# Why ARE so many high-level scientists Jewish? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 25, 2004, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973 "2004-09-25T00:18:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![objectivity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ccd318/32.png) [@objectivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/objectivity)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/261 "2012-03-03T18:00:12Z")
Anyway, those who end up in the top positions in math, science and engineering competitions are probably not uncreative. That’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![objectivity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ccd318/32.png) [@objectivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/objectivity)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/262 "2012-03-03T18:17:03Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Unless they don’t look smart. Then any accomplishment is because they work hard. :rolleyes: Some autists who don’t look particularly bright have very high intellectual potential, because of some autistic abilities. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OR36jrx_L44/maxresdefault.jpg "Jake: Math prodigy proud of his autism") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR36jrx_L44) ---
**Author:** ![objectivity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ccd318/32.png) [@objectivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/objectivity)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/263 "2012-03-03T18:18:04Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xKWm-zPHnrw/maxresdefault.jpg "Math Prodigy Terence Tao, UCLA") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKWm-zPHnrw) Another person who don’t look intelligent, who seems to have an unlimited potential. ---
**Author:** ![objectivity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ccd318/32.png) [@objectivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/objectivity)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/264 "2012-03-03T18:26:15Z")
> [@objectivity](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKWm-zPHnrw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKWm-zPHnrw) > > Another person who don’t look intelligent, who seems to have an unlimited potential. His white colleague looks a lot more intelligent, yet he’s nothing compared to him. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/265 "2012-03-03T18:38:49Z")
Are we finally at the explicit phrenology portion of the debate? Because that would be good. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/266 "2012-03-03T19:00:24Z")
We seem to agree that Asian educational systems traditionally emphasize rote learning and to discourage questioning and arguing with what is established and that such is in a state of flux. That as those values become integrated into their intellectual traditions (rather than new things) they will, by virtue of numbers if nothing else, dominate the future of great accomplishments. (Assuming widely available opportunity and exposure as well.) We also seem to agree that achieving the great creative new ideas requires both some minimal level of whatever gets labeled as “intelligence”, and having “a very adventurous and intrepid mind” (if one does not count those features as an important part of intelligence). And exposure/opportunity. The brain that could potentially best Einstein or Newton may be being wasted right now somewhere in rural China for lack of being planted in fertile soil. Which brings us back to the op: Would you agree that a culture that prizes curiosity, creativity, asking good questions more than having good answers, the ability to convincingly argue a point, and intellectual achievement, will, given the _same_ number of individuals born with brains that have the potential to reach the great heights of creative intellectual accomplishments, produce more of them? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/267 "2012-03-03T19:16:15Z")
> [@objectivity](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKWm-zPHnrw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKWm-zPHnrw) > > Another person who don’t look intelligent, who seems to have an unlimited potential. How does he not look intelligent? Guy’s wearing glasses and everything. 🙂 But seriously, I don’t know what you mean by him not looking intelligent. I don’t think any of the three people in that video look stupid. ---
**Author:** ![objectivity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ccd318/32.png) [@objectivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/objectivity)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/268 "2012-03-03T19:28:55Z")
Someone with a humongous fivehead would be someone who look intelligent. ---
**Author:** ![objectivity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ccd318/32.png) [@objectivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/objectivity)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/269 "2012-03-03T19:43:27Z")
[![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bN69FFoe9HQ/TgmkDVRo-mI/AAAAAAAAd5c/zqgnDoj9ers/s1600/278607ABRO.jpg) ](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bN69FFoe9HQ/TgmkDVRo-mI/AAAAAAAAd5c/zqgnDoj9ers/s1600/278607ABRO.jpg) > **[US](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/)** > > From the US election and Biden's presidency, to gun control and abortion rights; stay up-to-date with the latest lines and comment with The Telegraph. don’t you see the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/270 "2012-03-03T19:57:54Z")
