␈αgroup␈α
may␈αhave␈αlower␈α
averages␈αthan␈αanother,␈α
but␈α it
␈↓ ↓H␈↓is␈α wrong␈α to␈α demand␈α equality␈α of␈αresult␈αand␈αinterpret␈αany␈αinequality␈αof␈αresult␈αas␈αa␈αconsequence
␈↓ ↓H␈↓of␈α∪unfair␈α∪discrimination.␈α∪ Such␈α∪an␈α∪interpretation␈α∪requires␈α∪that␈α∪the␈α∪extreme␈α∩environmentalist
␈↓ ↓H␈↓position␈α∩be␈α∩regarded␈α∩as␈α∩proved␈α∩-␈α∩not␈α∩merely␈α∩that␈α∩the␈α∩hereditarian␈α∩position␈α∩ be␈α∩regarded␈α⊃as
␈↓ ↓H␈↓unproved.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        In␈α∞ my␈α∂ opinion,␈α∞ the␈α∞potential␈α∂for␈α∞harm␈α∂is␈α∞great␈α∞in␈α∂that␈α∞the␈α∂equalitarian␈α∞ administrative
␈↓ ↓H␈↓trends  may  blunt   the   desire   for excellence in every area of human activity.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        It␈αseems␈αto␈αme␈αthat␈α
if␈αyou␈αagree␈αwith␈αthese␈α
points,␈αyou␈αmight␈αmake␈αthem␈α explicitly␈α
 enough
␈↓ ↓H␈↓to  reduce  the  probability  of  such misinterpretations.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        2.␈α I␈α was␈α quite␈αimpressed␈αwith␈αUrbach's␈αarticle,␈αespecially␈αwith␈αthe␈αcriteria␈αfor␈α
determining
␈↓ ↓H␈↓whether␈α
a␈α
 scienti≡c␈α
 activity␈α
 is␈α
degenerating␈α
 into␈α
 a␈α
 mere␈α
 search␈α
 for␈α
 possibilities␈α
 that␈αadmit␈α
a
␈↓ ↓H␈↓preconceived␈α→ interpretation.␈α→ Some␈α_ amount␈α→ of␈α→  search␈α_  for␈α→  such␈α→possibilities␈α_  seems
␈↓ ↓H␈↓legitimate,␈α⊂ because␈α∂ often␈α⊂ our␈α⊂ theoretical␈α∂intuitions␈α⊂are␈α⊂stronger␈α∂than␈α⊂our␈α⊂experimental␈α∂data,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓but␈α Urbach␈α has␈αcon≡rmed␈α my␈α belief␈αthat␈αthe␈αenvironmentalists␈αhave␈αgone␈αfar␈αbeyond␈αwhat␈αis
␈↓ ↓H␈↓reasonable.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        3.␈αIt␈α
would␈αbe␈αquite␈α
di≠cult␈α for␈α me␈α
 to␈α follow␈α
 all␈α the␈αdetails␈α
 of␈α the␈α controversies␈α
 over
␈↓ ↓H␈↓statistical␈αmethods,␈αand␈αI␈αhave␈αbeen␈α
  reduced␈α  to␈α  noticing␈α  that␈α  the␈α  hypotheses␈α
  that␈α  the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓environmentalists␈αadvance␈αseem␈α
ad␈αhoc.␈α It␈αoccurred␈α
to␈αme␈αto␈αconsider␈α
what␈αthe␈αmost␈αextreme␈α
and
␈↓ ↓H␈↓experimentally␈αirrefutable␈αenvironmentalist␈αhypothesis␈α might␈α be,␈α and␈α the␈α best␈α I␈α could␈α come
␈↓ ↓H␈↓up␈α_with␈α→is␈α_the␈α→following:␈α_"The␈α→ mere␈α_ knowledge␈α→ that␈α_ one␈α→ of␈α_ one's␈α→ most␈α_ obvious
␈↓ ↓H␈↓characteristics␈α (i.e.␈α
skin␈αcolor)␈αis␈α
regarded␈αas␈α
associated␈αwith␈αlow␈α
intelligence␈αby␈α
even␈αa␈αfew␈α
people
