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Participants in the International Mathematics Olympiads (IMO) represent the brightest of the bright. They have very high SAT scores, qualify for the best university programs, and have their pick of virtually any career they wish to pursue. Having these options, do they complete a Ph.D. in mathematics and enter academe or do they move in …
What happens to Math Olympiad Winners After they Graduate? Read More »
Most people who think they are worth nothing will not achieve at a high level because self-efficacy is a vital component of success. As Henry Ford once observed, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t–you’re right.” Those who believe they cannot achieve are already defeated before they begin. However, there have been many …
If we ask whether the brilliant people of the ancient cultures were more intelligent than the intellectual giants of recent generations, our best guess is based upon statistics. Probability theory predicts that the best poker hand in 100 will probably be better than the best poker hand in the first 10. Similarly the most intelligent …
Has Human intelligence increased over the past 200,000 years? Read More »
The fact that intelligence is manifest in a variety of different forms makes it difficult to characterize. However, the most widely accepted definition was 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, …
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 »
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 »
