David Stove - Stove's Views On Race and Gender

Stove's Views On Race and Gender

Stove made controversial arguments in some of his works, most notably in "The Intellectual Capacity of Women" and "Racial and Other Antagonisms" (both of which appear in Cricket versus Republicanism and Against the Idols of the Age). In the former he argued that women are "on the whole" intellectually inferior to men, while in "Racial and Other Antagonisms" Stove asserted that racism is not a form of prejudice but common sense:

"Almost everyone unites in declaring 'racism' false and detestable. Yet absolutely everyone knows it is true".

He argued that, while these differences were likely caused by cultural rather than genetic factors, where statistical associations existed it was rational to make decisions based on them. His views led to his being threatened with disciplinary action by Sydney University.

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