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Great article.

The fact that a few extra hours of sleep or a big cup of coffee can completely sway the results renders IQ scores almost irrelevant, IMHO.

Great intelligence can be simple. Like caring for others, making informed decisions, asking why, etc.




A lack of food or sleep can also play havoc with 100m sprint results, but even the ideal amount of sleep and pasta wont make me beat Usain Bolt.


Not the best comparison.

Your ability to compete in a 100m sprint isn't going to change drastically from one day to the other. IQ scores, however, do.

IQ score is about as dependable as a lie detector on a sphincter-gifted defendant.


My ability to compete in a 5k changes from one day to the next. I don't run 100m sprints, but would guess that the same situation applies there.


Here's my very specific point: an IQ score changes enough, often and by many externality to be considered a form of intelligence measurement.

To me, IQ is about as accurate as BMI.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_reference_chart

On a good day, you might be an average IQ. Or a low average. Or a High average.

I think the 100m is a cute analogy, but it falls short. An IQ changes with very little effort; qualifying for a 100m sprint takes a lot of effort: http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/track-field/training-qualify-10....

I doubt pasta or a bad nights sleep would be such an incredible difference to your performance that you might be considered an athlete one day and a couch potato the next.


I see you have put links into your comment, but they appear to do nothing to back up your claim. Maybe a paste typo.


sigh So far, you've done little more than compare with a completely different form of measurement. Nice timing on that.

Here you might find a chart that shows the differences between IQ ranges. You might notice how you could be 10+/- and manage to find yourself in a completely different range: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IQ_reference_chart

And finally, to "back up my claim", check out a few other criticisms of IQ: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence_quotient#Criticism...

A personal favorite: A 2006 paper argues that mainstream contemporary test analysis does not reflect substantial recent developments in the field and "bears an uncanny resemblance to the psychometric state of the art as it existed in the 1950s."

In other words: fooey.

Successful 90 average entrepreneurs invent, evolve and innovate while there are 110+ middle-aged "geniuses" living in parent's basements. Of course, the opposite is also true.

An IQ test doesn't reflect who you'll be, if you'll be successful or if you'll change the world.

"There is often a stark gap between the abilities of the gifted individual and his or her actual accomplishments. Many gifted students will perform extremely well on standardized or reasoning tests, only to fail a class exam."

-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_giftedness#Underac...

IQ test is more of a religion than science. Like any religious person, you might allow your belief to overstate purpose.


Congratulations for getting over your initial ennui there.




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