␈↓ ↓H␈↓is␈α∂ su≠cient␈α⊂ to␈α∂ produce␈α⊂ a␈α∂ 15␈α⊂percent␈α∂reduction␈α⊂ in␈α∂I.Q.".␈α⊂Note␈α∂that␈α⊂this␈α∂hypothesis␈α⊂has␈α∂the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓virtue that it justi≡es the actual suppression of hereditarian views.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        4.␈α
I␈α
agree␈αsubstantially␈α
with␈α
the␈αethical␈α
arguments␈α
 in␈α your␈α
paper,␈α
 but␈α I␈α
 would␈α
 like␈α to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓make␈α
 a␈α
 quibble␈α
 about␈α
 the␈αidea␈α
of␈α
optimizing␈α
one's␈α
self-satisfaction␈αin␈α
the␈α
last␈α
≡ve␈α
minutes␈αof
␈↓ ↓H␈↓one's␈αrational␈α life.␈α It␈α seems␈α that␈α ∨ne␈αshould␈αregard␈αhighly␈αpeople␈αwho␈αbehave␈αin␈αthat␈αway,␈α
but
␈↓ ↓H␈↓it␈αseems␈αdoubtful␈αthat␈α
 one␈α should␈α identify␈αother␈α people's␈α
 welfare␈α with␈αthat␈αcriterion.␈αDoing␈α
so
␈↓ ↓H␈↓αProf. William Shockley␈↓ ¬]January 21, 1976␈↓ 
nPage 2␈↓ 

␈↓ ↓H␈↓might␈αsuggest␈αcoercing␈αother␈αpeople␈αexcessively␈α for␈α their␈α own␈α moral␈α good.␈α One␈αshould␈α have
␈↓ ↓H␈↓a␈α certain␈α respect␈α for␈α what␈α other␈α people␈α actually␈αoptimize.␈αI␈α became␈α sensitive␈α to␈α this␈α issue
␈↓ ↓H␈↓on␈α reading␈α
 Rawls's␈α␈↓↓Theory␈α
 of␈α Justice␈↓␈α
 in␈αwhich␈α
he␈αunjusti≡ably␈α
identi≡es␈αjustice␈α
with␈αmaking
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the␈α∞ worst␈α∞ o≥␈α∞ as␈α
 well␈α∞ o≥␈α∞ as␈α∞ possible,␈α
 but␈α∞ never␈α∞discusses␈α∞the␈α
justice␈α∞of␈α∞coercing␈α∞people␈α
to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓behave justly.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        5.␈α∞ I␈α∞agree␈α∞that␈α∞the␈α∞example␈α∞of␈α∞brain␈α∞stimulation␈α∞trivializes␈α∞some␈α∞concepts␈α∞of␈α
maximizing
␈↓ ↓H␈↓happiness,␈α
 but␈α
 I␈α
 am␈α
 not␈α
 prepared␈α
 to␈α
conclude␈α
 that␈α
no␈α
posi←ive␈α
concept␈α
of␈α
social␈α
welfare␈α
is
␈↓ ↓H␈↓possible.␈α⊂ My␈α⊂inclination␈α⊃is␈α⊂to␈α⊂give␈α⊃people␈α⊂good␈α⊂opportunities␈α⊂to␈α⊃strive␈α⊂ for␈α⊂ what␈α⊃they␈α⊂ want
␈↓ ↓H␈↓without demanding that this meet my criterion of what they ought to want.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        6.␈α⊃Your␈α⊂criterion␈α⊃for␈α⊂limiting␈α⊃the␈α⊂group␈α⊃ to␈α⊂ which␈α⊃ one␈α⊂ has␈α⊃ethical␈α⊃ obligation␈α⊂ seems
␈↓ ↓H␈↓reasonable,␈α∞but␈α∞new␈α
cases␈α∞such␈α∞as␈α
actually␈α∞meeting␈α∞non-hWman␈α
intelligences␈α∞might␈α∞require␈α
new
␈↓ ↓H␈↓thinking.␈α∂ I␈α∞ don't␈α∂think␈α∂it␈α∞is␈α∂reasonable␈α∂to␈α∞try␈α∂for␈α∞a␈α∂universal␈α∂and␈α∞perpetual␈α∂rule.␈α∂The␈α∞Polish
␈↓ ↓H␈↓science␈α∞≡ction␈α∞writer␈α∞ Lem,␈α∞ in␈α∞ ␈↓↓The␈α∞ Cyberiad␈↓,␈α∞ which␈α∞ I␈α∞heartily␈α∞ recommend,␈α∂ has␈α∞ Klapaucius
␈↓ ↓H␈↓berate␈α Trurl␈α for␈α creating␈αa␈αminiature␈α electronic␈α world␈α in␈α whose␈α simulated␈α inhabitants␈α  are
