Comments on: Has a statistician demolished the idea of a single general intelligence factor? http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2007/10/24/has-a-statistician-demolished-the-idea-of-a-single-general-intelligence-factor/ Beating Them With Their Own Sickle And Hammer Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:38:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Joe Lamb http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2007/10/24/has-a-statistician-demolished-the-idea-of-a-single-general-intelligence-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-64470 Joe Lamb Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:49:06 +0000 http://stoptheaclu.dreamhosters.com/archives/2007/10/24/has-a-statistician-demolished-the-idea-of-a-single-general-intelligence-factor/#comment-64470 There is no such thing as an IQ. Some people are smart, some are not There is no such thing as an IQ. Some people are smart, some are not

]]> By: kerwin http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2007/10/24/has-a-statistician-demolished-the-idea-of-a-single-general-intelligence-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-64469 kerwin Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:39:05 +0000 http://stoptheaclu.dreamhosters.com/archives/2007/10/24/has-a-statistician-demolished-the-idea-of-a-single-general-intelligence-factor/#comment-64469 I do A and my son does A therefore A is genetic is a weak argument for at least two reasons. One is that statistically the population is too small to arrive at any concrete results and two is that no effort to control for environmental factors was exhibited. You might want to look up idiot savant as such individuals seems to disprove the proposed idea that problem solving in area can be applied to another. A person who is a genius at math being unable to tie their own shoes or a great basketball player who can calculate his and his opponents moves being unable to do 3rd grade math. I do A and my son does A therefore A is genetic is a weak argument for at least two reasons. One is that statistically the population is too small to arrive at any concrete results and two is that no effort to control for environmental factors was exhibited.

You might want to look up idiot savant as such individuals seems to disprove the proposed idea that problem solving in area can be applied to another. A person who is a genius at math being unable to tie their own shoes or a great basketball player who can calculate his and his opponents moves being unable to do 3rd grade math.

]]> By: Jim White http://www.stoptheaclu.com/2007/10/24/has-a-statistician-demolished-the-idea-of-a-single-general-intelligence-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-64468 Jim White Thu, 25 Oct 2007 02:41:26 +0000 http://stoptheaclu.dreamhosters.com/archives/2007/10/24/has-a-statistician-demolished-the-idea-of-a-single-general-intelligence-factor/#comment-64468 Yeah, I've got to call BS here because you don't actually argue your point at all; you let some random commenter make your supposed, and flawed, point: “If IQ tests are worthless, then so are college degrees. What do they really measure other than the ability to pass college classes? Nothing. Maybe we should assign MDs by lottery as well. I’ll let you go first on the triple bypass surgery under your new world order.” That statement just simply doesn't make any sense and reflects the broadening trend of thoughtless rejection of any idea that anyone disagrees with on a visceral level. It just so happens that classes give people some sort of more or less useful experience which is then evaluated, and in theory, if someone is proficient in the course material, they pass the course. An IQ test to begin with does not even in theory measure experience, but rather some sort of conceptual aptitude. So, the existence of such an aptitude or if the test measures it is not a trivial question, and therefore, not an arena appropriate for wild, unfounded opinions. Yeah, I’ve got to call BS here because you don’t actually argue your point at all; you let some random commenter make your supposed, and flawed, point:
“If IQ tests are worthless, then so are college degrees. What do they really measure other than the ability to pass college classes? Nothing. Maybe we should assign MDs by lottery as well. I’ll let you go first on the triple bypass surgery under your new world order.”
That statement just simply doesn’t make any sense and reflects the broadening trend of thoughtless rejection of any idea that anyone disagrees with on a visceral level. It just so happens that classes give people some sort of more or less useful experience which is then evaluated, and in theory, if someone is proficient in the course material, they pass the course. An IQ test to begin with does not even in theory measure experience, but rather some sort of conceptual aptitude. So, the existence of such an aptitude or if the test measures it is not a trivial question, and therefore, not an arena appropriate for wild, unfounded opinions.

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