what do I measure when I recognise a spelling mistake — MetaphysicsNow
That's disputable. For instance, I simply saw that you misspelt "whether" "wether" - I didn't measure anything and I did not even compare your "wether" with a correctly typed "whether". Developing the skill of spotting spelling mistakes may or may not involve "measuring" , although it would be a strange definition of "measuring" if it did, but even so that would not in the least entail that everytime I spot a spelling mistake now that I have that skill, that I am measuring something. When you learn to play a musical instrument such as a violin, you begin by concentrating very hard on where you place your fingers on the fingerboard. When you are a proficient violinist you no longer need to do that. Things that are done in order to gain a skill are not necessary to continuing to manifest that skill.In order to determine wether there is a 'z' or an 's' written, you measure several things.
We do have a standard for both volume measurement and iq measurement to compare it too. — Tomseltje
Simple, we have different kind of iq tests. Had all been 100% accurate, there would be no difference. However, when we use different tests, the results differ, hence either one of the tests used is inaccurate, or both are. — Tomseltje
And the only thing that IQ tests have ever been able to tell about anyone is how good or bad they are at taking IQ tests. — MetaphysicsNow
By God you are right! — MetaphysicsNow
Since the term "intelligent" is not universally well defined, their measurement is obviously not easy. IQ tests are one of these attempts to define "intelligent" so that measurement can be done. — FLUX23
I'm not sure what you are implying here, but perhaps there's an argument to draw out of it. Suppose I accept that taking an IQ test is one manifestation of intelligence. Suppose I know someone who manifests other kinds of intelligent behaviour - she speaks a language, plays a musical instrument and has an active social life for instance, maybe she's also quite manipulative of others. Suppose that person fails miserably everytime she takes an IQ test of whichever variety. I might be surprised that she is bad at taking IQ tests, certainly, but then again perhaps not. The point is that there would be no (at least obvious) logical contradiction in supposing that she was simply bad at those tests yet still capable of manifesting all kinds of other intelligent behaviour.If, on the other hand, we wish to deny any authority to our vague notion of the sort of question an intelligent person ought to be able to answer, then we must also discard the notion that we can recognise an 'intelligent' person by the sorts of things they are able to do.
About what specifically - the burden of proof charge?I respectfully disagree.
I've been down this particular path in this thread already - distinguishing one thing from another does not always involve measuring. At least, it is by far from obvious that it does. You may have an entire theory of cognition that is based on a representational theory of perception which assimilates all perceptual activity to measuring the environment, and so everything that involves perception in any way involves measurement, but it would be a whole different thread to examine that kind of idea and what might be wrong with it (the notion of "representation" is an often abused and confused one in the philosophy of mind and psychology).If you have a concept and can distinguish between an intelligent person or not, whether subjectively or objectively, you are qualitatively measuring intelligence.
We're getting down into some complicated issues now! Well, personally I do not play a musical instrument. My colleague who sits next to me does. Other than that difference we have much in common educationally, and the similar jobs we perform we perform to all intents and purposes to the same degree of proficiency, advice seeking between us is a two way street. Do I consider myself less intelligent than he is on the basis that he plays a musical instrument, or did I just not have the same opportunities that he had growing up? Of course, I'm biased, so it's probably not for me to answer, but then why should the outcome of that question be based on our capacity to complete an IQ test either?OK, so I think the first question to answer here would be whether you think we generally consider someone who can solve complex maths puzzles and play a musical instrument as more 'intelligent' than someone who can only do one or the other.
I suppose I have to answer "It's complicated".Does having an ability in more areas of intelligence make one more intelligent overall?
OK, we may not have a disagreement about these kinds of people - it sounds like at some level they are being hypocritical, but if you had an example or two of who you are talking about it might be clearer to me what exactly the issue is here.Where I do take some offence is the current state where those with shall we say non-conventional intelligence, resist having their skill measured quantitatively and yet wish to maintain fervently their authority to do so in their own subjective manner even in public discourse. That seems, to me, a little disingenuous.
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