␈↓ ↓H␈↓subjected  to  mistreatment by the human king for whom Trurl made the world as a toy.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        7.␈α∞There␈α∂is␈α∞another␈α∞factor␈α∂that␈α∞ might␈α∞ limit␈α∂ the␈α∞ range␈α∞ of␈α∂moral␈α∞ obligation␈α∂ -␈α∞ namely
␈↓ ↓H␈↓sovereignty.␈α∞  In␈α∞ so␈α∞ far␈α∞ as␈α∞ a␈α∞group␈α∞separates␈α∞itself␈α∞from␈α∞another␈α∞and␈α∞ assumes␈α∞ the␈α∞ separate
␈↓ ↓H␈↓and␈α∞ equal␈α∞station,␈α
 etc.,␈α∞ it␈α∞ takes␈α∞ the␈α
 responsibility␈α∞ for␈α∞its␈α∞own␈α
welfare.␈α∞ Others␈α∞must␈α∞treat␈α
it
␈↓ ↓H␈↓fairly␈α-␈αin␈αa␈αsense␈αthat␈α I␈α cannot␈α now␈α de≡ne␈αprecisely␈α -␈αbut␈αare␈αnot␈αresponsible␈αfor␈αits␈αultimate
␈↓ ↓H␈↓welfare␈αor␈αeven␈αsurvival.␈α At␈αpresent␈αberserk␈αhumanitarian␈αAmericans␈α are␈α trying␈α to␈αassume␈α
 on
␈↓ ↓H␈↓behalf␈αof␈αall␈αof␈αus␈αobligations␈αto␈αthe␈αpopulation␈αof␈αIndia␈αand␈αBangladesh␈αthat␈αthe␈αrest␈αof␈αus␈αwill
␈↓ ↓H␈↓never␈α∂pay␈α∂o≥␈α∂ on.␈α∂ This␈α∂ has␈α∂the␈α⊂ negative␈α∂ e≥ect␈α∂ that␈α∂ politicians␈α∂ in␈α∂ those␈α∂countries␈α⊂≡nd␈α∂it
␈↓ ↓H␈↓easier␈α⊃to␈α⊃demonstrate␈α⊃their␈α⊂activity␈α⊃in␈α⊃demanding␈α⊃more␈α⊂ aid␈α⊃ than␈α⊃ to␈α⊃tackle␈α⊃ their␈α⊂ country's
␈↓ ↓H␈↓problems␈α
 directly.␈α
  In␈α
 this␈α
respect,␈α
the␈α
current␈α
Indian␈α
hostility␈α
to␈α
the␈α
 U.S.␈α
 may␈α
 make␈α them␈α
 do
␈↓ ↓H␈↓more␈α for␈αthemselves␈αthan␈αthey␈αwould␈αif␈α they␈α loved␈α us.␈α An␈α example␈α is␈α the␈αcurrent␈α proposal
␈↓ ↓H␈↓in␈α
 Punjab␈α for␈α
compulsory␈α
sterilization␈αof␈α
people␈α
with␈αmore␈α
than␈α␈↓↓n␈↓␈α
children␈α
where␈α␈↓↓n␈↓␈α
is␈α
not␈αyet
␈↓ ↓H␈↓stated,␈α
 but␈α
 is␈α
either␈α 2␈α
or␈α
3.␈α
 This␈αis␈α
more␈α
drastic␈α
than␈αany␈α
well-meaning␈α
foreigner␈α
would␈αdare
␈↓ ↓H␈↓advocate.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        8.␈α This␈α has␈α some␈α application␈α to␈αthe␈αposition␈αof␈αAmerican␈αblacks.␈α Suppose␈αone␈αof␈αthem
␈↓ ↓H␈↓believes␈α
 your␈α
 arguments.␈α
 He␈α
 has␈α
 two␈α
choices:␈α
 1)␈α
 He␈α
 can␈α
 regard␈α
 himself␈α
as␈α
an␈α
individual
␈↓ ↓H␈↓American␈αwith␈αabilities␈αin␈αthe␈α
general␈αrange␈αand␈αregard␈αthe␈αfact␈α
that␈αhe␈αis␈αa␈αblack␈αas␈α
 no␈α more
␈↓ ↓H␈↓signi≡cant␈α
 than␈α
 the␈α
 fact␈α∞ that␈α
 he␈α
is␈α
a␈α∞graduate␈α
of␈α
Stanford.␈α
 2)␈α∞He␈α
can␈α
regard␈α
himself␈α∞ as␈α
 a
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Black␈α∞ and␈α∂ obligated␈α∞ to␈α∂advance␈α∞ the␈α∞ welfare␈α∂ of␈α∞ that␈α∂ group.␈α∞  To␈α∞the␈α∂extent␈α∞that␈α∂he␈α∞takes
␈↓ ↓H␈↓dysgenics seriously, he might try to get Blacks to go for  a  program of genetic self improvement.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        Which␈α∀ he␈α∀ would␈α∪ choose␈α∀ depends␈α∀ on␈α∪ the␈α∀extent␈α∀to␈α∪which␈α∀he␈α∀regards␈α∀himself␈α∪as
