What advance diversity means for science and technology?

Answer 1

If by "Advance Diversity", you are referring to the practice of placing people into situations based on some other criteria that is demonstrably inapplicable ("race" -- hint: there's only one race -- human; gender, sexual preference, social strata, financial capability, handedness, hair color, political preference, religion, etc.) regardless of their actual capabilities, education, or interests, then the answer is a resounding "Nothing". Zip, zilch, nada.

In fact, such a foolish practice *never* helps any aspect of any craft, science, or profession (teaching, firefighting, Supreme Court judge, etc.).

There is only *one* aspect of a person that improves a situation: Capability (experience, education, skill, talent, willingness to expend effort, etc.).

Nothing else matters, nor ever has.

If you find this answer offensive, consider the reasons why you might think so. Substitute the "diversity" category that is your particular hobby horse with another, say, whether the applicant has neatly trimmed toenails. Does it seem reasonable that an applicant that belongs to the category of neatly trimmed toenails (which, as we all know, was a cause for prejudice and hatred for centuries) is somehow more qualified to be, say, a firefighter when they failed the qualifying test? They *failed* the test of the actual requirements to do a specific, definable job, but should suddenly be placed in that job in preference to someone who could actually *do* the job?

Absurd, isn't it? Incompetence or inability is, well, incompetence, or inability. Unless it's ignorance, stupidity, or foolishness. Is that someone you'd hire? Pay money to do a job you wanted done correctly? Would you have someone in that situation do advanced surgery on you? Really? *Really*?

In addition, if you think that you might have an example that would reasonably show that increasing "diversity" in a situation improves the capabilities of a situation, please feel free to post it.

Thanks!