# What is the evidence that races are equal in intelligence?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [June 8, 2001, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996 "2001-06-08T01:05:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 8
### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/141 "2001-06-16T01:03:03Z")
**sjgouldrocks** , you are not paying attention. Playing word games for the apparent purpose of scoring points, while bringing nothing of substance to the discussion, makes you appear to be one of the PC driven people to whom **IzzyR** was referring, earlier.
Scouts for sports systems (and coaches and trainers and so forth) are working under a different set of conditions than doctors attempting transplants. When we went from the 1960s (before which opportunities were clearly nil) to the 1990s with only a single black quarterback in the NFL, a lot of people drew the conclusion that blacks “didn’t have what it takes” to be quarterbacks. A few people went back and began interviewing blacks who had been outstanding high school quarterbacks to discover why they had not pursued careers in that position. What the interviewers discovered was that those athletes had all run into coaches who “discovered” that the kids were better wide receivers or tight ends or whatever and they were directed away from the quarterback position. (The few who succeeded in remaining quarterbacks in college, then ran into the same “discovery” process if/when they entered the NFL.) Once that “redirection” was exposed and college coaches began letting high school quarterbacks try out as college quarterbacks, we “suddenly” discovered that there was a large pool of qualified black quarterbacks in college and, ultimately, the NFL.
That, as you noted with your cryptic “scouting” reference, was racism.
When we look at organ donations, we have a somewhat different picture. Blacks tend to be more reluctant than whites to donate organs in the United States. Given such shining examples of medical altruism as the Tuskeegee study and the apocryphal (but widely believed) story that Dr. Drew, the black man who developed blood plasma, was denied a transfusion and died, it is not hard to figure out why blacks are reluctant to trust the medical profession–particularly when they may fear “harvesting” their organs to be given to whites.
However, the result is that in an area of medicine where there are too few available donors at any time, the number of donors who will contribute the highest matching percentage of blood types to provide organs for blacks are abstaining from joining the donor pool.
For any given two individuals whose tissue and blood types match, there is an equal chance of success regardless whether either the donor or the recipient is from the Isle of Mann, Honshu, Madagascar, or Fiji. Finding a high enough percentage of people whose body types match includes encouraging enough people, _the larger percentage of whom_ are more likely to match, is not racism.
This is not to say that racism (conscious or unconscious) does not exist in the medical profession, as I already pointed out in the story of the ACE inhibitors study and the reactions of the NEJM editors. However, to label every perception of every event that includes a consideration of (culturally identified) races as “racism” is, indeed, to be very PC–possibly detrimentally so.
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### Author:  [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/142 "2001-06-16T03:15:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Collounsbury \*
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Unless you can provide evidence to the contary, I would suggest that very few African Americans can make a recent genetic connection with Amer-Ind or Asian.
>
> Recent, what does recent have to do with this?
As opposed to 10’s of thousands of years ago
> [@](#):
>
> \*Collounsbury \*
> No matter, I will ignore that particular red herring to address the substance, that being that Af Am communities have a long and intimate history with native american communities.
>
> Insofar as the numbers, I don’t believe we have directly any percentages which I personally would wish to cite to beyond the genetics matierials I have cited to in the past.
Ha ha ha
> [@](#):
>
> _Collounsbury_
> However, in regards to the history of Africans and American Indians stretching all the way back to colonial times and continuing through to modern times, let me suggest some of the following which I have seen cited in various literature:
>
> First, for convenience let me direct you to this longish on line essay which appears to be well sourced and covers some of the history of NaAm connexions with Afs.
> [http://www.patrick.af.mil/deomi/Observances%20&%20Demographics/Ethnic%20Observances/Native%20American%20Month/nahm95.htm](http://www.patrick.af.mil/deomi/Observances%20&%20Demographics/Ethnic%20Observances/Native%20American%20Month/nahm95.htm)
>
> The historical discussion while brief strikes me as balanced and well-done.
Your link doesn’t work and the biblio is meaningless to this discussion
Well I’m out of here to. I do have a life beyond this stupid a fruitless discussion which is negatively impacting my life. Collounsbury has successfully convinced me that I am not on the same level intellectually as he is, so I don’t see how we can conduct a reasonable conversation.
