[geeks] Mensa

[der Mouse]

>>> However, [...] so obviously the test wasn't so much a measure of IQ
>>> as it was literacy, language comprehension, and personal
>>> experience.
>> Rather, I would say that one's literacy, language comprehension, and
>> personal experience are factors that contribute to one's IQ.
> According to IQ researchers, this should be false.  One of their
> claimed goals is to try and create tests that account for this.

Hm.  An interesting goal, but one that makes IQ even less relevant,
less connected to the referent of the common-language term
"intelligence".  (Not to mention, a goal that I think is quite likely
impossible - though perhaps interesting to approach.)

> Personally, I agree with your point of view.  I think intelligence
> can be taught.  I disagree with the notion that you are born with a
> certain level and that's it.

The first time I was tested, the tester told my mother I came out
second percentile.  My mother responded "you mean 98th percentile" and
was told "no, I mean second percentile".  You see, nobody had explained
what the point of the exercise was, so I flipped past all the boring
stuff until I found an interesting question - and I answered something
like 1= questions out of the whole test.  (Or so I've been told.  I
don't remember that incident at all.)

So from an "intelligence is what this test tests" perspective, my
intelligence took a huge jump from one simple explanation. :-)

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