Advertisement

Evolutionary Psychological Science

, Volume 5, Issue 1, pp 136–142 | Cite as

Jewish Group Evolutionary Strategy Is the Most Plausible Hypothesis: a Response to Nathan Cofnas’ Critical Analysis of Kevin MacDonald’s Theory of Jewish Involvement in Twentieth Century Ideological Movements

  • Edward DuttonEmail author
Theoretical Article
First Online:

Abstract

Kevin MacDonald (1998) has argued that a series of twentieth century ideologies which have challenged European traditions should be understood as part of a Jewish evolutionary strategy to promote Jewish interests in the West, as evidenced by Jewish leadership of and disproportionate involvement in these movements. Cofnas Human Nature 29, 134–156 (Cofnas 2018a) has critiqued this model and countered that the evidence can be more parsimoniously explained by the high average intelligence and urban location of Jews in Western countries. This, he avers, should be the ‘default hypothesis.’ In this response, I argue that it is MacDonald’s model that is the more plausible hypothesis due to evidence that people tend to act in their ethnic group interest and that group selectedness among Jews is particularly strong, meaning that they are particularly likely to do so.

Keywords

MacDonald Cofnas Jewish Evolution Multi-level selection 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the useful feedback given to me by Mr. Nathan Cofnas on earlier drafts of this article.

