4 ms·

25 is around the age where intellect starts to decline (along with everything else) so it isn't really that much of a mystery.

by Bakary 7y ago

thevardanian 7y ago
You're joking, right? Cause now I have one more thing to feel insecure about.
- slavik81 7y ago
  I wouldn't worry about it. Every study I've seen on the matter has clearly stated that it's a relatively small effect and is dwarfed by improved knowledge and experience. Overall intellectual performance is still rising at that point.
- sbierwagen 7y ago
  https://media.springernature.com/full/nature-static/assets/v1/image-assets/ncomms14743-f1.jpg https://media.springernature.com/full/nature-static/assets/v...
  - pwodhouse 7y ago
    Those are IQ tests (mental quickness on tiny tasks), that don't cover knowledge and wisdom.
    - sbierwagen 7y ago
      Is wisdom relevant to programming? 20 years of COBOL experience doesn't help much when writing Kotlin. Experience of design patterns would seem to be most relevant to senior technical roles and program architecture... which is where you see older programmers.
guelo 7y ago
There is no good data on age related intellectual decline. Most cross-sectional studies that show a decline ignore the Flynn effect as well as things like higher levels of lead poisoning in previous generations.
RaceWon 7y ago
> 25 is around the age where intellect starts to decline An argument can be made that F1 racing is the most demanding endevor a human can participate in--both mentally and physically. Most F1 champions dont even hit their peak until their early to mid 30's. I understand it's about the same for fighter pilots.
- klank 7y ago
  I think I'd enjoy hearing your argument that F1 racing is the most demanding mental endeavor a human can participate in. Care to share?
  - viivaux 7y ago
    I wouldn't say :the most: demanding, but I'd enjoy hearing what you think is easy about driving some of the fastest land vehicles ever created vs the best drivers in the world, with your life (and no small amount of money) at stake?
  - RaceWon 7y ago
    > I think I'd enjoy hearing your argument that F1 racing is the most demanding mental endeavor a human can participate in. The argument is not mine, not at all, but rather that of many medical professionals including sports psychologists. The level of concentration required to pilot an F1 car or really any topline completion car at the limit of adhesion is Total--there is zero room for a concentration lapse. If your mind wanders even on the straights--you're probably taking an ambulance ride. Race cars are not like street cars At all; they want to spin out--pretty much all the time. If you picture the brakes locking up as you're about to brake late; They Will every time. Part of the trick is to acknowledge what is likely to go wrong BUT Do NOT imagine it happening, that shit takes iron concentration.
  - nitrogen 7y ago
    Possibly the incorporation of and reaction to vast amounts of sensory input with a very short time window, where very small mistakes could lead to very large failures. Path planning, resource management, mental modeling of opponents, situational awareness, equipment awareness, physical modeling and prediction, would all be at maximum capacity most of the time.
technotony 7y ago
This is too simplistic. Certain types of intellect seem to peak around there, like mathematical ability, but other types of intellect such as emotional intelligence or verbal skills (think nobel prize winning author) peak much much later in life - certainly into our 50's.
- drchewbacca 7y ago
  I am not sure it is true that mathematical intelligence peaks early, people like to say it though and I'd be interested if there is evidence on it. Here are a lot of examples of good contributions by older mathematicians. https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1059235/great-contributions-to-mathematics-by-older-mathematicians https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1059235/great-contr... I think one factor is that young people tend to be hungry to achieve something and also aren't burdened with family or admin which means they can work harder.
- Bakary 7y ago
  Interesting... sounds to me like the difference between fluid and crystallized intelligence.

25 is around the age where intellect starts to decline (along with everything else) so it isn't really that much of a mystery.

by Bakary 7y ago

25 is around the age where intellect starts to decline (along with everything else) so it isn't really that much of a mystery.

thevardanian 7y ago

You're joking, right? Cause now I have one more thing to feel insecure about.

slavik81 7y ago
I wouldn't worry about it. Every study I've seen on the matter has clearly stated that it's a relatively small effect and is dwarfed by improved knowledge and experience. Overall intellectual performance is still rising at that point.
sbierwagen 7y ago
https://media.springernature.com/full/nature-static/assets/v1/image-assets/ncomms14743-f1.jpg https://media.springernature.com/full/nature-static/assets/v...
- pwodhouse 7y ago
  Those are IQ tests (mental quickness on tiny tasks), that don't cover knowledge and wisdom.
  - sbierwagen 7y ago
    Is wisdom relevant to programming? 20 years of COBOL experience doesn't help much when writing Kotlin. Experience of design patterns would seem to be most relevant to senior technical roles and program architecture... which is where you see older programmers.

guelo 7y ago

There is no good data on age related intellectual decline. Most cross-sectional studies that show a decline ignore the Flynn effect as well as things like higher levels of lead poisoning in previous generations.

RaceWon 7y ago

> 25 is around the age where intellect starts to decline An argument can be made that F1 racing is the most demanding endevor a human can participate in--both mentally and physically. Most F1 champions dont even hit their peak until their early to mid 30's. I understand it's about the same for fighter pilots.

klank 7y ago
I think I'd enjoy hearing your argument that F1 racing is the most demanding mental endeavor a human can participate in. Care to share?
- viivaux 7y ago
  I wouldn't say :the most: demanding, but I'd enjoy hearing what you think is easy about driving some of the fastest land vehicles ever created vs the best drivers in the world, with your life (and no small amount of money) at stake?
- RaceWon 7y ago
  > I think I'd enjoy hearing your argument that F1 racing is the most demanding mental endeavor a human can participate in. The argument is not mine, not at all, but rather that of many medical professionals including sports psychologists. The level of concentration required to pilot an F1 car or really any topline completion car at the limit of adhesion is Total--there is zero room for a concentration lapse. If your mind wanders even on the straights--you're probably taking an ambulance ride. Race cars are not like street cars At all; they want to spin out--pretty much all the time. If you picture the brakes locking up as you're about to brake late; They Will every time. Part of the trick is to acknowledge what is likely to go wrong BUT Do NOT imagine it happening, that shit takes iron concentration.
- nitrogen 7y ago
  Possibly the incorporation of and reaction to vast amounts of sensory input with a very short time window, where very small mistakes could lead to very large failures. Path planning, resource management, mental modeling of opponents, situational awareness, equipment awareness, physical modeling and prediction, would all be at maximum capacity most of the time.

technotony 7y ago

This is too simplistic. Certain types of intellect seem to peak around there, like mathematical ability, but other types of intellect such as emotional intelligence or verbal skills (think nobel prize winning author) peak much much later in life - certainly into our 50's.

drchewbacca 7y ago
I am not sure it is true that mathematical intelligence peaks early, people like to say it though and I'd be interested if there is evidence on it. Here are a lot of examples of good contributions by older mathematicians. https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1059235/great-contributions-to-mathematics-by-older-mathematicians https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1059235/great-contr... I think one factor is that young people tend to be hungry to achieve something and also aren't burdened with family or admin which means they can work harder.
Bakary 7y ago
Interesting... sounds to me like the difference between fluid and crystallized intelligence.