> It is missing the definition of "fairness" in which you treat race and gender just like any other feature.
The real issue here, of course, is whether they are just like every other feature:
Certainly in our society they are not perceived that way. People perceive very serious issues and have very strong feelings around race and gender. We see that right here on HN, of course.
There is also, of course, a lot of discrimination by humans based on race and gender. If we want an unbiased, fair (and accurate) system, we have to correct for that. And the discrimination creates higher order effects: If there is discrimination against group X in K-12 education funding, then fewer of X will go to college, and fewer will have higher-paying jobs. If we then select blindly for income, we incorporate that bias (which might be appropriate if studying income by group, but not if we use it as a proxy for intelligence or effort).
> the practical alternatives often become "quota" or "nothing".
Those aren't practical alternatives, they are logical extremes creating a Manichean choice. Those are alternatives or a political debate, not for practical problem-solving.
The real issue here, of course, is whether they are just like every other feature:
Certainly in our society they are not perceived that way. People perceive very serious issues and have very strong feelings around race and gender. We see that right here on HN, of course.
There is also, of course, a lot of discrimination by humans based on race and gender. If we want an unbiased, fair (and accurate) system, we have to correct for that. And the discrimination creates higher order effects: If there is discrimination against group X in K-12 education funding, then fewer of X will go to college, and fewer will have higher-paying jobs. If we then select blindly for income, we incorporate that bias (which might be appropriate if studying income by group, but not if we use it as a proxy for intelligence or effort).
> the practical alternatives often become "quota" or "nothing".
Those aren't practical alternatives, they are logical extremes creating a Manichean choice. Those are alternatives or a political debate, not for practical problem-solving.