silber@voodoo.ucsb.edu (07/27/89)
-Message-Text-Follows- re: iq debates: One recalls the off-the-wall assertions that mr. shockley made (back in the 70's) about inheritance of intelligence. The fact that he had a nobel prize for co-inventing the transistor gave him credence around the falwell crowd when he spouted off about intelligence, yet his racist and biologically-untutored ramblings re: intelligence did not add to any scientific studies regarding intelligence. the nature, origins, and purpose of human intelligence, are still quite unclear. i agree with the previous poster (Ramesh R.) who noted that very complex systems such as brains, evolve much slower than cosmetic features (so since the human species became distinct only a few million years ago, it is plausible to assume that the basic apparatus responsible for 'intelligence' has about the same intrinsic performance capability in all humans. ) One can also note that all the turing test debates can be mirrored in historical examination of the construction and adminstration of the so-called "i-q" tests which have been applied to humans.