Comments on: Slate’s IQ Article Doesn’t Show the Whole Picture http://principledprofit.com/good-business-blog/slates-iq-article-doesnt-show-the-whole-picture/2007/12/12/ The Good Business Blog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:57:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Joseph http://principledprofit.com/good-business-blog/slates-iq-article-doesnt-show-the-whole-picture/2007/12/12/#comment-7355 Joseph Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:14:30 +0000 http://principledprofit.com/good-business-blog/slates-iq-article-doesnt-show-the-whole-picture/2007/12/12/#comment-7355 Absolutely right Shel. The IQ test is developed for white westerners, and the other measures may or may not be important. As a warning it was part of the justification for the disgraceful behaviour in the name of eugenics from about 100 years ago to about 1960 or later, and I fear a trend in the same direction with modern genetics. But you seem to be confusing intellect and intelligence. There is no known test for intellect, and intelligence is basically about the ability to absorb information which the intellect can then work on. I think genius requires high levels of both. But I have always marvelled at how the poorest people manage. It is clear they have to exercise both intellect and intelligence to make a little money stretch. So often the quoted lower intelligence groups have high percentages of poverty. That is why I find them so suspect, as you do. And a study of the nature and causes of poverty tends not to show intelligence as the major factor - though white westerners like to think it is! Absolutely right Shel. The IQ test is developed for white westerners, and the other measures may or may not be important. As a warning it was part of the justification for the disgraceful behaviour in the name of eugenics from about 100 years ago to about 1960 or later, and I fear a trend in the same direction with modern genetics.

But you seem to be confusing intellect and intelligence. There is no known test for intellect, and intelligence is basically about the ability to absorb information which the intellect can then work on. I think genius requires high levels of both.

But I have always marvelled at how the poorest people manage. It is clear they have to exercise both intellect and intelligence to make a little money stretch. So often the quoted lower intelligence groups have high percentages of poverty.

That is why I find them so suspect, as you do. And a study of the nature and causes of poverty tends not to show intelligence as the major factor - though white westerners like to think it is!

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