I.Q. Tests: And You Thought You Were So Smart...

reply to post by kosmicjack


maybe, rather ten measuring intelligence, we simply acknowledge "different social organisms".

ooops...that might sound a bit too PC.

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth



I wonder as well. My grandfather is brilliant, he totally thinks out of the box. He is a retired physician and he has never used a computer. His wealth of knowledge on many, many subjects is wide and deep - strictly from reading. I would certainly be interested to compare his I.Q. to that of the most brilliant doctor coming out of med school today or even one just 10 years younger than my grandfather.

Sky, my "lack of knowledge" in regards to development most likely stems from my lack of sociability. I have never really been much of a socializer, which reverts back to what I said earlier... What could a person who reads a lot, as I do, possibly have to discuss with someone who doesn't even bother to pick up a book, much less read it...

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


Tell me about it. I live near the mountains, about 40 miles away from city. Since I have nothing to discuss with my backward neighbours, I fulfill my need to talk and read by coming to ATS.

[edit on 11-12-2007 by Skyfloating]

Sky, kind of sad isn't it?

However, that's just the true measure of things...

So, whether it is better to know a little bit about a lot of things or a lot about one thing depends on the circumstances.

I do think that one's emotional and social abilities ought to play a part in any overall assessment. I know several people who could be termed geniuses but they are certainly not what I would call emotionally stable.

Originally posted by kosmicjack

I do think that one's emotional and social abilities ought to play a part in any overall assessment. I know several people who could be termed geniuses but they are certainly not what I would call emotionally stable.

Naw, I wouldn't know anyone like that at all...

Really, book wise, I am very intelligent. When it comes to relating to other people and what they expect from me in regards to a relationship and what not, I am a complete moron.

[edit on 11-12-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

reply to post by kosmicjack


good point. If you want a definition of intelligence, here´s mine:

Balance of body/mind/emotion, the ability to learn, the ability to process and asses information and to prioritize, the ability to decide, the ability to shift viewpoints and expand interest on various subjects, the ability to relate to and communicate with others.

"the ability to learn,"

That is supposedly what IQ tests are designed to measure... Whether they actually do that is anyone's guess.

reply to post by Skyfloating


In your example I don't believe her intelligence increased. Her knowledge may have increased however or maybe her opinions became broader. Watching tv is in a way like surfing the internet. Not all of what we see and hear is factual.

reply to post by Skyfloating


As good as any explanation I have seen. I would only add adaptabilty to the mix. To be truly smart, one has to read the situation and extract that which is best from it, no matter what the circumstances.

reply to post by migliavacca



Mig, yes... People tend to confuse, I know I do, knowledge with intelligence. Knowledge is somethingh which is obtained, intelligence is soemthing you ar eborn with. You either have it, or you don't...

reply to post by migliavacca


Alright. So you are saying that intelligence is inherent and not grown perhaps.

I will add another example of media increasing someones intelligence: ATS-Member Simus Dei, who has gained quite a few abilities compared to where he started from

I would be part of the "intelligence is not inherent but grown" faction. As the article by the OP actually supports.

Originally posted by Skyfloating
Alright. So you are saying that intelligence is inherent and not grown perhaps.

I personally think it is.. Like I said, people tend to confuse intelligence with knowledge. They are not really one and the same thing. Are they inter-related? Certainly. You have to have a certain degree of intelligence to grasp knowledge, but they are not one and the same... Intelligence, in my opinion, is an inherent means to an end...

[edit on 11-12-2007 by SpeakerofTruth]

I had a good friend about 20 years ago who I thought was just brilliant. He could pull numbers and facts seemingly out of the blue. I told him once that he was a genius. I'll never forget that he told me he wasn't very smart, but had a terrific memory and seemingly total recall. He had troubles problem solving and critical thinking I came to discover. But he was a fountain of facts in the subjects that interested him. His problem was he could only parrot other's ideas. He couldn't really contribute any of his ideas. I don't know if my post here is even appropriate in this thread, but for some reason he came to my mind.

There is a saying I have grown up with: "Think of everything you know as a piece of pie. Now, the entire rest of the pie is everything you don't know."

So...If you are intelligent, you realize that knowledge is something that is ever expanding, something you collect or grow.

If you are not very bright, you think that everything you already know for sure is all you really need to know.

I guess that pretty much explains half of the flame wars on ATS, just a difference in mindset. Or is it intelligence?

[edit on 11/12/07 by kosmicjack]

Kosmic, well, anyone who thinks that he/she already knows everything they'll ever need to know is not very intelligent at all, you're right. Yet, that does indeed seem to be the mindset of some individuals. It's sad really..

reply to post by migliavacca


Your post is entirely relevant.

I think we are raising a generation of people incapable of critical thinking or thinking outside of the main-stream of thought. Everything in our society is so homogenized that people are sometimes either incapable of expressing their unique ideas or opinions (possibly because they have been taught to memorize for tests rather than truly learn or experience something) or, worse, they are afraid to do so for fear of looking foolish or appearing eccentric.

reply to post by SpeakerofTruth


I agree with Kosmic and you.

I've noticed here on ATS that there's a few posters who claim advanced degrees. When they post on their "subjects" they can appear to be fairly intelligent. However, when they engage people in the off topic rants and barbs, they seem to have an 8th grade education. So I wonder, are they just Google educated, or are they legitimately educated and utterly poor interactively? Knowing a lot about your field does not equate to knowing a lot.