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I can accept your belief, in principle, about putting enough effort in early education and that lack of such efforts contributes to poor outcomes in college. I

by syops 5y ago

I can accept your belief, in principle, about putting enough effort in early education and that lack of such efforts contributes to poor outcomes in college. I also think though that some people just can’t grok algebra. You would agree that a mentally disabled person can’t learn algebra, right? So where is the line below which a person can’t learn algebra. I suspect it is much higher than being mentally disabled.

lifeisstillgood 5y ago
I am not sure what "mentally disabled" means in this context. I would be surprised that a psychiatrist would find it a useful term - in the same way that any doctor would not look at the paralympics and see only one illness / disability but dozens of conditions. I am fairly certain there are Rain Man like people who can do algebra or calculus but would for most people sit under the term "disabled". Perhaps it might be good for you to ask, "the people I see who can do algebra also can act in certain other ways, socially and mathematically. How much am I looking for people who can do maths, people who can do maths like I do, and people like me who can do maths" Edit: yes I suspect I sit to the left of you, but the important takeaway here is not that some people are more "intelligent" than others (I agree for whatever definition we choose) but that raising the education level of all in society massively benefits us all. Oh and ranking peoples value in society based on intelligence is not a good idea. It's only just above ranking on physical disability, or your parents aristocratic connections.
- syops 5y ago
  I used the phrase in a colloquial sense. Replace mentally disabled with intellectually disabled. That’s the proper modern term for what was once called mental retardation. I gave no indications that people ought to be ranked in terms of value to society based on intelligence or any other criteria.
danbolt 5y ago
I can’t prove this a priori, but I think like the line would be pretty low in a vacuum. It’s hard to tell in the real word though, since we have so many compounding factors in people’s educational careers that affect their abilities.
ajuc 5y ago
Mental disability and intelligence isn't one variable. And intelligence isn't one dimensional. Asking for a threshold makes about as much sense as asking how many pawns you need to win a chess game.

by syops 5y ago

lifeisstillgood 5y ago

I am not sure what "mentally disabled" means in this context. I would be surprised that a psychiatrist would find it a useful term - in the same way that any doctor would not look at the paralympics and see only one illness / disability but dozens of conditions. I am fairly certain there are Rain Man like people who can do algebra or calculus but would for most people sit under the term "disabled". Perhaps it might be good for you to ask, "the people I see who can do algebra also can act in certain other ways, socially and mathematically. How much am I looking for people who can do maths, people who can do maths like I do, and people like me who can do maths" Edit: yes I suspect I sit to the left of you, but the important takeaway here is not that some people are more "intelligent" than others (I agree for whatever definition we choose) but that raising the education level of all in society massively benefits us all. Oh and ranking peoples value in society based on intelligence is not a good idea. It's only just above ranking on physical disability, or your parents aristocratic connections.

syops 5y ago
I used the phrase in a colloquial sense. Replace mentally disabled with intellectually disabled. That’s the proper modern term for what was once called mental retardation. I gave no indications that people ought to be ranked in terms of value to society based on intelligence or any other criteria.

danbolt 5y ago

I can’t prove this a priori, but I think like the line would be pretty low in a vacuum. It’s hard to tell in the real word though, since we have so many compounding factors in people’s educational careers that affect their abilities.

ajuc 5y ago

Mental disability and intelligence isn't one variable. And intelligence isn't one dimensional. Asking for a threshold makes about as much sense as asking how many pawns you need to win a chess game.