Intelligence is irrelevant to a happy old age

[lazyday]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurence I think if anything, you need a certain thresh hold of intelligence reached, and once you get there, social I.Q., drive, charisma, etc. that "gets you there".

IIRC there may have been some research, or maybe just an essay, about this somewhere. The threshhold being fairly high, perhaps 99.5%ile, but I believe was talking about making major contributions in one's field. Something about having IQ of say 180 not being much more statistiacally likely to produce original thought or discoveries than "just" 150.

Not just because there are many more people of 150 than 180--thats something else.

(I suppose you were talking more about just normal success, Laurence. I'd imagine there's diminishing returns of IQ there too/something of a threshhold.)

IMO one's worth (as opposed to net worth) is not highly correlated to one's IQ

[wabmester]

You guys know about the Stanford Marshmallow study, right? The key to success is not IQ. It's your ability to delay gratification.

http://www.sybervision.com/Discipline/marshmallow.htm

[MRGALT2U]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wabmester You guys know about the Stanford Marshmallow study, right?* * The key to success is not IQ.* *It's your ability to delay gratification. http://www.sybervision.com/Discipline/marshmallow.htm

Never heard of it, but it makes sense. If you are toasting a
Marshmallow, it is almost impossible to wait until it it toasted
properly. Most folks lose patience and just set it ablaze

JG

[MRGALT2U]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazyday IIRC there may have been some research, or maybe just an essay, about this somewhere.* The threshhold being fairly high, perhaps 99.5%ile, but I believe was talking about making major contributions in one's field.* Something about having IQ of say 180 not being much more statistiacally likely to produce original thought or discoveries than "just" 150. Not just because there are many more people of 150 than 180--thats something else. (I suppose you were talking more about just normal success, Laurence. I'd imagine there's diminishing returns of IQ there too/something of a threshhold.) IMO one's worth (as opposed to net worth) is not highly correlated to one's IQ

I see your point, but "worth" is a meaningless concept.

JG

[laurence]

Hey, I like my marshmellows burnt!

I honestly don't know what my exact I.Q. is. When I was younger I took a test and was placed in a gifted magnet (over 130 I.Q., or so I was told) and I took a short test as an adult that estimated 150. But who knows if that was accurate? Maybe because my Dad is an Ivy League white male I understood analogies involving greek fables?

General Theory of Relativity? Probably beyond me no matter how hard I try (actually, now I'm too old anyway), but I certainly could choose any mortal profession, and do well.

[MRGALT2U]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ex-Jarhead JG:* By stating that REW couldn't possibly imagine how liberating that is, implies that REW isn't as smart as you.* That's not a very smart statement, when you have no information on REW. Regards, Jarhead

Well, look at it this way. I did not intend to imply anything, but if I had,
my chances of being right would have been over 99 out of 100, even with no info. BTW, I like REW...........no disrespect.

JG

[MRGALT2U]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurence Hey, I like my marshmellows burnt!* I honestly don't know what my exact I.Q. is.* When I was younger I took a test and was placed in a gifted magnet (over 130 I.Q., or so I was told) and I took a short test as an adult that estimated 150.* But who knows if that was accurate?* Maybe because my Dad is an Ivy League white male I understood analogies involving greek fables?* General Theory of Relativity?* Probably beyond me no matter how hard I try (actually, now I'm too old anyway), but I certainly could choose any mortal profession, and do well.

From time to time in Mensa, the idea that old farts (like me) should requalify
pops up. Never goes anywhere. I have no idea if I could requalify
(almost 30 year member). I've consumed an ocean of booze since I was
first accepted, and doubt I would even apply if the idea took root today.

JG

[wabmester]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurence but I certainly could choose any mortal profession, and do well.

Not me. * I consider myself extremely lucky that computers went mainstream just around the time I needed a job. * Other than software developer, what other job could I get that gave me instant feedback on my work, and if I made a mistake, I could simply debug, edit, and recompile.

When I was a kid, I used to reset my moral compass by asking myself "what if everybody in the world acted like I did?" * *Imagine what kind of world this would be if software developers were unleashed on the real world? * Buildings would crumble. * *Cars would run a couple of miles and then stop (reboot!). * Surgeons would say "hmm, let me try that again...."

[greg]

Real intelligence is a happy old age.

[lazyday]

After a few years of programming, I learned that I made much higher quality product if I examined and improved my code thoroughly before ever trying to run it. I then tried to write in a simple and robust way. Running&debugging was good to get out most of the bugs one would notice right away, and leave in several that wouldn't be noticed for some time.
I intended to research or even take a class on robust methods of coding to reduce bugs, but never got around to it... too late now.

I'm not detail oriented enough to be a really good programmer anyway. When I was really little, wanted to be a surgeon. Thankfully, I didn't... horrible to imagine the consequences of all my mistakes in that field.

Laurence--there's a movie where Marilyn Monroe explains Relativity to Einstein using some toys. Easy for anyone to understand.
dunno if that's general or special though. Which is the hard one?

[SteveR]

The tough one is Special Relativity. If you think this one is tough....try Quantum Physics. That will mess up your mind for sure.

Cosmology is now defined in terms of Quantum Physics. Only a handful of people on this planet can really understand it. Read a Stephen Hawking book sometime. He tries to put it in layman's terms but it is still way out there.

[riskadverse]

I dated a girl who was a cosmologist - she messed with my mind but she would cut my hair for free.

[laurence]

Read Stephen Hawking's "A brief history of time" and enjoyed it immensely. That man is truly amazing, no other proof needed that disabled does not mean less able.

I have immense respect for programmers, I had to change some .xml at work and screwed up the code, took me a day (off and on, constant interruptions) to debug it. I'll stick to computer security.

[HFWR]

Quote:

there's a movie where Marilyn Monroe explains Relativity to Einstein using some toys...

Saw tracy Lords do something similar this past weekend!!

Seriously (if you can believe that), intelligence does not equal wisdom...

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by riskaverse I dated a girl who was a cosmologist - she messed with my mind but she would cut my hair for free.

I don't get it. What does the fact that you dated a girl in the Soviet space program have to do with you getting a free haircut?

REW

[MJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo! I don't get it. What does the fact that you dated a girl in the Soviet space program have to do with you getting a free haircut? REW

I didn't see a smiley face so I don't know if you're joking.
I guess he meant cosmetologist.

[sgeeeee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveR I am 100% sure I could care less what anybody's IQ is.* :

A person's IQ correlates very well to the score they got on an IQ test. After that, IQ is an indicator of almost nothing.

[MRGALT2U]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo! I don't get it.* What does the fact that you dated a girl in the Soviet space program have to do with you getting a free haircut?* * REW

That's a winner

JG

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo! I don't get it.* What does the fact that you dated a girl in the Soviet space program have to do with you getting a free haircut?* * REW

Didn't Abbot & Costello used to do that routine? I'm not even gonna go near the phrase "free trim."

cosmology: 1 a : a branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of the universe b : a theory or doctrine describing the natural order of the universe
2 : a branch of astronomy that deals with the origin, structure, and space-time relationships of the universe; also : a theory dealing with these matters

cosmonaut: Etymology: Russian kosmonavt, from Greek kosmos + Russian -navt (as in aeronavt aeronaut) : an astronaut of the Soviet or Russian space program

cosmetology: : the cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair, and nails

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJ I didn't see a smiley face so I don't if you're joking.

After reading your tag line ("Most people don't act stupid: it's the real thing!") I understand your skepticism.

REW