Sir, - I must comment on the letter from Aiden Lloyd (November 4th) about my Science Today column of October 26th. Mr. Lloyd disagrees with my analysis of an important component in helping disadvantaged groups in our society. I have no problem with that, but what I will not accept are Mr Lloyd's surmises as to "the undertones of the article".
Mr Lloyd accuses me of implying that the real reason people experience disadvantage is because they have a cultural or biological deficit. He goes on to line me up with those who believe in eugenics and social Darwinism. And he denies that psychology has anything useful to offer when it comes to analysing the position of the disadvantaged - indeed he largely dismisses psychology as a science.
I certainly do not believe in eugenics or in the biological inferiority of people who are disadvantaged. Mr Lloyd is obviously not in the habit of reading my column as I have written in the past on eugenics and on biological versus environmental determinism. Concepts of eugenics and biological inferiority are scientifically discredited and morally abhorrent.
No fair-minded person will find concrete evidence in my article of October 26th that I hold the beliefs attributed to me by Mr Lloyd. Far from believing that disadvantaged people are culturally or biologically inferior to better-off people, I clearly asserted the equality of all in my article.
The point of my article was simply that self-responsibility, which motivates people to take control of their lives, is essential to psychological well-being. Assuming this self-responsibility is an essential early step a disadvantaged person must take in order to make further progress. This accords with well established psychological principles. And, as I said in my article, the caring agencies and other advantaged groups should work in partnership with disadvantaged groups in order to foster this sense of self-responsibility.
Mr Lloyd doesn't like this analysis. So be it. But I must reject his misinterpretation of my article. - Yours, etc., William J. Reville,
University College, Cork.