Can we really measure intelligence?

            This article portrayed some new ideas I have never thought about before when thinking about how smart people really are. They talk about the different types of IQ tests and other studies that portray a special skill of having intelligence in one individual. For many years peoples power they possess in their brain has been measured by intelligence. What is it that they are actually measuring?

            By telling someone to read some questions and have them answer the questions, and whatever comes back as a result, is how intelligent you really are. Wrong. There needs to be many other factors taken into consideration. Things like a person’s age, gender, race, where you grew up are all factors to think about. Telling someone how smart they are by having them answer questions that don’t really pertain to them or what they will need to do in life isn’t a correct way of telling them they are incompetent. IQ tests have been around since before they really even knew what they were testing for.  

            Intelligence has many different ways to show, the main two are crystalized and fluid intelligence. Crystalized is basically the knowledge you would have learned directly from getting the education that is required by law. On the other hand fluid intelligence is gained by learning to solve new things on your own. Scientists have been finding new ways to classify intelligence based on many different factors than the traditional math and verbal skills. I totally agree that our intelligence isn’t really something that should be measured by schooling. We have fallen from our roots of being able to be independent and not worry about a test score limiting you to a unsuccessful future.