There is no particular score on an IQ test that registers as a “passing score,” because IQ is not an absolute measure of intelligence, but rather measure relative to the rest of the human population. IQ tests are normed so that IQ scores are distributed on a normal curve with mean 100 and standard deviation …
One of my high school teachers used to say, “It’s not what you know, but what people think you know that counts in life.” This always triggered in me a cognitive conflict, because I believed I was studying mathematics and physics to become smarter, not merely to appear smarter. Over the years, I came to realize that …
What are the benefits of someone thinking you are smarter than you actually are? Read More »
Teams of talented people with diverse specialties and strengths are particularly difficult to manage, because they are typically unique individuals with strong egos. They do not easily defer to others or take directions without question. Therefore, it takes someone with strong leadership qualities who is recognized as a person the team members can respect. First …
How can teams Harness the collective intelligence of Diverse Team Members? Read More »
Many people think that intelligence, like height, is an attribute that can be mapped onto a scale so that for any two people one can be identified as smarter than the other. However, intelligence unlike height, is a multi-faceted attribute. This means that A may be smarter than B in one aspect of intelligence, but …
Who is the smartest human being who has ever lived? Read More »
During the latter half of the 20th century, the egalitarian ideology crept into education and there was a gradual dismantling of programs for gifted children. Most of the criticism of programs for the gifted came from those who regarded them as “elitist” or a form of “racial discrimination.” The equity movement that took hold in …
Since the beginning of recorded history, people have recognized that individuals differ in their ability to solve problems, deal with abstractions, and learn new ideas. We call this many-faceted ability intelligence. However, when it comes to defining this enigmatic trait, we face the famous Jainist conundrum in which three blind men grasp the tusk, trunk, and …
Can a person be intelligent, but not arrogant about it? Read More »
The success of Einstein’s Special and General Theories of Relativity brought theoretical physics into the public spotlight and elevated its status as a “glamour” subject. As Einstein and others sought to unify Quantum Physics with the gravitational forces in General Relativity, there was considerable optimism that the secret mechanisms of the universe would soon be …
“Genius” is not a range of IQ’s, but rather a measure of achievement, while IQ is a specific measure of performance on a properly supervised set of tests. Geniuses throughout history are generally people of high IQ, but their IQs would fall in a wide range between IQ 125 and IQ 190. Furthermore, many people …
What is the Definition of Genius? Do Geniuses tend to be Unhappy? Read More »
Number Theorist, G. H. Hardy once observed, “A mathematician, like a painter or poet, is a maker of patterns. If his patterns are more permanent than theirs, it is because they are made with ideas.” In that statement, Hardy was emphasizing the importance in mathematics of the ability to discern patterns in a series of …
Background In the early part of the 20th century there was a widespread belief that the major component of human intelligence was determined by genetics rather than environmental influences. Diagnostic tests developed to determine a student’s readiness for instruction were repurposed into IQ tests designed to measure an individual’s innate intelligence determined by their genes. …
