@rabbitearbandicoot wrote:
@the_great_she_elephant wrote:
Before you can measure intelligence you need to have an agreed formula by which it is to be measured .In Australia we have an IQ test which works (after a fashion) in our culture. Whether or not it would produce the same results in a different culture I don't know - but I suspect it probably wouldn't.
indeed. How do you think past geniuses would fare in our IQ test? Take DaVinci for one - an acknowledge genius in retrospect, but put our IQ test in front of him?
So, as you say, Intelligence MUST be considered outside those parameters.
wiki says:
"Intelligence has been defined in many different ways such as in terms of one's capacity for logic, abstract thought, understanding,
self-awareness, communication, learning, emotional knowledge, memory, planning, creativity and problem solving. It can also be more generally described as the ability to perceive and/or retain knowledge or information and apply it to itself or other instances of knowledge or information creating referable understanding models of any size, density, or complexity, due to any conscious or subconscious imposed will or instruction to do so.".
Many modern city dwellers would do very poorly based on the wiki formula. Most city people get others to do things for them as a matter of course. If the tap leaks, call a plumber, if you need, food go to the supermarket where it is all laid out for you. If you need to drive somewhere set the GPS and follow directions. If there is a problem " the council or government should fix it. " Cook a meal ? many just buy packets or dine out. Most people are spending less and less time planning and carrying out complex tasks on a day to day basis. Everything is done for us. We may have specialist knowledge and intelligence in a small chosen field, but lack a broad perspective on complex life tasks.
Dont believe me, just attend a school or kindy parent council meeting or attend a public servents planning meeting. I have done both on a regular basis and sometimes are blown away with the sheltered, closeted lives that many people lead. While many of these people may do well in a standard IQ test, they often have no practicle skills or life experience to problem solve complex tasks.
Is it possible that as we develop greater technology and become even more highly urbanised and disconnected from the natural world, we may in fact not use and develop our broad intelligence to its fullest capacity and become a group of helpless people that need some-one else to do everything for us.
Compare this to some advanced native tribes that needed a broad understanding of the cycles of the weather, animal and plant habitats and medicinal uses, a knowledge of vast landscapes, the ability to plan and change plans to meet changing enviromental conditions. Who shows greater intelligence ???
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