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The scientific consensus on intelligence in 1997 was quite clear on this issue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainstream_Science_on_Intelligence http://en.wikipe

by verteu 12y ago

The scientific consensus on intelligence in 1997 was quite clear on this issue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainstream_Science_on_Intelligence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainstream_Science_on_Intellige... . (See conclusion #3.) Has the consensus changed since '97? I frequently hear people dispute #2 ("Intelligence can be measured, and intelligence tests measure it well") and #5 ("Intelligence tests are not culturally biased"). However, I'm not aware of a revolution in IQ testing which overturns the old findings.

pessimizer 12y ago
That was the consensus of scientists who specialized in studying general intelligence, not the consensus of scientists, and was controversial at the time. It did help to fight myths that were being promulgated by popular writers and politically-motivated cranks about what the consensus of scientists who studied general intelligence actually was. Asking scientists who specialize in Spearman's g whether g is real is like asking astrologers whether astrology works.
- verteu 12y ago
  > Asking scientists who specialize in Spearman's g whether g is real is like asking astrologers whether astrology works. Climate change deniers use the same argument -- "Of course people who professionally study global warming will claim it's real!" Why is your claim valid while the above is specious? It depends on the rigor of the subfield in question.
murbard2 12y ago
I don't know of any field where there is a larger gap between mainstream science's position and what the public think this position is. It's "common knowledge" among a certain educated elite that IQ has been debunked.
- keketi 12y ago
  What educated elite is that?
  - verteu 12y ago
    California judges, for example, have consistently ruled that IQ tests are "racially and culturally biased": http://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/30/us/court-upholds-ruling-on-bias-in-iq-tests.html http://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/30/us/court-upholds-ruling-on... .
    - DonGateley 12y ago
      And California judges are competent to decide that question how? Their opinion is nothing more than "if we don't look at it, we can't see it." It is merely a judgement of what will be considered politically correct. That the judiciary considers itself competent in that domain is terrifying.
  - murbard2 12y ago
    In my experience, people who work on Wall Street. And there are many groups in the US which are much more liberal and likely to hold unscientific views about IQ.

by verteu 12y ago

pessimizer 12y ago

That was the consensus of scientists who specialized in studying general intelligence, not the consensus of scientists, and was controversial at the time. It did help to fight myths that were being promulgated by popular writers and politically-motivated cranks about what the consensus of scientists who studied general intelligence actually was. Asking scientists who specialize in Spearman's g whether g is real is like asking astrologers whether astrology works.

verteu 12y ago
> Asking scientists who specialize in Spearman's g whether g is real is like asking astrologers whether astrology works. Climate change deniers use the same argument -- "Of course people who professionally study global warming will claim it's real!" Why is your claim valid while the above is specious? It depends on the rigor of the subfield in question.

murbard2 12y ago

I don't know of any field where there is a larger gap between mainstream science's position and what the public think this position is. It's "common knowledge" among a certain educated elite that IQ has been debunked.

keketi 12y ago
What educated elite is that?
- verteu 12y ago
  California judges, for example, have consistently ruled that IQ tests are "racially and culturally biased": http://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/30/us/court-upholds-ruling-on-bias-in-iq-tests.html http://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/30/us/court-upholds-ruling-on... .
  - DonGateley 12y ago
    And California judges are competent to decide that question how? Their opinion is nothing more than "if we don't look at it, we can't see it." It is merely a judgement of what will be considered politically correct. That the judiciary considers itself competent in that domain is terrifying.
- murbard2 12y ago
  In my experience, people who work on Wall Street. And there are many groups in the US which are much more liberal and likely to hold unscientific views about IQ.