My pre-theoretic intuition is that it's plastic up to some fixed degree determined primarily by genetics and secondarily by early life experiences. Given the d

My pre-theoretic intuition is that it's plastic up to some fixed degree determined primarily by genetics and secondarily by early life experiences. Given the degree of ignorance and uncertainty involved, though, I think a more interesting discussion centers on the risks involved with what we choose to believe: namely, what's the upside (for individuals, for societies) of assuming "intelligence is fixed" (however interpreted) or that it's not? What's the downside risk of believing the same? How are these risks and potential gains distributed across segments of the population? Lastly, how do these potential distributions square with our moral intuitions (particularly if one considers oneself a nice Rawlsian liberal committed to a maximin distribution of social benefits...).