Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!lll-winken!uunet!ncrlnk!ciss!dbruck From: dbruck@ciss.Dayton.NCR.COM (Don Bruck@ciss.Dayton.NCR.COM) Newsgroups: comp.ai Subject: Re: IQ is not static, genetic differences inconsequential. Message-ID: <865@ciss.Dayton.NCR.COM> Date: 2 Aug 89 13:57:42 GMT References: <3549@csd4.milw.wisc.edu> <4431@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> <3558@csd4.milw.wisc.edu> <504@dcdwest.UUCP> <3612@csd4.milw.wisc.edu> <6899@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu> Reply-To: dbruck@ciss.UUCP (Don Bruck@ciss.Dayton.NCR.COM) Organization: NCR Corp. Network Application Services Lines: 40 I am certain that most of the participants in this discussion have mcuh more training than I in the subjects of himan development, intelligence, and genetics but I feel that I need to put in my $.02. I am assuming that intelligence is known only if it is measured by a test. The measurement depends on my performance in solving a set of problems. I am also limiting the type of problems to x-type, symbolizing the subset of all types of problems in the world. Genetics seem to give us animals a certain start in life. Hairiness, height, propensity to addictive behaviors. It therefore gives the basics for the development of intelligence. Therefore, if this propositon is correct, I am able to learn certain problem types better than other problem types because the selection process of my ancestors has limited my genes to solving the problems that were most important to their society. Following this we may find that *statistically* people of Chinese descent are better at solving a x-type problems than people of Germanic descent. Environment also plays a part. If I had never been exposed to x-type problem I would never learn to solve x-type problems. If I have the same exposure to x-type problem as someone whose genetic make-up gives them an edge in solving x-types I will *probably* solve either slower or with greater error rate. Free will is also important. If I try to learn to solve x-type problems I will *probably* be more successful in taking a test consisting of x-types than if I had concentrated on y-types. It seems to me that intelligence like height is affected by, at least, these three factors. I have a tendency to be tall, my mother nourished me well, I chose to eat what I did. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don Bruck Don Bruck NCR Corp. 4184 Bellemeade Dr. Corporate Data Planning and Administration Bellbrook OH 45305 PCD 6 (513) 848-4420 1700 S. Patterson Blvd. Dayton OH 45479 (513) 445-7603 My opinions and interests are my own.