Sowell thinks genetics and discrimination are not drivers of social outcomes. What does he think determines social outcomes? Pg 17

What are the prerequisites for success?

• I need answer to these two question i am unable to find the.. REFERENCE CHAPTER ONE "DISCRIMINATION AND DISPARITY" by Thomas Sowell"

Please i need the answer to these and should be according to the book mentioned.

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• Secondly,

And are the answers to the question below according to the book "DISCRIMINATION AND DISPARITY" by Thomas Sowell"

Please read all and then tell....

1. What are the two common explanations for success of individuals and nations?

The two common explanations for the success of individuals and nations are:

• The belief that those who are successful are genetically more capable.
• The belief that those who are successful have been more fortunate and/or have had more opportunities than those who are less successful.

There are also are other possible explanations for disparities in outcomes. But these are the ones most agreed upon. Also, the success in different endeavors may depend on specific prerequisites, and a small difference in meeting those prerequisites can result in a large difference in the outcomes. Therefore, it is not necessarily the case that success is solely dependent on innate capabilities or luck.

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2. Describe the distribution of success.

In his book "Discrimination and Disparities," Thomas Sowell discusses the distribution of success and argues that it is not always evenly distributed among individuals or groups in a given society or system. He suggests that success is influenced by a variety of factors, including individual abilities, choices, and efforts, as well as social and economic conditions. Sowell emphasizes that success is not solely determined by discrimination or social injustice, but rather by a complex interplay of factors, such as cultural values, geography, and historical events. He argues that different groups may have varying levels of success due to differences in human capital, such as education, skills, and work experience, as well as access to resources and opportunities. According to Sowell, the distribution of success can be represented by a bell curve, where the majority of individuals fall within the middle range of success, while a small number of individuals achieve very high levels of success, and a smaller number achieve very low levels of success. He notes that this distribution can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as genetics, family background, and personal choices, as well as external factors like economic and political conditions. Overall, Sowell's perspective on the distribution of success emphasizes the complex and multifaceted nature of success and suggests that simplistic solutions that focus solely on eliminating discrimination or promoting equal outcomes may not be effective in achieving greater success for all individuals and groups.

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3. What is the problem with flawed perceptions of the probabilities of success?

The problem with flawed perceptions of the probabilities of success is that they can lead to ideological movements, political crusades, and judicial decisions that are not based on the reality of the world. The passage notes that patterns of very skewed distributions of success are common in the real world, which contradicts some fundamental assumptions on both the political left and right. People on opposite sides of many issues may assume a background level of probabilities that is not realistic the passage further goes on to inform us that flawed perceptions of probabilities and the failure of the real world to match expectations derived from that flawed perception can drive political and legal decisions, up to and including decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States. For example, "disparate impact" statistics, which show different outcomes for different groups, have been enough for presumption of discrimination. This suggests that relying solely on statistical evidence without considering other factors can be problematic and may lead to decisions that do not accurately reflect the reality of the situation.

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4. What is the advantage of being first-born?

The advantage of being a first-born is that they have been seen to have a higher IQs and educational attainment as compared to their younger siblings. This has been found through studies which have shown that first-born children were more likely to be Scholarship finalists, have higher average IQs, and would go on to higher education more often than their siblings. Moreover, this advantage seemed to carry over into their later life for example (first-borns are overrepresented among medical school applicants and successful applicants). These advantages of being a first-born are evident across different countries and cultures.

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5. Does backwards in an era mean backwardness forever?

No backwardness in a given era does not mean that there will be backwardness forever, the evidence is given in the book by the fact that Northern and Western Europe eventually moved ahead of Southern Europe in terms both economy and technology. But we are also told that great economic and social disparities have existed among peoples and nations at given times and places.

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6.What are the two dogma's that Sowell attacks?

The two dogmas that Thomas Sowell attacks are one the belief in the inferiority of certain races and the second being belief that the poverty of the exploited is solely the result of exploitation by the capitalist "exploiters". These beliefs were treated as dogmas, beyond the reach of evidence or logic, and led to catastrophic consequences in the 20th century, with millions of people being slaughtered by their own governments in the name of these dogmas. Sowell argues that these beliefs were not testable hypotheses, but rather foundation assumptions on which elaborate intellectual superstructures were built. The author uses the example of Marx's Capital, where "exploitation" was treated as a foundation assumption rather than a testable hypothesis, and the attempts to get rid of capitalist "exploiters" in Communist countries did not raise the living standards of workers as expected. We can in other words also say that Sowell attacks the dogmas of Nazism and Communism, which led to the slaughter of millions of human beings by their own governments in the name of ridding the world of the burden of "inferior" races or ridding the world of "exploiters" responsible for the poverty of the exploited. He also criticizes the foundation assumption of "exploitation" in Marxist economic theory, which was not treated as a testable hypothesis but rather as a sacred dogma.

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