I disagree with this on several different levels, both for claims regarding low intelligence and for claims regarding sociopathy.
Low intelligence is a trait that tends to produce a lot of easily discernible evidence, and a DNA test, like an IQ test, would be swamped by that other evidence. Let us accept arguendo the claim that George W. Bush has a higher IQ than John Kerry. In the absence of any other evidence to update on, this would be substantial evidence that Bush is more intelligent. In the context of ample other evidence (they have both said, written, and done many things of which there is public record), however, it is weak evidence for the claim that Bush in more intelligent than Kerry, and strong evidence for the claim that IQ is of limited utility as a proxy for practical intelligence (I think this holds even if one corrects for the fact that Bush intentionally dumbed down his public persona to achieve more populist appeal). The same would be true of a DNA test.
Lest I be accused of simply filtering intelligence through an ideological lens, let me note that between Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann, two Republican politicians who have suffered similar media treatment, I perceive Bachmann to be both substantially further to the right and far more intelligent than Palin.
Beyond the evidentiary point, there is simply the fact that left to choose between a candidate likely to be not very effective at implementing policies one agrees with, and a candidate likely to be very effective at implementing policies one disagrees with, many people would choose the former.
Sociopathy is a different case from low intelligence, in that high-functioning sociopathy is very difficult to discern. That being said, not only do I not think think it clear that a DNA test suggesting a predisposition to sociopathy should negatively influence my view of a political candidate, I do not think it clear that Omega informing me that a candidate is, in fact, a sociopath should negatively influence my view of a candidate....
Nihilists don’t give a damn what happens to anyone. I wouldn’t want to vote for a nihilist, because I don’t want to give the power to declare nuclear war to someone who doesn’t really care if it happens etc.
Sadists enjoy inflicting suffering on others. I wouldn’t want to vote for a sadist, because I know that they would inevitably try to choose policies meant to reduce aggregate utility.
Sociopaths lack empathy, but are very good at manipulating people to think otherwise, for their own advancement and aggrandizement. In politics, their own advancement and aggrandizement would mean striving for re-election, and then the perks and prestige that come with being a former leader judged to have been successful. This means aiming for policies that actually enjoy public support and that are likely to be judged successful. In other words, while a virtue ethicist might object to a sociopath in principle, a consequentialist has little reason to expect a sociopath to act differently in office than any other politician. Why should one care if a leader lacks the ability to actually empathize with his citizens, if he has to act in ways that will lead people to believe that he does regardless?
I disagree with this on several different levels, both for claims regarding low intelligence and for claims regarding sociopathy.
Low intelligence is a trait that tends to produce a lot of easily discernible evidence, and a DNA test, like an IQ test, would be swamped by that other evidence. Let us accept arguendo the claim that George W. Bush has a higher IQ than John Kerry. In the absence of any other evidence to update on, this would be substantial evidence that Bush is more intelligent. In the context of ample other evidence (they have both said, written, and done many things of which there is public record), however, it is weak evidence for the claim that Bush in more intelligent than Kerry, and strong evidence for the claim that IQ is of limited utility as a proxy for practical intelligence (I think this holds even if one corrects for the fact that Bush intentionally dumbed down his public persona to achieve more populist appeal). The same would be true of a DNA test.
Lest I be accused of simply filtering intelligence through an ideological lens, let me note that between Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann, two Republican politicians who have suffered similar media treatment, I perceive Bachmann to be both substantially further to the right and far more intelligent than Palin.
Beyond the evidentiary point, there is simply the fact that left to choose between a candidate likely to be not very effective at implementing policies one agrees with, and a candidate likely to be very effective at implementing policies one disagrees with, many people would choose the former.
Sociopathy is a different case from low intelligence, in that high-functioning sociopathy is very difficult to discern. That being said, not only do I not think think it clear that a DNA test suggesting a predisposition to sociopathy should negatively influence my view of a political candidate, I do not think it clear that Omega informing me that a candidate is, in fact, a sociopath should negatively influence my view of a candidate....
Nihilists don’t give a damn what happens to anyone. I wouldn’t want to vote for a nihilist, because I don’t want to give the power to declare nuclear war to someone who doesn’t really care if it happens etc.
Sadists enjoy inflicting suffering on others. I wouldn’t want to vote for a sadist, because I know that they would inevitably try to choose policies meant to reduce aggregate utility.
Sociopaths lack empathy, but are very good at manipulating people to think otherwise, for their own advancement and aggrandizement. In politics, their own advancement and aggrandizement would mean striving for re-election, and then the perks and prestige that come with being a former leader judged to have been successful. This means aiming for policies that actually enjoy public support and that are likely to be judged successful. In other words, while a virtue ethicist might object to a sociopath in principle, a consequentialist has little reason to expect a sociopath to act differently in office than any other politician. Why should one care if a leader lacks the ability to actually empathize with his citizens, if he has to act in ways that will lead people to believe that he does regardless?