An academic storm

Is there evidence to suggest that there are intrinsic differences in ability between men and women?

In January 2005, Harvard President Larry Summers suggested that one possible cause of the under-representation of women in senior positions in science and engineering was intrinsic differences in ability between men and women.

His comments triggered a storm of protests. Some women stormed out of the meeting – one said she had to, otherwise she would have "blacked out or thrown up". He was accused of sexism and faced demands he resign.

He claimed his comments were evidence-based. Some studies have indeed uncovered aptitude differences between males and females. In August 2005, for example, two UK researchers announced that they had found an IQ difference of around 5 points between men and women over 14. But there are studies showing no significant difference (or favouring women), and the scientific validity of their analysis has been questioned.

Summers later appeared to backtrack slightly, saying that there was no intrinsic reason why women could not succeed in such fields, but that we need to understand better the specific reasons for female underachievement (few would disagree with that).

Summers did get support from several quarters. Some defenders of free speech were appalled at the venom with which he was attacked. Defenders of academic freedom argued that issues like this need to be confronted and studied in an objective way, even if the findings might make us uncomfortable.