moralanimal said:Well, not really. IQ scores measure someones resources and intell. is the ability to adapt in a particular culture and enviornment. What you are taking about is fluid vs crystalized intell. The culture is the key factor- for example- take an African who lives on the plains and has great tracking ability and give him the WAIS he would have a very low verbal IQ and crystalized intell. In his enviornment we would not survive. With how we measure IQ we are "much smarter" but would not make a week in Africa. IQ measures resources. People can do all kinds of things with resources- good, bad, not use them, etc. The unibomber Ted Kazinski (sp?) has an IQ of 142, placing him in the 3rd standard deviation and with a standard error he is in the .01% of the population. He is not so smart b/c he choose to spend the rest of his life in jail.
I view intelligence as mental ability. The ability can be used for good or evil. Have you ever heard the term "evil genius"? Moralanimal, it seems like you are confusing the concept of intelligence with wisdom. IQ tests measure if someone is smart not if they are wise.
"smart -adj. (7) having or showing quick intelligence or ready mental capabilities: ex. a smart student.
wise -adj. (1) having the power of discerning what and judging properly as to what is true or right." Webster's Dictionary
I would say that Ted Kazinski (sp?) was smart but not wise. How long did he evade the FBI? Weren't his bombs elaborately constructed? Didn't he attend and do well at an Ivy League school's graduate math degree program? Did he possess these characteristics: "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. If he did he was intelligent (i.e. smart). I think he possesed those characteristics. Did he have the power of discerning what is true or right? I think not; he wasn't wise. Ted Kazinski (sp?) was intelligent but not wise.
