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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!amdcad!cae780!weitek!fear!robert
From: robert@fear.UUCP (Robert Plamondon)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.singles
Subject: Re: career vs. relationships
Message-ID: <341@fear.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Feb-86 13:29:57 EST
Article-I.D.: fear.341
Posted: Fri Feb 21 13:29:57 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Feb-86 20:59:36 EST
References: <11785@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <660@rti-sel.UUCP> <529@mmm.UUCP>
Organization: Weitek Corp. Sunnyvale Ca.
Lines: 41
Xref: linus net.women:8841 net.singles:9375
Summary: Safe Bet

In article <529@mmm.UUCP>, mrgofor@mmm.UUCP (MKR) writes:
> 
> 	Thought experiment for the day: There are two people standing
> before you, one is female, the other is male. They are both about the same
> age. The only thing you know about these people is that they were randomly
> chosen from the University population at large, and that one is gung-ho
> about mathematics, and one is not. I offer to give you $1,000,000 if you
> can correctly guess which one is the gung-ho mathematician.
> 
> 	Which do you choose? If you choose the male, are you being sexist?
> 
> 					--MKR

You choose the male, of course: "The contest goes not always to the
strong, nor the race to the swift -- but that's the way to bet."

If you don't know anything about the individual, you're reduce to
either making guesses on the basis of percentages, the basis of
prejudice, or refusing to guess.  In the example above, if you don't
bet, you can't win.  If you guess on the basis of percentages
("scientific prejudice," if you will), you have the highest chance of
being right.  If you guess on the basis of prejudice (for example,
"I'm a feminist, so I'll choose the woman"), the odds are (in
general) less favorable.

In any event, though, "sexism" is too harsh a term to use in this
example.  Sexism is when you stick to your prejudices IN SPITE OF
evidence, not when you make stereotypical guesses when you can't get
any hard information.

-- 

	Robert Plamondon
	UUCP: {turtlevax, cae780}!weitek!robert
	FidoNet: 143/12 robert plamondon

	"The contest goes not always to the strong, nor the race
	 to the swift -- but that's the way to bet."

	Disclaimer: It wasn't me! The check is in the mail! They made me do
	it! It was an accident!