␈↓ ↓H␈↓␈↓↓primarily␈↓␈αbelonging␈αto␈αone␈αgroup␈αor␈αthe␈αother.␈α On␈α the␈α one␈α hand,␈α the␈α red-haired␈αare␈αunlikely
␈↓ ↓H␈↓to␈α⊃form␈α⊂a␈α⊃group␈α⊂and␈α⊃strive␈α⊂for␈α⊃self-improvement.␈α⊂On␈α⊃the␈α⊂other␈α⊃hand,␈α⊂if␈α⊃humanity␈α⊃ were␈α⊂ to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓enunter␈α∂ another␈α∞ race␈α∂ with␈α∂ a␈α∞ mean␈α∂ I.Q.␈α∂ of␈α∞ 150␈α∂and␈α∂incapable␈α∞or␈α∂unwilling␈α∂to␈α∞ interbreed
␈↓ ↓H␈↓with␈α us,␈α we␈α
 would␈α almost␈α certainly␈α be␈α
motivated␈α to␈α positive␈α eugenics.␈α
  If␈αthe␈αI.Q.␈αwere␈α
400,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓if that be meaningful, our reaction is far from obvious.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        9.␈α
Finally,␈α
I␈α
regard␈α
the␈α
lack␈α
of␈α∞ reproduction␈α
 by␈α
 the␈α
 very␈α
intelligent␈α
 as␈α
 a␈α∞ much␈α
 more
␈↓ ↓H␈↓serious␈α problem␈α than␈α the␈αexcess␈αof␈αreproduction␈αby␈αthe␈αstupid.␈α It␈αseems␈αto␈αme␈αthat␈αthere␈αis␈αan
␈↓ ↓H␈↓absolute␈α
shortage␈α
 of␈α intelligent␈α
 people.␈α
 Too␈α few␈α
of␈α
the␈αimportant␈α
jobs␈α
in␈αbusiness,␈α
government,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓and the academic world are occupied  by  people competent to do them adequately.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓αProf. William Shockley␈↓ ¬]January 21, 1976␈↓ 
nPage 3␈↓ 


␈↓ ↓H␈↓        Therefore,␈α∩I␈α∩would␈α⊃recommend␈α∩propaganda␈α∩for␈α∩people␈α⊃who␈α∩regard␈α∩themselves␈α∩as␈α⊃very
␈↓ ↓H␈↓intelligent␈α
to␈α
have␈α
as␈α
many␈α
children␈α
as␈α
 possible.␈α
 Just␈α
 this␈α
propaganda␈α
will␈α
be␈α
important,␈α
because
␈↓ ↓H␈↓too␈α
many␈α
intelligent␈αpeople␈α
believe␈α
that␈α
it␈αis␈α
virtuous␈α
not␈αto␈α
have␈α
children.␈α
 It␈αis␈α
not␈α
a␈αquestion␈α
 of
␈↓ ↓H␈↓outbreeding␈α the␈α stupid,␈αbut␈αjust␈αthat␈αtheir␈αshould␈αbe␈αenough␈αsmart␈αpeople␈αto␈αman␈α the␈α jobs.␈α I
␈↓ ↓H␈↓would␈α
 also␈α
 welcome␈α
 your␈α
support␈α
 of␈α
my␈α
earlier␈α
proposal␈α
to␈α
subsidize␈α
women␈α
of␈αhigh␈α
attainment
␈↓ ↓H␈↓to␈α⊃have␈α⊃children.␈α⊃Let␈α⊃me␈α⊃point␈α⊃out␈α∩that␈α⊃something␈α⊃of␈α⊃ interest␈α⊃ could␈α⊃be␈α⊃accomplished␈α∩by␈α⊃a
␈↓ ↓H␈↓foundation of rather small resources.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        10.␈α I␈α shall␈αconclude␈αwith␈αa␈αquestion.␈α I␈αget␈αthe␈αimpression␈αthat␈αaverage␈αI.Q.␈αhas␈αappeared
␈↓ ↓H␈↓not␈α∩to␈α∩ decrease␈α⊃ as␈α∩ rapidly␈α∩ as␈α⊃ the␈α∩hereditarian␈α∩view␈α⊃would␈α∩predict␈α∩given␈α∩the␈α⊃correlations
␈↓ ↓H␈↓between␈α
social␈α∞class␈α
and␈α∞intelligence␈α
and␈α
the␈α∞correlations␈α
between␈α∞social␈α
class␈α∞ and␈α
reproduction.