References

  1. Bäckström, M., Björklund, F., & Larsson, M. (2009). Five-factor inventories have a major general factor related to social desirability which can be reduced by framing items neutrally. Journal of Research in Personality, 43, 335–344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. Caiani, M. (2017). Nationalism, populism and the rebirth of statehood in Europe. In A. Grimmel (Ed.), The crisis of the European Union: Challenges, analyses, solutions. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
  3. Charlton, B. (2009). Clever sillies: Why high IQ people tend to be deficient in common sense. Medical Hypotheses, 73, 867–870.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  4. Cochran, G., Hardy, J., & Harpending, H. (2006). Natural history of Ashenazi intelligence. Journal of Biosocial Science, 38, 659–693.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. Cofnas, N. (2018a). Judaism as a group evolutionary strategy: A critical analysis of Kevin MacDonald’s theory. Human Nature, 29, 134–156.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-018-9310-x.CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  6. Cofnas, N. (2018b). Kevin MacDonald’s response with my comments. Preprints, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323918530_Kevin_MacDonald%27s_Response_with_Comments_by_Nathan_Cofnas
  7. Cofnas, N. (2018c). Analyzing Kevin MacDonald’s ‘culture of critique’ and the alt-right's embrace of anti-Jewish ideology. Genetic literacy project, https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/04/16/analyzing-kevin-macdonalds-culture-of-critique-and-the-alt-rights-embrace-of-anti-jewish-ideology/
  8. Cofnas, N. (2018d). Viewpoint: Kevin MacDonald won't accept evidence supporting alternative theories about Jewish influence. Genetic Literacy Project, https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/05/02/viewpoint-kevin-macdonald-wont-accept-evidence-supporting-alternative-theories-about-jewish-influence/
  9. Dunkel, C., & Dutton, E. (2016). Religiosity as a predictor of ingroup favoritism within and between religious groups. Personality and Individual Differences, 98, 311–314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Dunkel, C., Reeve, C., Woodley of Menie, M. A., & van der Linden, D. (2015). A comparative study of the general factor of personality in Jewish and non-Jewish Populations. Personality and Individual Differences, 78, 63–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Dutton, E. & Woodley of Menie, M.A. (2018). At Our Wits’ End: Why We’re Becoming Less Intelligent and What it Means for the Future. Exeter: Imprint Academic (in press).Google Scholar
  12. Dutton, E., Madison, G., & Dunkel, C. (2017). The mutant says in his heart, “there is no god”: The rejection of collective religiosity Centred around the worship of moral gods is associated with high mutational load. Evolutionary Psychological Science.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-017-0133-5.
  13. Dutton, E., & Madison, G. (2017). Execution, violent punishment and selection for religiousness in medieval England. Evolutionary Psychological Science, 4, 83–89.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-017-0115-7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Dutton, E., & Van der Linden, D. (2017). Why is intelligence negatively associated with religiousness? Evolutionary Psychological Science, 3, 392–403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. Dutton, E., Madison, G., & Lynn, R. (2016). Demographic, economic, and genetic factors related to national differences in ethnocentric attitudes. Personality and Individual Differences, 101, 137–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Dutton, E., & Charlton, B. (2015). The genius famine: Why we need geniuses, why they’re dying out and why we must rescue them. Buckingham: University of Buckingham Press.Google Scholar
  17. Dutton, E., & Van der Linden, D. (2015). Who are the ‘clever sillies’? The intelligence, personality, and motives of clever silly originators and those who follow them. Intelligence, 49, 57–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Enstad, J. (2017). Antisemitic Violence in Europe, 2005-2015 Exposure and Perpetrators in France, UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Russia. University of Oslo: Center for Studies of the Holocaust and Religious Minorities and Center for Research on Extremism.Google Scholar
  19. Figueredo, A. J., Andrzejczak, D., Jones, D., Smith-Castro, V., & Montero, E. (2011). Reproductive strategy and ethnic conflict: Slow life history as a protective factor against negative ethnocentrism in two contemporary societies. Journal of Social, Evolutionary and Cultural Psychology, 5, 14–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Frost, P., & Harpending, H. (2015). Western Europe, state formation, and genetic pacification. Evolutionary Psychology, 13, 147470491501300.  https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491501300114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Garland, B. (2018). ACADEMIC BLOODSPORTS: Slippery Jew Nathan Cofnas vs. The legendary K-mac! Daily Stormer, https://dailystormer.name/academic-bloodsports-slippery-jew-nathan-cofnas-vs-the-legendary-k-mac/
  22. Geller, J. (2006). Yes, but is it good for the Jews? (Vol. 1). New York: Bloomsbury.Google Scholar
  23. Hammond, R., & Axelrod, R. (2006). The evolution of ethnocentric behaviour. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 50, 1–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  24. Herrnstein, R., & Murray, C. (1994). The bell curve: Intelligence and class structure in American life. New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
  25. Irwin, C. (1987). A study in the evolution of ethnocentrism. In V. Reynolds, V. S. E. Falger, & I. Vine (Eds.), The sociobiology of ethnocentrism: Evolutionary dimensions of xenophobia, discrimination, racism, and nationalism. London: Croom Helm.Google Scholar
  26. Ludeke, S., Rasmussen, S., & DeYoung, C. (2017). Verbal ability drives the link between intelligence and ideology in two American community samples. Intelligence, 61, 1–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. Lynn, R. (2011). The Chosen People: A Study of Jewish Intelligence and Achievement. Augusta: Washington Summit.Google Scholar
  28. Lynn, R. (2015). Race Differences in Intelligence: An Evolutionary Analysis. 2nd Edition. Augusta, GA: Washington Summit Publishing.Google Scholar
  29. Lynn, R., & Vanhanen, T. (2012). Intelligence: A unifying construct for the social sciences. London: Ulster Institute for Social Research.Google Scholar
  30. MacDonald, K. (2018a). Reply to Cofnas. Preprints.  https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35754.31684.
  31. MacDonald, K. (2018b). Second reply to Nathan Cofnas, revision of April 19 2018. Preprints, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324612032_SECOND_REPLY_TO_NATHAN_COFNAS_REVISION_OF_APRIL_19_2018
  32. MacDonald, K. (2018c). Kevin MacDonald responds to criticism of his theory of Jewish ethnocentrism and influence. Genetic literacy project, https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2018/05/02/kevin-macdonald-responds-to-criticism-of-his-theory-of-jewish-ethnocentrism-and-influence/
  33. MacDonald, K. (2004). Separation and its Discontents: Towards an Evolutionary Theory of Anti-Semitism. 1st Books.Google Scholar
  34. MacDonald, K. (1998). The Culture of Critique: An Evolutionary Analysis of Jewish Involvement in Twentieth-century Intellectual and Political movements. Westport: Praeger.Google Scholar
  35. Meisenberg, G. (2007). In God’s Image: The Natural History of Intelligence and Ethics. Kibworth: Book Guild Publishing.Google Scholar
  36. Pinker, S. (2012). The false allure of group selection. The edge, https://www.edge.org/conversation/the-false-allure-of-group-selection
  37. Putnam, R. (2007). E Pluribus Unum: Diversity and community in the twenty-firstcentury. The 2006 Johan Skytte Prize lecture. Scandinavian Political Studies, 30, 137–174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  38. Rushton, J. P. (2005). Ethnic nationalism, evolutionary psychology and genetic similarity theory. Nations and Nationalism, 11, 489–507.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. Rushton, J. P. (1995). Race, Evolution, and Behaviour. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.Google Scholar
  40. Salter, F. (2007). On genetic interests: Family, Ethnicity and Humanity in an Age of Mass Migration. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.Google Scholar
  41. Van der Linden, D., te Nijenhuis, J., & Bakker, A. (2010). The general factor of personality: A meta-analysis of big five inter-correlations and a criterion related validity study. Journal of Research in Personality, 44, 315–327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Wilson, D.S. (2009). Truth and reconciliation for group selection XV: Group selection in the wild. Evolution for everyone, http://scienceblogs.com/evolution/2009/11/07/truth-and-reconciliation-for-g-13/
  43. Wilson, D. S. (2002). Darwin’s cathedral: Evolution, religion and the nature of society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  44. Woodley, M. A., & Figueredo, A. J. (2013). Historical variability in heritable general intelligence: It’s evolutionary origins and sociocultural consequences. Buckingham: University of Buckingham press.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Ulster Institute for Social ResearchLondonUK

Personalised recommendations

Cite article

Buy options