Intelligence Testing

[Mr. Mister]

Ok. Suppose that somebody could work, say, the IQ test out so that its critics went away and everyone agreed it was fair. Would it be ethical, then, to establish a minimum score necessary for citizenship or various political rights (voting, for instance)?

[salm]

for political rights if you are a citizen? no, everyone should have the same basic rights if he´s a citizen of the country.

as for citizenship i think it depends on what the country needs. if the country needs a special profession for exampe it specialists or web designers or farmers it should be able to give a foreigner citizenship or a greencard or something like that.

[Mr Bean]

Every time somone says a minium IQ test would discrimate unfairly I am so torn, On the one hand I HATE discrimation, on the other, I know exactly whom I'm discrimating aginst so I abstane from those conversations


However I'm a firm beliver in genetic engineering, Screw the Fundys I don't want a Genetic Disorder and I don't think you do either, And if one could kick the *Metablisam and Intellgence genies up a few ticks all the better


To quote Scott Adams
If a quater of the people on this planet are roughly as smart as my Cat does that mean we should engineer smarter people? Or replace the one's we have with Cats as on the whole, They ARE cheaper and cuter

[weemadando]

Though I despise morons IQ is not an effective method of dealing with the problem. I think interviews with a pshrink and a "politcal advisor" followed by return to society or exectution/reeduction would be a better method.

[weemadando]

Though I despise morons IQ is not an effective method of dealing with the problem. I think interviews with a pshrink and a "politcal advisor" followed by return to society or exectution/reeduction would be a better method.

[Rathark]

Is there a reliable means of measuring neural speed directly?

[Lagmonster]

Problem is, you can be the most intelligent person on earth and still be convinced that there is a god, or that aliens have visited New Mexico, or that Elvis is alive, or that you can hear twinkies scream.

[Newtonian Fury]

I definitely would not want an IQ test for citizenship. It would create so much more bad feelings between immigrants and the INS. There are many hardworking immigrants in America right now. Most of them are here to find a better life not for themselves, but for their children. Some of them may not be so smart, but high intelligence is not a requirement for being a productive, loyal, and a generally good person.

[Lagmonster]

I definitely would not want an IQ test for citizenship. It would create so much more bad feelings between immigrants and the INS. There are many hardworking immigrants in America right now. Most of them are here to find a better life not for themselves, but for their children. Some of them may not be so smart, but high intelligence is not a requirement for being a productive, loyal, and a generally good person.

Now, an intelligence test for *leadership* roles, that would mean something.

[Newtonian Fury]

I want a mad scientist for President, baby!

[Singular Quartet]

I want a mad scientist for President, baby!

Hell's yeah.

As to your earlier comment, I believe the average blue collar worker is what we really want, however, political schools that rank on merit would be much better.

[Newtonian Fury]

Politics involves much more than intelligence. Butt-kissing and intimidation are the norm. Think about the maglomaniac politicians we'd be creating if they all have to be geniuses

[kojikun]

The problem is that if we kick out all the stupid people from the US, we're left with only about 1000 citizens. Oh well. Atleast we all get a nice big chunk of land for outselves.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

Ok. Suppose that somebody could work, say, the IQ test out so that its critics went away and everyone agreed it was fair. Would it be ethical, then, to establish a minimum score necessary for citizenship or various political rights (voting, for instance)?

Such a test is about as feasible as free energy and perpetual motion. Nobody would ever agree that an IQ test is 'fair.' Women's groups would say that it discriminates against women because men and women have different thought processes. Minority groups would bitch about it discriminating against <insert minority group here.> Elderly-advocate groups would moan about it discriminating against senile, slow old people.

And no, it probably wouldn't be ethical to make intelligence a minimum requirement for citizenship or voting rights. Remember that some very evil people were of higher-than-average intelligence. (Those who orchestrated the Nazi rule over Germany being prime examples.)

[C.S.Strowbridge]

And no, it probably wouldn't be ethical to make intelligence a minimum requirement for citizenship or voting rights. Remember that some very evil people were of higher-than-average intelligence. (Those who orchestrated the Nazi rule over Germany being prime examples.)

Yeah, but evil people use dumb people to propel them into power. Minimum IQ requirements, or at least a civics test, would help slow that down.

[Spyder]

I think there needs to be a gullibility assessment.

Vote for me, I'll be a good president!

[Nick]

Bah - trying to figure out how to prevent the effects of large numbers of irrational people is a waste of time (because you will generally require the cooperation of large numbers of irrational people in order to achieve it).

Trying to figure out how to increase the overall level of self-confidence and rationality. . . now that has a chance of getting somewhere (albeit, maybe not in our lifetime)

[kheegster]

Intelligence is overrated. I've seen too many intelligent people who happen to be fundie morons.

KG

[SWPIGWANG]

Your assumption that stupid people are bad is wrong, because society is build upon the foundation that smart people control stupid people to do annoying things. :p

Serious, there is no stupidity but incorrect information input.

[Master of Ossus]

Your assumption that stupid people are bad is wrong, because society is build upon the foundation that smart people control stupid people to do annoying things. :p

Serious, there is no stupidity but incorrect information input.

This reminds me of many of those commercials for tutoring services. "Your child isn't stupid. He just learns more slowly, and less effectively, than other children."

There is stupidity. Incorrect information creates only ignorance. Stupidity is a lack of intelligence. Intelligence is not equally portioned among the world's population. To deny that stupidity exists is to deny deviations among people, which is something that we quite obviously cannot do.

[Newtonian Fury]

This reminds me of many of those commercials for tutoring services. "Your child isn't stupid. He just learns more slowly, and less effectively, than other children."

Uh, you do realize that those statements are true for most children with disability? Take dyslexia, for example. The child is certainly learning less effectively, but is he/she necessarily less intelligent? Tutoring programs can help these children overcome these limitations--limitation not really based on intelligence. There are competent math/science teachers around who were dyslexic when they were kids. And they certainly prove that some learning disabilities really can be overcome.

[Nick]

Intelligence is overrated. I've seen too many intelligent people who happen to be fundie morons.

KG

Irrational. Not unintelligent.

There's a difference.