Can you explain why it should be obvious to a non-superstitious layperson that this won't work?
Speaking as a Devil's Advocate ... if someone is not qualified for a university, they are more likely to fail than the qualified, non-black students in the example. If your evidence for the existence of racism demons is that black people fail more often, then you will continue to receive said evidence and thus, presumably, continue throwing endless streams of black people.
On the other hand, hey, if spilling salt really was taken as a sign of weakness by salt-vulnerable extradimensional vampires, and they enter our world and sneak up behind you to drain your vitality; then hitting them smack in the eye with some salt should show 'em who's boss. Right?
EDIT:
Believing in Santa Claus is not superstition if your parents told you that there is a Santa Claus and you are a child and consider them trustworthy - it's just bad epistemic luck.
Under the definition you cited, Santa seems more designed to create superstition - I was good and then I got presents!
Okay, I am now going to give you not my own views, but the views of the average liberal layperson on this matter. This is meant to illustrate why it's not obvious to laypeople that AA doesn't work, not a defense of AA.
if someone is not qualified for a university, they are more likely to fail than the qualified, non-black students in the example.
"The point of affirmative action is to uplift the entire group. It doesn't matter if minority students fail out at higher rates - if the net effect is more minority students with degrees who have come int...
People want to tell everything instead of telling the best 15 words. They want to learn everything instead of the best 15 words. In this thread, instead post the best 15-words from a book you've read recently (or anything else). It has to stand on its own. It's not a summary, the whole value needs to be contained in those words.
I'll start in the comments below.
(Voted by the Schelling study group as the best exercise of the meeting.)