> [@objectivity](#): > > Someone with a humongous fivehead would be someone who look intelligent. So then you think this guy looks like a genius? [http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Barry+Bonds&start=80&hl=en&gbv=2&addh=36&tbm=isch&tbnid=5KYjo7oF066vrM:&imgrefurl=http://www.soraspy.com/2011/03/21/barry-bonds-starts-trial-today/&docid=qp2eQgeplR-naM&imgurl=http://www.soraspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Barry-Bonds-2008a\_1365455.jpg&w=800&h=600&ei=WndST\_zTLcbs0gGEl\_3wDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=129&vpy=133&dur=308&hovh=140&hovw=181&tx=87&ty=99&sig=114170450824947533661&page=4&tbnh=140&tbnw=181&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:80&biw=1280&bih=607](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Barry+Bonds&start=80&hl=en&gbv=2&addh=36&tbm=isch&tbnid=5KYjo7oF066vrM:&imgrefurl=http://www.soraspy.com/2011/03/21/barry-bonds-starts-trial-today/&docid=qp2eQgeplR-naM&imgurl=http://www.soraspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Barry-Bonds-2008a_1365455.jpg&w=800&h=600&ei=WndST_zTLcbs0gGEl_3wDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=129&vpy=133&dur=308&hovh=140&hovw=181&tx=87&ty=99&sig=114170450824947533661&page=4&tbnh=140&tbnw=181&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:80&biw=1280&bih=607) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/271 "2012-03-03T19:58:52Z")
> [@objectivity](#): > > Someone with a humongous fivehead would be someone who look intelligent. Shoehorn butterhorse. ---
**Author:** ![objectivity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ccd318/32.png) [@objectivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/objectivity)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/272 "2012-03-03T20:01:43Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > So then you think this guy looks like a genius? > > [http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Barry+Bonds&start=80&hl=en&gbv=2&addh=36&tbm=isch&tbnid=5KYjo7oF066vrM:&imgrefurl=http://www.soraspy.com/2011/03/21/barry-bonds-starts-trial-today/&docid=qp2eQgeplR-naM&imgurl=http://www.soraspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Barry-Bonds-2008a\_1365455.jpg&w=800&h=600&ei=WndST\_zTLcbs0gGEl\_3wDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=129&vpy=133&dur=308&hovh=140&hovw=181&tx=87&ty=99&sig=114170450824947533661&page=4&tbnh=140&tbnw=181&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:80&biw=1280&bih=607](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Barry+Bonds&start=80&hl=en&gbv=2&addh=36&tbm=isch&tbnid=5KYjo7oF066vrM:&imgrefurl=http://www.soraspy.com/2011/03/21/barry-bonds-starts-trial-today/&docid=qp2eQgeplR-naM&imgurl=http://www.soraspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Barry-Bonds-2008a_1365455.jpg&w=800&h=600&ei=WndST_zTLcbs0gGEl_3wDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=129&vpy=133&dur=308&hovh=140&hovw=181&tx=87&ty=99&sig=114170450824947533661&page=4&tbnh=140&tbnw=181&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:80&biw=1280&bih=607) He doesn’t look intelligent at all. He looks like a football player or something. [![](https://woyingi.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/489px-jean_ping_080202-f-1644l-081_0ywdf.jpg?w=720) ](https://woyingi.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/489px-jean_ping_080202-f-1644l-081_0ywdf.jpg?w=720) This guy, however, seems to be above average. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/273 "2012-03-03T20:04:40Z")
> [@objectivity](#): > > [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bN69FFoe9HQ/TgmkDVRo-mI/AAAAAAAAd5c/zqgnDoj9ers/s1600/278607ABRO.jpg](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bN69FFoe9HQ/TgmkDVRo-mI/AAAAAAAAd5c/zqgnDoj9ers/s1600/278607ABRO.jpg) > > [http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01385/imf\_1385703c.jpg](http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01385/imf_1385703c.jpg) > > don’t you see the difference? You mean the fact that the person in the second paragraph is an adult while the two in the first picture are children or were you referring to something else? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/274 "2012-03-03T20:06:46Z")
> [@objectivity](#): > > He doesn’t look intelligent at all. He looks like a football player or something. Why not? He has a huge head. ---
**Author:** ![objectivity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ccd318/32.png) [@objectivity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/objectivity)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/275 "2012-03-03T20:11:12Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > You mean the fact that the person in the second paragraph is an adult while the two in the first picture are children or were you referring to something else? I don’t know if you’re joking or just blind. It seems the liberal propaganda machine has been very effective. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/276 "2012-03-03T20:11:17Z")
> [@objectivity](#): > > [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bN69FFoe9HQ/TgmkDVRo-mI/AAAAAAAAd5c/zqgnDoj9ers/s1600/278607ABRO.jpg](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bN69FFoe9HQ/TgmkDVRo-mI/AAAAAAAAd5c/zqgnDoj9ers/s1600/278607ABRO.jpg) > > [http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01385/imf\_1385703c.jpg](http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01385/imf_1385703c.jpg) > > don’t you see the difference? Oooooh! Oooooh! Mista Kotta!! I know the answer!!! It’s because the first picture has brown kids and the second has an old white guy, right? And brown people just “look stupid,” right? Yays! How much of the internet do I win? (In the “learn how to use Google, ya mook” category, low-caste Indian Hindus are not a [distinct genetic group](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_system_in_India#Genetic_analysis). Even though they just “look different” to people who are awfully hung up on appearances and skin color.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973/277 "2012-03-03T20:16:41Z")
No, this is much too silly. There was a discussion topic in here for a while, but this any semblance of debate has run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an ex-thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-high-level-scientists-jewish/265973.md?page=13)