For those of you who are convinced that I am some kind of racist, all I can say is that you are dead wrong. I enjoy living in a multi-racial, multi-ethnic society, and believe in promoting multiculturalism for Canada.
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/143 "2001-06-16T03:59:52Z")
**Collounsbury** ’s link does not work for me, either, but it was not that hard to move back to the home page and then forward to the page he had identified. From that link:
> [@](#):
>
> William Katz, in **Black Indians** , clearly chronicles the participatory merger of these two races, and the omission of this reality in all but the most contemporary literature. Many friendships and mergers were brought about by the fact both people shared a common foe, says Katz,–the Europeans. He notes that both societies were based on economic cooperation rather than competition and rivalry as the Europeans were. Each was a proud people, but not prejudiced as a rule; they valued, instead, skill, friendship, and trust. (13:29) In the preface of the 1990 printing of his book, Katz expands on original estimates of the extent of this merger of the two races. He also comments on the denial of this reality in America:
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Clearly the 1920s estimate that a third of African Americans have Indian blood…requires new research. Today just about every African American family tree has an Indian branch. While Europeans forcefully entered the African blood stream, Native Americans and Africans merged by choice, invitation and love. This profound difference cannot be understated–and it explains why families who share this bi-racial inheritance feel so much solace and pride. (13:2)
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/144 "2001-06-16T05:15:33Z")
Submitted by **grienspace** ;
> [@](#):
>
> Collounsbury has successfully convinced me that I am not on the same level intellectually as he is
Intellectualism really has very little to do with the OP.
The opinion implied in the _tone_ of AWC’s statements is easily refuted. All one need do is look around. Observe society and apply a little honest thought to what you see.
As others have pointed out, the main barriers to minority achievement have historically been the prejudices of the majority. Even these barriers have been overcome by many. First, a black quarterback. Next, a black president. Scary, huh? :rolleyes:
Anecdotal evidence rules here, and there is certainly no evidence of any genetic intellectual inferiority.
“In General” my butt.
Peace,
mangeorge
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### Author:  [@dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dude)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/145 "2001-06-16T08:27:04Z")
Race definition - human, that will do for me, the rest is balls.
ok, older males in certain societies will have an advantage but in general that does not count anymore.
– they do better - do a web search at [http://www.google.co.uk](http://www.google.co.uk), sibling research was done by the same guy who did the ‘bell curve’ book
'So women lose out if they have less kids? '… check out evolution magazine, some research in oz, they don’t really lose out but in an evolutionary sense they do… smart women have less kids.
anacodtal evidence, i know that BUT everyone at great debate is always saying ‘this happened to me or i know’ and after all an example is ok in my book.
You went to college? - yes, newcastle upon tyne university
'Don’t mind me, I’m a teacher ’ - what, you hang around youn girls in uniform !! good move !
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/146 "2001-06-16T10:30:20Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dude \*
> Race definition - human, that will do for me …
Agreed.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dude \*
> ok, older males in certain societies will have an advantage but in general that does not count anymore.
Cite?
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dude \*
> – they do better - do a web search at [http://www.google.co.uk](http://www.google.co.uk), sibling research was done by the same guy who did the ‘bell curve’ book
>
> 'So women lose out if they have less kids? '… check out evolution magazine, some research in oz, they don’t really lose out but in an evolutionary sense they do… smart women have less kids.
If you’ve found a link, why not post it? Why do we have to go through search engines, find magazines and hunt for ‘some research in oz’?!
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by dude \*
> anacodtal evidence, i know that BUT everyone at great debate is always saying ‘this happened to me or i know’ and after all an example is ok in my book.
This sort of muddled thinking (and poor spelling / grammar/ punctuation) is why I was sarcastic about your college.
The image you present on a message board comes solely from your postings. Isn’t it worth spending time on them?
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### Author:  [@Autumn\_Wind\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Wind_Chick)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/147 "2001-06-16T11:33:23Z")
He does seem to have a point – the PC position is fundamentally inconsistent.
You cannot, a priori, accept a source-category for one purpose, and reject it for others.
But then again, PC has always been about doublethink.
