Particularly problematic is the idea of intelligence as a linear IQ scale. This has significant and obvious problems such as the overlap between behaviour considered to be intelligent and that which is regarded as foolish. Depending on various circumstances and situations, supposedly intelligent individuals can exhibit either.
Another important aspect is avoidance. Pragmatic individuals usually spot and avoid foolish language, decisions and actions, sometimes more effectively than those who are supposedly intelligent.
Another facet is integrity. Some people have a moral inclination to avoid foolish behaviour, even when there are potential benefits. Conversely, there are those who, despite being regarded as intelligent, may opt for the advantages and shrug off the foolishness.
In the public arena, it is remarkable how often unprincipled fools lack the intelligence to exhibit principled intelligence. Consequently, it has become obvious how fallible the notion of intelligence can be, yet still we try to make use of it.
4 comments:
Gosh, you are almost saying that character is the most important thing. My guess is that there are plenty of activist groups addicted to identity politics who would disagree - the notion of individual character erodes their 'authority'.
Hence the politicians' mantra: you can fool some of the people some of the time and that's usually all it takes . . .
This is a subject that has preoccupied me all my life. I was a late developer as a child and failed the 11+ in Scotland where my family were temporarily living at the time. I was presumed upon with an IQ test of 98, not to be suitable for a grammar school education, despite the top 20 in the class were to go there and I was tenth. But as far I know, none of the twenty went on to university, save me.
This has lead me to a life long consideration of what really constitutes 'intelligence' and since studies made in the intervening years seem to indicate that there are different types of intelligence, I'm not so sure of the veracity of all those many right wing claims that IQ is such a strong indicator for this most elusive of qualities.
DJ - it's odd, because those who have to live in the real world know how important character is. The highly dependable plodder may well be more valuable to an organisation than the person who is bright but easily distracted.
Jannie - unfortunately that's so. In the case of this government, it wasn't even a majority they had to fool.
Tammly - although IQ is supposedly a good indicator of success, there are obvious problems with it or we wouldn't have HS2, Net Zero, gender politics, diversity politics, mass immigration and so on. Supposedly intelligent people implemented and still promote these failures and failure isn't success.
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