Re: Is this math test too easy?

From: Mxsmanic (mxsmanic_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 11/21/04 

Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 05:53:09 +0100

wind writes:

> And smartness is displayed how?

In many ways. The rapidity with which one grasps new concepts, the
versatility with which one applies acquired knowledge, etc. Many other
variables are indirectly linked to intelligence. Intelligent people
tend to be more materially successful and better educated than
unintelligent people. Most people will recognize a smart person as
smart, even if they cannot say exactly why they feel that way.

> How does one separate a smart person from somebody who is extremely
> skilled in one area, such as math, but displays no
> other exceptional abilities?

Smart people are skilled in multiple areas and display many exceptional
abilities.

> What abilities are those that will confer the level of smart
> on a person?

It's the overall ability that characterizes intelligence, not ability in
any one specific area. A person who has great ability in one area but
is average in other respects is not generally more intelligent than
average, but may be considered a prodigy. A person who has great
ability in one area but is substandard in all other areas is usually
called an idiot savant (or just a savant, today, thanks to PC).

> Measuring phenomena and even classifying phenomena under certain names is
> not the same as a theoretical basis of the phenomena.

The functioning of the brain is unexplained. This being so, there is no
theoretical physiological basis for intelligence, but it is presumed
that such a basis exists, with or without a theory to describe it.

> They still don't know why Einstein was "smarter" than his peers,
> even though they have his brain, just that he was considered smarter.

Yes.

> Some people will progress in a field faster and more broadly
> than their peers. There is no proof in my mind that
> these people were smarter than the others, as in having a superior brain at
> birth.

Yes.

> Just because someone scores higher on an iq test, doesn't mean that
> they were born with a superior brain.

Yes. But it is strong evidence in this direction. 

-- 
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

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