Can you identify these three people? All three intellectual giants you see in the collage were born in April, yet only two will be immediately recognizable to most people, and the third–an enigma. On April 13, we will post a brief tribute to Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States and architect of the …
Most people would agree that Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr. and Benjamin Franklin were highly intelligent people. All had a high degree of self-efficacy, believing in their vision even when it ran contrary to consensus. Albert Einstein’s assertions that time is not absolute and gravity is related to the geometry …
The short answer is “yes.” If you’re going to take an IQ test, make sure you get a full night’s sleep several days before the test to ensure you’re well rested. Before outlining what we know from recent research, I’ll share a personal story. One year, during my undergraduate studies in mathematics and physics, I …
In the past several months, I’ve posted comments decrying California’s Frameworks for Mathematics in its denial of giftedness and its abandonment of programs to meet the needs of gifted students. (See https://www.intelligence-and-iq.com/does-americas-have-its-priorities-in-order/) An important goal of the Framework is to replace ideas of innate mathematics “talent” and “giftedness” with the recognition that every student is …
The three concepts, intelligence, wisdom and cleverness, have some overlap because they all draw from our ability to learn. The following definition of intelligence, given by psychologist Linda Gottfredson in 1997, has achieved wide consensus among members of the American Psychological Association (APA): Intelligence is a very general mental capability that, among other things, involves …
What’s the Difference between Intelligence, Wisdom and Cleverness? Read More »
In the mid-1970’s, I was teaching a graduate course in number theory at the University of Toronto. About one-third of my fifty students were Chinese from Hong Kong. These students were significantly better in their mastery and application of number theoretic concepts than most of the others. It was one of my earliest encounters with …
Are the Asians Smarter than the Rest of Us at Mathematics and Physics? Read More »
In August 1900, a 21-year-old student named Albert Einstein graduated in physics from Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zurich with a commendable mark of 4.91 out of 6. Since it was customary for students to be offered junior academic appointments upon graduation, Einstein was bitterly disappointed when he was the only one of his graduating …
Einstein was Born 143 years ago–Why Does he Remain the Icon for Genius? Read More »
When we see the genocide perpetrated by Putin, we assume that he is different from us–a psychopath who will destroy anyone who gets between him and his ambitions. Could it be that we all have the capacity to destroy others given the appropriate circumstances? Please read on before you smash your computer. A growing body …
If you’re a skier and you’ve attended a ski school, you observe that prior to instruction, the ski instructors divide their students into three or more groups. The beginners are assigned to the “bunny hill” where they learn to navigate a simple slope and use a rope tow to return to the top of the …
What are Some of the Advantages & Disadvantages of Grouping Students by Intelligence? Read More »
In theory, it would seem to be relatively easy to decrease intelligence by destroying brain cells or their interconnections (synapses). Surprisingly, the brain’s neuroplasticity enables it to rebuild parts of the brain that have been destroyed through surgery or disease. In cases when hemispherectomies (removal of one of the brain’s two hemispheres) have been performed …
Do You Lose IQ Points when You Tip a Glass or Two? Read More »
