Liberals Vs. Conservatives

I thought you had not noticed

Dean wrote: ...and that's the problem. I don't think that innate intelligence changes a great deal during a person's lifetime - a valid observation would be that each of us are less smart than some folks and more smart than some other folks - we may move around a little on that scale due to the uncertaintiy of measurement, (today I'm a little smarter than Cedric but tomorrow he could be a little smarter than me because we took a new test and got slightly different results), but we're not going to jump from the third quartile to the upper quartile just by going to college to learn some stuff.

I would like to say that I am a little honored that this thread has made it to eight pages but I'm not going to say that.  Aww crap....

Really? What makes you say that?

...and that's the problem. I don't think that innate intelligence changes a great deal during a person's lifetime - a valid observation would be that each of us are less smart than some folks and more smart than some other folks - we may move around a little on that scale due to the uncertaintiy of measurement, (today I'm a little smarter than Cedric but tomorrow he could be a little smarter than me because we took a new test and got slightly different results), but we're not going to jump from the third quartile to the upper quartile just by going to college to learn some stuff. The ability to learn is perhaps an indicator of intelligence, but since education is neither availble to all nor is it equal across all disciplines (in difficulty or whatever), it can only be an indicator of intelligence for those that went to college and all did the same course - it really tells you nothing of the smart kid from high-school whose parents couldn't afford to send him to university, or the two kids of equal ability who majored in two different disciplines.

Since Logan has defined it as "the ability to think quickly and clearly" then I'm sure there is literature to support that, though how they measure that in two people of similar ability before and after one of them has been educated would be an interesting read.

Equality 7-2521 wrote: Dean wrote: Because we are not talking in absolutes it is not necessary to have a formal definition of "Intelligence" to be able to assess it comparatively as long as the limitations of those measurements are accepted. Intelligence is general mental capability so it covers everything that the mind is capable of, therefore it is not limited just to abstract thought but can cover anything that the brain processes that is not an automated response. If you're going to say something like education cannot increase intelligence, then you need to define that because depending on what you exactly mean by it I could show some literature which disagrees vehemently.

Hold up. The initial comment (by Logan) was that education increases intelligence - a statement that no one here demanded definitions of - if there is literature that supports that then it can be presented without prior qualification from me (or anyone else who disagrees with that statement)

Dean wrote: I wasn't answering on behalf of Brian, (he's big enough and ugly enough to answer for himself), I just thought I'd chip in with my tuppence-worth because there appeared to be a bit of ganging-up going on, which is not uncommon, generally speaking.

I haven't been paying close attention. I thought you and Logan were the ones arguing.

I wasn't answering on behalf of Brian, (he's big enough and ugly enough to answer for himself), I just thought I'd chip in with my tuppence-worth because there appeared to be a bit of ganging-up going on, which is not uncommon, generally speaking.

What do you mean?