The reality is researching these kinds of things is frowned upon (in the west, at least) because it makes people uncomfortable. And it makes people uncomfortable because we don’t like the idea[1] that certain traits are more common in others, and certain things society values (intelligence, athleticism, beauty) obviously have at least some genetic component.
Consider another hypothetical where this research is de facto banned in the west because everyone feels yucky about it, but it isn’t in e.g. China where novel technologies in the future allow selection or even manipulation of genetics for intelligence/beauty/whatever. Not a position I’d like to be in.
[1] we don’t like this idea because it runs against a lot of philosophy that I’m quite sure you have read for how we want our developed society to treat its members - as equals.
One does not need to think that others with less desirable characteristics are less worthy of their own existence just because those characteristics have an identifiable genetic cause. That people are mean to each other - because some are dumber than others, or less pretty than others, or can't run a mile in under 6 minutes - is not a reason to restrict research into what makes those things possible, it's a reason to be more vigilant about virtuous behavior.
The reality is researching these kinds of things is frowned upon (in the west, at least) because it makes people uncomfortable. And it makes people uncomfortable because we don’t like the idea[1] that certain traits are more common in others, and certain things society values (intelligence, athleticism, beauty) obviously have at least some genetic component.
Consider another hypothetical where this research is de facto banned in the west because everyone feels yucky about it, but it isn’t in e.g. China where novel technologies in the future allow selection or even manipulation of genetics for intelligence/beauty/whatever. Not a position I’d like to be in.
[1] we don’t like this idea because it runs against a lot of philosophy that I’m quite sure you have read for how we want our developed society to treat its members - as equals.