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Is the World becoming more Hostile, or is this just a Perception?

 The media moguls understand that bad news sells more than good news. Consequently, we obtain a disproportionate amount of negative information in our newspapers, radio and television programs, prompting us to perceive the world as more hostile and dangerous than it is. A headline such as Alan Schmidlap achieved a Perfect Score in the International Mathematics …

Is the World becoming more Hostile, or is this just a Perception? Read More »

Why do we think some people are geniuses and others are not? Don’t we all possess the power to be one?

It has been a popular notion that we are all intellectual equals. Several bestselling books have been published asserting that we all have genius within us and it’s just a matter of developing a passion and working hard to reach that status. This belief is comforting because it relieves us of the feeling that we …

Why do we think some people are geniuses and others are not? Don’t we all possess the power to be one? Read More »

Is there anything wrong with this question that appears on an IQ test: “if it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 widgets, how long does it take for 100 machines to make 100 widgets?”

This is an excellent item for testing analytical thinking and has been used in a variety of different guises for decades. While there are different ways to approach this question, a common form of reasoning proceeds as follows: • If it takes 5 minutes for 5 machines to make 5 widgets, then it will take …

Is there anything wrong with this question that appears on an IQ test: “if it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 widgets, how long does it take for 100 machines to make 100 widgets?” Read More »

What is your basis of certainty in your opinion of “X”?

One characteristic I’ve observed in the highly intelligent is their reluctance to form an opinion until they’ve gathered a substantial amount of information. Having reached an opinion, they continue to reserve judgment pending new evidence that challenges their belief. This contrasts with the behavior of those of lower intelligence whom I have observed to reach …

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A July 4 Tribute

Happy July 4 to all Americans! In spite of all the criticism levelled by various groups, denigrating America, the fact that people from everywhere in the world are coming to the U.S. for a better life speaks volumes. Today, C-SPAN gave its 2021 rankings of the 44 former US Presidents in terms of overall performance. …

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If Einstein had spent as many hours on chess, would he be able to beat Bobby Fischer?

When this question appeared this week on our Quora site, https://www.intelligence-and-iq.com/the-many-faces-of-intelligence/, it generated a lot of discussion, revealing some different perceptions of IQ. Who do you think would win such a contest had it been possible? The reason why this “thought experiment” has value, is that your answer reflects your perception of the meaning of …

If Einstein had spent as many hours on chess, would he be able to beat Bobby Fischer? Read More »

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