Sidestepping political correctness, Henry Harpending says intelligence may be genetically predetermined by cultural background. The Thomas Chair Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of Utah, he and two colleagues say they believe central and northern European Ashkenazi Jews until the 17th century may have been naturally selected for enhanced intellect. Their hypothesis was published in the November 2005 issue of the Journal of Biosocial Science.

Though admitting more research needs to be done to substantiate their argument, Harpending explained the premise of their theory to Science & Theology News