Are Your Smarter (or Dumber) Than Your Ancestors?

I think there are two aspects to what we measure as "intelligence", amount of knowledge and "canniness". Today people have more knowledge, especially since almost everyone has access to the internet and can find information for the asking.

But this same ease of obtaining information, I believe, has reduced the "canniness" that our ancestors had to use to solve problems.

Well I think a lot has to do with proper nutrition and environmental conditions....mental and physical acuity has to do with conditioning as much as fundamental ability....It's easy to confuse knowledge and intelligence, though the two often go hand in hand, other factors come into play...One thing that is certain is there is a lot more specialized knowledge categories that exist today and larger number of individuals that fit into this category...Generally speaking I don't think a definitive answer is possible, although one could certainly say there is a lot more of every kind of intellect than there ever was before....Over stimulation is a symptom of today's society, the end effects of that will certainly drive intellect higher if environmental contamination doesn't drive it in the other direction first...

Wisdom and intelligence are not the same thing. I've come across some very well schooled individuals who were dumb as rocks.

I've seen some that were as dumb as two rocks.

Indeed! A different comparison? - as sharp as a sack of wet mash, as bright as a burned out light bulb and so on.

Wisdom comes from learning/experience. Intelligence, in my opinion, is innate. Just based on my own observations generations succeeding mine may seem to be more intelligent, but less wise. They cannot seem to grasp the basics especially grammatically and mathematically. There are those exceptions which is why we have all the modern day tools available. The advancements in technology by those few truly intelligent ones of earlier, sometimes much earlier generations, has made it possible for the rest to get by very easily. All the work has already been done and made available to the masses. That is until the next "intelligent" people give us more.

Yup, just ask anyone who plays D&D, they'll probably also be able to tell you the classic example of "Intelligence versus Wisdom:" Being Smart enough to know that cigarettes are harmful (High INT) but not being Wise enough to quit (Low WIS).

Or they may use the Jurassic park line about High INT, Low WIS: "You people were so busy with whether you COULD do this, you never stopped to thing about whether you SHOULD do it."

........or as thick as two short planks!

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/106759

I remember many years ago reading an article on IQ tests, that took place in America schools. There was a large difference between them, the schools with white students had high marks, and schools with coloured students had low marks. An analysis of the questions showed they where biased towards the white students, the reasoning being that white students had a more privileged life style, having more access to books, and also a difference in ethnic background dictating the kind of books they read. The analysis found that the kind of questions being asked where mostly taken from children story books, as would be read by white students.

So are IQ results a product of intelligence or life styles past and present?

It may also be due more on to the kind of parenting we have now prevailing as compared to the olden days, say in the 50s /60s or earlier? Parenting Values so to speak...that gets reflected down to most of the offsprings!

I agree and you are right, it is the quality of good parenting that plays a bigger role in a child's development... the guidance, discipline and good examples shown, drilled intheir young minds that shaped and molded them to maturity!

I for one had experienced that kind of upbringing from my parents which in turn I followed and emulated all their examples...then sharing all those values and discipline in raising my own children!

Being a successful retired engr, and having an MD and an RN offsprings, both successful in their chosen fields, I can claim success while giving all the credits to my parents, as they too raised and molded me well!

"I agree and you are right, it is the quality of good parenting that plays a bigger role in a child's development... the guidance, discipline and good examples shown, drilled in their young minds that shaped and molded them to maturity!"

Couldn't agree more, but, unfortunately many parents today think that it is the schools/teachers job to inculcate those qualities into their children, and it is my feeling that this is one of the reason why we are plagued with so many behavioral problems in society today, particularly in the younger generations.........says he who is approaching,(very fast) the big eight zero mark???

If only we could make your words and thoughts that went with them required in school . . . . . . that is a prime example of wisdom.

Well, the lowering of IQ is to be expected. In the Victorian days it was as my Mother used to say about the child proof caps on medicine bottles, "when I was a child, if you were stupid, you died." Now the "stupid" are living much longer thanks to what appears to be an over concern about people harming themselves.

Really? I see where New Jersey is considering a fine on people texting and walking. They may walk in front of a moving car. I say if you're that stupid, you should die.

Too many life guards in the gene pool so to speak.

Too many liberal politicians, who feel to compensate for their lack of true work, they must enact some legislation, and what appears to be better than legislation to protect people from themselves? It certainly is applauded by the insurance industry. (they help to fill every politicians wallet)

That applies to all politicians. You have both Liberal and Conservative Used Car salesmen. They're both going to make you a deal you can't refuse.

......."when I was a child, if you were stupid, you died." Now the "stupid" are living much longer thanks to what appears to be an over concern about people harming themselves.

Aha! Now I know that the world has really gone mad and it wasn't a bad dream after all????

a 2013 joint study

Speaking of joints, I think the proliferation of marijuana use has a contribution to this.

I'm all for legalized pot:

• If you lack the wisdom to avoid it, you end up sitting on the sofa all day, watching Spongebob and eating Funyuns. At the end of the day, you've hurt nobody (unless you consider the artery damage from a Funyun-heavy diet).
• If you have the wisdom to avoid smoking pot, you are also likely to have the wisdom to be a productive member of society, and will go through life helping others instead of hurting them.
• You can also have a lot of fun with the Potheads:
• "Whoah, dude, I can't let you past here unless you give me some money for weed."
• "Say, if people can get past, can they also get ... FUTURE?"
• "Whoah, man." (Pothead sits down to ponder the 'existential brain-bomb' you just handed him.)
• (You continue walking past the Pothead.)
• (I like to mess with peoples' minds, it's a personal failing of mine.)
  

I'm all for legalized pot when the government stops giving money to people who don't do anything. (Obviously, there are people who cannot support themselves through no fault of their own and I harbor no umbrage towards them . . . . so this can never work but you get my gist.)

But if you give them money AND pot, they'll be too stoned to get aroused, and too busy watching Spongebob and eating Funyuns to be seduced. The problem will clear itself up in time.

If only Einstien haven't been born. Then I am smarter.

Could you please fix the title: "Are Your Smarter (or Dumber) Than Your Ancestors?"?