Genius seems to emerge gradually from a combination of neural proclivities, along with a variety of personality traits. Recent research reveals that about 70 to 80% of the variance in intelligence among individuals is attributable to the genes they inherit. This means that the neurological structure of a person’s brain can predispose them to intellectual …
On June 11, 2023, Ted Kaczinsky a.k.a., the Unabomber, was found dead in his cell in the FMC Butner medical center in North Carolina. He was 81 years old, having served over 25 years of a life sentence with no possibility of parole. He had been transferred on December 14, 2021, to the Butner medical …
IQ is an approximate measure of a person’s intelligence. Research has revealed that our potential intelligence is highly attributable to the genes that we inherit. See: What is the average percentage that genes contribute to our overall intelligence/IQ? – Intelligence and IQ However, the interaction of our genetics with the environment is a major determinant of …
Can Someone without much education or Background have a high IQ? Read More »
This is a complex question because it presupposes that we can assign a precise percentage to how much of an individual’s intelligence is a result of their genetic makeup. When a psychologist says, “70% of intelligence is heritable and 30% is environmental,” that does not mean that 70% of your IQ score is attributable to your inherited …
What is the average percentage that genes contribute to our overall intelligence/IQ? Read More »
You may remember from high school algebra the difference of squares identity x2– y2 = (x – y)(x + y). Since 899 = 900 – 1 or 302 – 12, we substitute x = 30 and y = 1 into the identity to obtain 899 = 29 x 31.
In 1690, English philosopher John Locke stated that we all come into the world as intellectually “blank slates” (Tabula Rasa, in Latin) and acquire knowledge and intelligence that are written on these slates by our experiences. The political view underpinning Locke’s assertion was that if, indeed, we all enter the world as blank slates, and …
Is Intelligence Genetic? Can Everyone have the same level of intelligence? Read More »
Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, once stated, “I’ve missed more shots than I’ve made. I succeed because I fail.” Jordan knows that he is highly regarded in the world of basketball, so he is not shy about admitting his basketball failures. In a similar way, highly …
What prompts the most intelligent people to acknowledge their lack of knowledge? Read More »
The answer to this question depends upon what you mean by “smarter.” Those who are currently living in countries, where education is widespread, are much more sophisticated in their knowledge of science than the ancient cultures that knew little of physics, chemistry or biology. Our current civilizations enjoy the benefit of thousands of years of …
From the earliest times in human history, most members of the human species have been subjugated by some form of enslavement, whether from a dictatorship, a feudal system, a slave economy or an autocratic government. In 1651, Thomas Hobbes described the life of man as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Then, in 1776, fugitives from …
Intelligence is perceived differently by different people, but perhaps the most widely accepted definition is one articulated by psychologist Linda Gottfredson: Intelligence is a very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly, and learn from experience. It is not merely …
What’s the difference between intelligence (IQ) and Emotional intelligence (EQ)? Read More »
