I found our discussion about Race and IQ very interesting. There's so many variables that have to be considered when it comes to intelligence. As we saw in class this past Wednesday there are so many ways to define intelligence it makes it challenging to find a way to measure it. We will cover this more when we debate it in class, but these discussions really led me to think about how I feel there are multiple types of intelligence. There are so many different areas or skills that require a different kind of intelligence.
Another thing that was on my mind a lot during class is how the IQ tests are created to be equal among different people. Testing bias is the first thing I thought of when we were asked to think of reasons for the gap in different races IQ's. Throughout the class period a quote from Albert Einstein continuously came to mind; "If you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree it will spend it's whole life believing that it is stupid." I thought this quote was relevant because if the test is something only a certain group is good at or some don't have experience with then other groups will certainly score low and have a "low IQ."
My final thought throughout this discussion was the idea that a person can be intelligent in one subject and not in others. For example, if I have a wonderful memory for directions and could go almost anywhere without a map, that might be a quality that encourages people to think I'm intelligent. At the same time, I could be horrible at the most basic math. Then would I still be considered intelligent? It is hard to judge intelligence as one blanket quality when there are so many different ways and areas a person could be intelligent in. We see this all the time with people that are brilliant but have horrible social skills, or people who are particularly good at either math or reading comprehension but not both. Are those people not intelligent because they are only good at certain things? I don't think I have a specific answer, but it is interesting to consider.
I think your exactly right when you talk about how people can be intelligent in one area but not in another. I've always agreed with the multiple intelligences theory, but I think there are also some standard universal intelligences that everyone could be tested on. And should have. For instance, just about everyone can learn basic math skills. Just about everyone can learn to read and write in their own language. I think we need to take a broader look at ALL the people in the world and sepparate what is a universal trait vs. A trait common to one particular culture or groups of people. Everyone smiles, everyone laughs, cries, but not everyone knows how to weave a basket or catch fish, trade stocks or drive a car.
ReplyDeleteI like how you incorporated the quote from Einstein into this post. I also like how you are thinking about questions you have during class discussion. I enjoy reading what you think of during class. I agree with you, I do believe that there are multiple intelligences. How can one be good at music and one not. I also believe that you need to be curious about a certain aspect which helps fuel how well you perform in that area. Also, some people may see different intelligences as talents but I do not believe that this is what they are.
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