As far as racial mixing goes, I agree that it is possible that one day, races will mix to the point where it is impractical or impossible to make meaningful observations and predictions based on race. But (obviously) that day has not yet come.
Autumn
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/148 "2001-06-16T14:50:24Z")
> [@](#):
>
> But (obviously) that day has not yet come.
Barring some better evidence than a selective photograph and a huge leap to a conclusion, it is _obvious_ that day arrived tens of thousands of years ago.
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### Author:  [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/149 "2001-06-16T15:08:03Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Autumn Wind Chick \*
> \*\*
> As far as racial mixing goes, I agree that it is possible that one day, races will mix to the point where it is impractical or impossible to make meaningful observations and predictions based on race. But (obviously) that day has not yet come.
> \*\*
So, what race are my friends and what meaningful observations and predictions can you make based upon their race? Come on **AWC** , I posted a nice picture for you any everything. Or are you willing to admit that the color of a person’s skin can tell you nothing about what that person is like?
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/150 "2001-06-16T18:05:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Autumn Wind Chick \*
> He does seem to have a point – the PC position is fundamentally inconsistent.
Ah, so it’s because we’re all ‘PC’ that we disagree with you?
OK, for purposes of this discussion only, I think women should stay at home and have babies. Does that make me ‘non-PC’? If not, please define PC.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Autumn Wind Chick \*
> You cannot, a priori, accept a source-category for one purpose, and reject it for others.
Which source-category do you refer to?
I accept Newton’s Laws of Motion. He was deluded about astrology though.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Autumn Wind Chick \*
> But then again, PC has always been about doublethink.
That’s strange, I thought it was about trying to avoid offending people.
Of course bigotry has always been about prejudice and ignoring the evidence. (Every **reasonable** person knows that.)
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Autumn Wind Chick \*
> As far as racial mixing goes, I agree that it is possible that one day, races will mix to the point where it is impractical or impossible to make meaningful observations and predictions based on race. But (obviously) that day has not yet come.
I admire your gumption in posting that ‘obviously’.
You haven’t given any meaningful observations and predictions based on race. There is no genetic evidence to support you, yet somehow you’re … right.
Have a go at my previous questions:
Is there a blue-eyed race? (you can tell them apart at a glance, you know)
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by glee_
> I would like to hear from Autumn Wind Chick (and berdollos)
> which races there are.
> I would guess they mean:
> White, Black, Asian, Jews and perhaps Spanish.
> So presumably the white race includes the US, Canada, Europe (except for Spain / Portugal), Russia, Australia, New Zealand…
> Blacks covers Africa, Aboriginals, the Caribbean…
> Asian from Asia (well, obviously)
> Jews come from the Middle East (I don’t know if they think there’s a race of Arabs)
> Spanish covers S. America, Cuba…
> That leaves Eskimos, Native Americans, Greeks and Turks to fit in somewhere.
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### Author:  [@Autumn\_Wind\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Wind_Chick)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/151 "2001-06-16T22:04:27Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*\*
> You haven’t given any meaningful observations and predictions based on race. \*\*
> [@](#):
>
> \*\*
> In the entire U.S., it is possible to find people of all “races” (as defined, culturally, by appearance) who may provide good matches. However, it has been the observation of the people doing the matching that they will find a larger pool of potential donors from among the associated groups. \*\*
Game, set, and match.
Autumn
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### Author:  [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/152 "2001-06-16T22:29:36Z")
From the OP;
> [@](#):
>
> Anyway, my question is: What is the evidence that races are equal (in general) in intelligence?
>
> Most of the information I have seen deals with evidence of inequality, and the possible refutation of such evidence.
What “game” are we playing, anyway?
Peace,
mangeorge
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [June 16, 2001, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/153 "2001-06-16T23:09:29Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Game, set, and match.
So. You are conceding that having higher _frequencies_ of blood type among certain groups does not indicate “race” since _every_ group will have _some_ people who match _some_ people in every other group?
Thank you. We were not sure you were capable of recognizing that point.
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/154 "2001-06-17T01:04:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Autumn Wind Chick \*
> [@](#):
>
> \*\*
> In the entire U.S., it is possible to find people of all “races” (as defined, culturally, by appearance) who may provide good matches. However, it has been the observation of the people doing the matching that they will find a larger pool of potential donors from among the associated groups. \*\*
Game, set, and match.
