Posted by: wfaulk
Down Syndrome (non-troll) - 26/04/2007 14:29
Regardless of the baggage associated with the post, that video about Down Syndrome got me thinking. It was kind of an uplifiting video until it got to the kid who wanted to be a doctor. And then I really considered the fact that that kid will never be able to be a doctor.
I'll admit to not knowing very much about Down Syndrome. But the literature seems to say that they are mentally retarded to a significant degree. And I know I wouldn't want a doctor who was simply an idiot without having a genetic predisposition to it. So why would I want a doctor who had the same level of intelligence, just because he had an "excuse". And even that assumes that a person with lower intelligence could make it through medical school to begin with.
Of course, none of this means that they shouldn't strive to achieve what they can. But, unfortunately, I doubt most of them will be able to achieve those lofty intellectual goals. I'm sure that some will be able to, and we should certainly not assume that just because a person has Down Syndrome that they must be of lower intelligence. After all, if Down Syndrome lowers intelligence by a percentage, there is certainly a large variation in intelligence in the non-Down population, so there's no reason that a "genius" Down sufferer couldn't be far more intelligent than a moderately intelligent non-Down person.
I suppose what it comes down to is that, just as with almost every other human factor, it may indicate a predisposition, but it does not define an individual. Or, at least, it shouldn't.
All that said, though, I do worry about over-egalitarians putting false hope in people. And since Down sufferers tend toward naivete, I'm inclined to say that it's a little worse in that specific case. You don't want to beat down on a person, though, and tell them what they can't do.
Anyone else have any thoughts on it?
I'll admit to not knowing very much about Down Syndrome. But the literature seems to say that they are mentally retarded to a significant degree. And I know I wouldn't want a doctor who was simply an idiot without having a genetic predisposition to it. So why would I want a doctor who had the same level of intelligence, just because he had an "excuse". And even that assumes that a person with lower intelligence could make it through medical school to begin with.
Of course, none of this means that they shouldn't strive to achieve what they can. But, unfortunately, I doubt most of them will be able to achieve those lofty intellectual goals. I'm sure that some will be able to, and we should certainly not assume that just because a person has Down Syndrome that they must be of lower intelligence. After all, if Down Syndrome lowers intelligence by a percentage, there is certainly a large variation in intelligence in the non-Down population, so there's no reason that a "genius" Down sufferer couldn't be far more intelligent than a moderately intelligent non-Down person.
I suppose what it comes down to is that, just as with almost every other human factor, it may indicate a predisposition, but it does not define an individual. Or, at least, it shouldn't.
All that said, though, I do worry about over-egalitarians putting false hope in people. And since Down sufferers tend toward naivete, I'm inclined to say that it's a little worse in that specific case. You don't want to beat down on a person, though, and tell them what they can't do.
Anyone else have any thoughts on it?