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Might␈α∂ not␈α⊂ one␈α∂ explanation␈α∂ be␈α⊂that␈α∂within␈α∂the␈α⊂lower␈α∂class,␈α∂having␈α⊂a␈α∂very␈α∂ large␈α⊂ family␈α∂ is
␈↓ ↓H␈↓positively␈α
 correlated␈α
 with␈αability,␈α
 because␈α
 it␈α
 is␈α di≠cult␈α
 to␈α
bring␈α
up␈αa␈α
large␈α
family?␈α Of␈α
course,
␈↓ ↓H␈↓the e≥ect would disappear if humanitarianism  made  it  very easy to bring up a large family.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        I␈α∩ have␈α∩written␈α∩this␈α∩detailed␈α∩response␈α∩to␈α⊃your␈α∩ideas,␈α∩because␈α∩I␈α∩felt␈α∩some␈α∩obligation␈α⊃to
␈↓ ↓H␈↓encourage␈αyou␈αin␈αwhat␈αmust␈αbe␈α
an␈α extremely␈αlonely␈α struggle␈α to␈α force␈α the␈α
scienti≡c␈αcommunity
␈↓ ↓H␈↓to␈αbehave␈α
in␈αan␈α
intellectually␈αhonest␈α
way.␈αIncidentally,␈α
environmentalism␈αis␈α
not␈α the␈α
only␈α form␈α
 of
␈↓ ↓H␈↓scienti≡c␈α Lysenkoism␈α
 now␈αprevalent.␈α
 Less␈αvirulent␈α
perhaps,␈αbut␈α
still␈αdangerous␈α
is␈αthe␈α
idea␈αthat
␈↓ ↓H␈↓any␈α∩form␈α⊃of␈α∩energy␈α⊃that␈α∩appeals␈α⊃ to␈α∩ us␈α⊃ esthetically␈α∩ can␈α⊃ be␈α∩made␈α⊃practical␈α∩by␈α∩a␈α⊃su≠cient
␈↓ ↓H␈↓injection␈αof␈αmoney.␈α It␈αis␈αLysenkoism␈αin␈αthe␈αsense␈αof␈αa␈α belief␈α that␈αpolitics␈α  can␈α  determine␈α the
␈↓ ↓H␈↓facts␈α∞ of␈α∞ science␈α∂ and␈α∞ technology.␈α∞ Incidentally␈α∂again,␈α∞I␈α∞found␈α∂Kusch's␈α∞attempt␈α∞to␈α∂curry␈α∞ favor
␈↓ ↓H␈↓with  the humanists  by separating science (good) from technology (evil) rather depressing.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        I␈αwould␈α
not␈αlike␈αthis␈α
letter␈αreprinted,␈αbecause␈α
I␈αwould␈α want␈α
to␈α strengthen␈α its␈α
 formulations
␈↓ ↓H␈↓before␈α braving␈αthe␈α
criticism␈αthat␈αmight␈αcome.␈α
 However,␈αyou␈αmay␈α
show␈αit␈αto␈αpeople␈α
if␈αit␈αis␈αof␈α
any
␈↓ ↓H␈↓use,␈α
and␈α I␈α
 plan␈α
eventually␈αto␈α
publish␈αsomething␈α
containing␈α
its␈αcontent␈α
-␈α
perhaps␈α in␈α
 my␈αbook␈α
on
␈↓ ↓H␈↓technology and the quality of life. I am also open to other suggestions.

␈↓ ↓H␈↓        What␈αis␈αyour␈αpresent␈αsituation␈αwith␈αregard␈αto␈αhaving␈αa␈α forum␈αfor␈αyour␈αideas␈αat␈αStanford?
␈↓ ↓H␈↓In␈αmy␈αopinion,␈αthe␈αgraduate␈αspecial␈αthat␈αMoses␈αdenied␈αwas␈αthe␈αcorrect␈αforum,␈αand␈αat␈αthe␈α time␈α I
␈↓ ↓H␈↓cancelled␈α a␈α
class␈α in␈α
protest␈αat␈α
his␈αdecision.␈α
 I␈αam␈α
willing␈αto␈α
stick␈αmy␈α
neck␈αout␈α
some␈αto␈α
help␈αyou␈α
in
␈↓ ↓H␈↓this if you want it.


␈↓ ↓H␈↓Best regards,



␈↓ ↓H␈↓John McCarthy
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Director
␈↓ ↓H␈↓Professor of Computer Science