Sep 24, 2011 - ST Forum
DR LEE Siew Peng's sentiments on choice of marriage partner
("Mum's the word on smarter children"; Wednesday) made for
excellent food for thought.
It is not that men feel inferior linked in matrimony to a more
successful or more intelligent spouse. Rather, such women are
rarely attracted to men they regard as mere mortals.
While it is generally true that intelligence can be perpetuated
through offspring, the supremely intelligent and the geniuses
hardly ever produce children whose ability exceeds theirs.
Reversion to the mean is far more common.
Often enough, children born with lesser genes catch up given the
proper stimulation and challenges. Prodigies are born with their
neuronal connections in place. These connections also develop in
normal people, albeit later.
Where the child turns out excellent, we pat ourselves on the
back thinking that his success was because of us, when in fact, it
is in spite of us. Where children fail, there is always society to
blame.
To contemplate eugenics is to go down a long and slippery slope.
Just ask the Nazis.
Dr Yik Keng Yeong
