Intelligence - A question for discussion

[Ben.]

Yeah, nothing as fancy as Reece's topics...but I pose this question:

"Is the population getting less intelligent through the generations?"

Example answers:

- Yes, because the people who are less intelligent have more children, whilst the more intelligent people are more careful (in general). This results in a steadily expanding population of less intelligent people.

- No. If many of the things we have had not yet been invented, then people now are just as likely to invent them. The reason people seem less intelligent (and discover less) is because the things we must study to discover new ideas/concepts are much harder.

Keep civil!<3

[Clone]

Yes. Our world is being infested with a growing population of uncivilized idiots.

[Gandalf]

Half of the people younger than you did not understand the question

I do not believe people are less intelligent. However they are far less educated.

[Ben.]

Yes. Our world is being infested with a growing population of uncivilized idiots.

Fair enough.

Half of the people younger than you did not understand the question

I do not believe people are less intelligent. However they are far less educated.

Haha, I guess its the difference between "Intelligence" and "education" which confuses them!

[Reece]

 It's because of poor parenting, which later leads to poor school life and thus a poor educational result, which in turn leads to a society with people, who seemingly, seem less intelligent, when actually a poor education has diminished they abilities.

[Ben.]

I guess you think the population is becoming less intelligent... 

However, moving slightly away...some may disagree, but can use the principle:

David Cameron - Good upbringing, right schools, etc. I thing he has made a lot of unintelligent decisions...some may disagree, but if so, replace him with someone else.
Bill Gates - Came out of school with nothing. Now has a massive fortune.

I don't personally agree with the "blame the parents" routine fully, but I can acknowledge that it is may be a factor. I personally think there is something genetic involved, which explains the difference between some younger children...same kind of background, but one kid just seems "sharper" than another, if you see what I mean.

[Reece]

It's not to say that having poor parenting and then bad education makes you bad at life, nor means that you are doomed to life long failure. However, those who have poorer quality of life and education, typically, are less intelligent, sure there are some exceptions, but not always.

[Ben.]

Seems like a sensible response to me. I can concede that point!

[Gandalf]

It's because of poor parenting, which later leads to poor school life and thus a poor educational result, which in turn leads to a society with people, who seemingly, seem less intelligent, when actually a poor education has diminished they abilities.

It has more to do with the education and society system having changed, a change that is prevalent in the players as well.

In the past, education was based on learning facts, and opinions was something you formed yourself. Currently, education is teaching preferred thought patterns, and factual knowledge is secondary to absent.
As for society, in the past everything was allowed that was not explicitly forbidden. Currently the trend is that everything is forbidden unless explicitly allowed.
Example in traffic law:
Old sign: forbidden to go right (you can go in any direction not forbidden)


New sign: You are allowed to go straigt only (forbidden to go in any direction not mentioned)

[Ben.]

True!
I mean, education narrowed from both apprenticeships and university, to just university. Apprenticeships got frowned upon. Now, apprenticeships are making a massive come-back, and even those with good grades may still choose to go that route...I know I did!
It drifts us a little off-topic, but it shows the effects of a narrow-minded education system (as well as other systems!)

[Que]

School is of course, useful. But life is so much more than just that.
By looking at the individuals who dedicated their soul and heart on studying hard all of the school years, has one big issue with the real life (so to say).
I don't really think we are less intelligent either, as Gandalf stated. We are just taught in the wrong way, forced to sit in front of something that is completely uninteresting.

I did not finish school, but I'm not regretting it at all. My knowledge of life is so much more precious for me than some math I will never use in my entire life anyway.
Been through every possible situation, been seeing things I've wanted to see, also things that I've not wanted to see.
But hey, that's life.

[Gandalf]

School is of course, useful. But life is so much more than just that.
By looking at the individuals who dedicated their soul and heart on studying hard all of the school years, has one big issue with the real life (so to say).
I don't really think we are less intelligent either, as Gandalf stated. We are just taught in the wrong way, forced to sit in front of something that is completely uninteresting.

I did not finish school, but I'm not regretting it at all. My knowledge of life is so much more precious for me than some math I will never use in my entire life anyway.
Been through every possible situation, been seeing things I've wanted to see, also things that I've not wanted to see.
But hey, that's life.

School does not have to be interesting. It should teach basic knowledge, from a start that you need to a point where you want to have it. After that you go in to the real world to use your factual knowledge and learn how to couple it with real life problems.

My main problem with modern education is that it forces you in to accepting thought patterns. If you have a mind of your own, you will get low grades as you do not comply with the preferred pattern.
This creates people who are easily influenced by mass media and follow the mainstream instead of making up their own mind through exchange of opinions. A perfect example is Wikipedia. It can contain factual errors that can not be edited out because a mainstream opinion believes in them.

[Jubin]

- No. If many of the things we have had not yet been invented, then people now are just as likely to invent them. The reason people seem less intelligent (and discover less) is because the things we must study to discover new ideas/concepts are much harder.

Keep civil!<3

You do know your statement is false. As the speed of which human kind comes up with new discoveries and come up with new inventions is actually rapidly accelerating. For example think how fast are they coming up with new iPads these days or any mainstream "You have to get it to be popular" gadgets. it seems soon they are bringing out a new product just a week after the previous version. Same goes to science as each year more and more scientific papers are published and nobody can keep track of it. For example last Mathematician to be good in all of maths existed around 1700s. Beyond that point Mathematicians had to specialize on their own field and they started to not know what was happening elsewhere.

[Morgan_Rose]

I think that taking "Intelligence" into this topic is non-respect againts poor and uneducted men and women that no one can provide for them it. Some people even succed without education either. Though, everybody have the right to live so chill out

School does not have to be interesting. It should teach basic knowledge, from a start that you need to a point where you want to have it. After that you go in to the real world to use your factual knowledge and learn how to couple it with real life problems.

Exactly, if I'm not wrong, school is place for giving the basic required knowledge and even if it's really boring keep yourself up and keep get educated and study, after everything that you look into, it's your key for life!

[Ben.]

You do know your statement is false. As the speed of which human kind comes up with new discoveries and come up with new inventions is actually rapidly accelerating. For example think how fast are they coming up with new iPads these days or any mainstream "You have to get it to be popular" gadgets. it seems soon they are bringing out a new product just a week after the previous version. Same goes to science as each year more and more scientific papers are published and nobody can keep track of it. For example last Mathematician to be good in all of maths existed around 1700s. Beyond that point Mathematicians had to specialize on their own field and they started to not know what was happening elsewhere.

An iPad is a computer. That is not a new concept. Touch screens are not a new concept either.
IMO, inventing something is actually something NEW, not something copied. Please see link below:

Code: [Select]

http://www.everythingisaremix.info/
Then again, as most things are inspired by nature, maybe we never invented anything...!

I think that taking "Intelligence" into this topic is non-respect againts poor and uneducted men and women that no one can provide for them it.

I do not understand what you mean. Education is not the same as intelligence...I'm talking about the capabilities of a person's mind, not the narrow-minded culture of the education system.