Autumn
[/QUOTE]
Autumn,
your thinking worries me. Do you not understand that the above is evidence that **there is no way to define race beyond skin colour?**
You seem to think it shows there are races which can somehow be distinguished beyond skin colour. Why?
Look, a ‘black’, an ‘asian’ and a ‘white’ can all possibly supply donor material to each other.
Two ‘blacks’, or two ‘whites’ may well not be compatible at all.
The above quote merely says skin colour may make it more likely. Did you follow the earlier points about sickle cell anemia?
(It frequently results from living in a malaria infested area. Many such areas have black-skinned populations. but ‘blacks’ who don’t come from such areas don’t have the gene, while ‘asians’ who do come from such areas, do.)
If you have siblings, they may well be more likely to match for donor purposes. They may also share skin colour. But they match because their parents married, not because they share skin colour (or eye colour).
You don’t seem to post much (or indeed much that is logical).
But you really must try to answer this:
what are all the ‘races’ that you think exist?
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2001, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/155 "2001-06-17T03:50:16Z")
glee,
So, have the geneticists yet proven that every discrete characteristic of any arbitrarily defined subgroup can be found to in at least one member of every other arbitrarily defined subgroup ?
The platform upon which this “race cannot exist” argument is resting may be ideologically sound, but it’s scientific basis is far less certain than say, the theory that humans contribute to global warming.
Slinging insults around, and trying to shout down the ideas of others does nothing to advance your position. Ignorance is not a sin, but ridiculing people for their imperfect knowledge of the results of “cutting edge” scientific studies is not something a nice person does.
Particularly when:
1. The studies themselves are far from conclusive. [There may be 3 nails in the coffin, but a proper lid takes 16]
2. It’s not obvious that the people doing the bashing understand the studies better than, or even as well as, the bashees.
3. Hi Opal.
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### Author:  [@sjgouldrocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjgouldrocks)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2001, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/156 "2001-06-17T11:25:31Z")
It’s been CONCLUSIVELY shown that race does not exist.
If you disagree, I challenge you to come up with one SHRED of evidence otherwise.
You will see that the stuff above about “sickle cell anemia” has been thoroughly discredited.
And the thing about blood matching is a racist myth - Can anyone honestly claim that an Australian “aborigine” is better off with blood/organs from a “native Nigerian?”
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/157 "2001-06-17T14:08:29Z")
> [@](#):
>
> And the thing about blood matching is a racist myth - Can anyone honestly claim that an Australian “aborigine” is better off with blood/organs from a “native Nigerian?”
Would you please have the courtesy to _read_ what was posted on the subject?
_Any_ person in the world has _some_ chance of being a good donor for _any_ other person in the world. There is no such thing as blood that is “good” for one group or another group.
On that point we probably agree.
However, certain geographic regions are more likely to have a higher percentage of Type O or Type AB than other regions. This is directly analagous to finding more people with red hair and freckles in Ireland than in Greece.
**AWC** sees this higher _frequency_ as an indication of “race,” missing the point that even with a greater _frequency_ of any trait, the peoples of the world are too intermixed to be able to be categorized by any such term.
On the other hand, **sjgouldrocks** , you appear to be among the PC-driven people to whom **IzzyR** alluded, because you wish to deny that there are _any_ differences (of traits or frequency or anything else), regardless of any evidence.
Let me try to paint a picture for you (using imaginary numbers) of the blood types of a group of 100 Americans.
… European … African. … Asian
Type O … . . 61 . . . . . 05 . . . . . 03
Type A … . . 12 . . . . . 01 . . . . . 02
Type B … . . 07 . . . . . 02 . . . . . 01
Type AB… . . 01 . . . . . 03 . . . . . 01
Total group. . 81 . . . . . 10 . . . . . 07
In this little scenario, those who were brought here from Africa have slightly more individuals who have Type AB blood than those who came from Europe or Asia, combined.
If 50% of the Europeans and 50% of the Asians give blood, but only 10% of the Africans give blood, there is going to be far less Type AB blood available for people in need, but African-descended people are going to be disproportionately hurt by that lack. The Type O people are going to be able to share among each other quite nicely, regardless of where their ancestors lived.
Note that in _no_ group is Type AB the most prevalent variety. Type AB is not an “African” blood type any more than Type O is. More African-descended people, in fact, have Type O than Type AB. This puts paid to the idea that there is some “race” out there, since each blood type occurs in each population, with slightly different percentages.
However, it is simply not racist to seek to increase donors from the African-descended group in the hopes of increasing the supply for those Type AB people (of _any_ descent)
to have more blood available.
_[For those of you who actually know about blood matching and tissue typing and all that, I am well aware that I have left out rhesus and the myriad of other factors that complicate this example in real life, to say nothing of the “Type O = Universal donor” phenomenon". I used as simple an example as I could construct without getting bogged down in side discussions. The numbers, here, are imaginary, although they indicate the process that is under discussion.]_
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### Author:  [@sjgouldrocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjgouldrocks)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2001, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/158 "2001-06-17T14:22:49Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by tomndebb \*
> \*\*
>
> However, certain geographic regions are more likely to have a higher percentage of Type O or Type AB than other regions. This is directly analagous to finding more people with red hair and freckles in Ireland than in Greece.
>
> \*\*
However, certain geographic regions are more likely to have people with a higher percentage of “fast twitch” muscle fiber than other regions.
:rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/159 "2001-06-17T14:33:02Z")
Hello, Squink.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Squink \*
> So, have the geneticists yet proven that every discrete characteristic of any arbitrarily defined subgroup can be found to in at least one member of every other arbitrarily defined subgroup ?
I have problems following this.
First I assume the word ‘exist’ should go between ‘to’ and ‘in’.
Then I don’t see why it matters if they have or haven’t, since why would scientists be interested in uninformed opinion / random choices?
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Squink \*
> The platform upon which this “race cannot exist” argument is resting may be ideologically sound, but its scientific basis is far less certain than say, the theory that humans contribute to global warming.
You don’t understand. Scientists don’t say ‘something can’t exist’. They find evidence that suggests some theory. Scientists publish the theory (including their definitions). Other scientists test the theory. Any evidence that refutes the theory means you have to come up with a better one.
If someone says “I can levitate”, we ask them to demonstrate. We don’t say “Oh, that can’t exist.” (Mind you, if the ‘levitator’ constantly refuses to demonstrate anything, you do get a bit suspicious.)
Here Autumn Wind Chick says the human race can be subdivided into other races. OK, what does she mean by that? After 150+ postings, it seems she means skin colour.
I’ve asked her what categories of skin colour are there (since all humans must fit into a category). No answer so far.
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Squink \*
> Slinging insults around, and trying to shout down the ideas of others does nothing to advance your position.
Moi? Insult? What insult? All I’ve done is repeatedly asked Autumn Wind Chick for information (categories of skin colour; are blue-eyed people a race?).
Pleaase feel free to give some evidence of your own. Do you think humanity can be divided into races? If so, what are they and how do we distinguish them?
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### Author:  [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)
#### Post date: [June 17, 2001, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-evidence-that-races-are-equal-in-intelligence/67996/160 "2001-06-17T14:35:04Z")
As an educator, I have become very acquainted with the concept of “multiple intelligences”. The concept, in brief, states that intelligence can manifest itself in many forms.
I have worked with children who are truly lacking in some areas, yet have shown through things they’ve done and said during the course of the school year that they are very intelligent. The “Iowa Test of Basic Skills”, for example, only measures one aspect of intelligence.
If I would place you, for example, in an Aborigine village, YOUR intelligence would be judged from THEIR perspective. Can you hunt, find water, make tools, build huts? Hmmm… “Poor guy,” they would think, “he really is a dunce!”
Einstein is another excellent example. His instructors took a very dim view of his abilities. In fact, one of them told him quite bluntly that he should drop out. We all know how that story ended, yes :)?
So, the point is that in order to answer your original question, you will have to give us a PRECISE DEFINITION of intelligence. You can’t do that because there are so many aspects of intelligence, so your question cannot be answered to your satisfaction.
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