Higher IQ - Political Forum

dahermit · 04-06-2007, 06:57 PM

If you could assure that your unborn child would be more intelligent than he/she would have otherwise been would you do it?

Brother Oz · 04-06-2007, 07:08 PM

If it didn't involve anything else, and was risk-free, then I would. Although, if only him or her was getting the intelligence boost, not lots of people, then I wouldn't want him or her to be too clever. Because I think they would not have a happy life, if they were much cleverer than everyone else.

Scribbler1 · 04-06-2007, 09:56 PM

Unless my kid was proven to have downs or something, I wouldn't monkey around with what will be.

An I.Q. doesn't mean all that much anyway, high or otherwise.

Ygorl · 04-06-2007, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dahermit

If you could assure that your unborn child would be more intelligent than he/she would have otherwise been would you do it?

I have done it. Or done as much as I could to DO it. No, I won't tell you what it is I've DONE. Do a shitload of research and you MIGHT know what can be done to build a good brain in a developing child

Ygorl · 04-06-2007, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

Unless my kid was proven to have downs or something, I wouldn't monkey around with what will be.

An I.Q. doesn't mean all that much anyway, high or otherwise.

True to a point.

But then we can get into "What, exactly IS I.Q. ?"

Intelligence is, in ways, somewhat somewhat subjective.

dahermit · 04-07-2007, 11:01 AM

Quote:

But then we can get into "What, exactly IS I.Q. ?"

I.Q. means "intelligence quotient". It is the numerical score of a certain standardize test divided by the child's age. I will take your statement to mean: What exactly is intelligence.
Although IQ scores have been discounted by psychologists, it has remained a relative standard.

Scribbler1 · 04-07-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thane

True to a point.

But then we can get into "What, exactly IS I.Q. ?"

Intelligence is, in ways, somewhat somewhat subjective.

Exactly, and since there are so many variables to defining intelligence to begin with, we would be messing around with something we don't understand.

I'm not getting into the "superbabies" or "master race" arguments here. I just don't think we know NEAR enough to start mucking around with fetal brains to make it worth the risk, except in the case of physical abnormalities of course.

Of course, now that you mention it, if we could go back in time I can think of a lot of "brains" in Washington I'd LOVE to work on before they were born. Nothing wrong with the President and much of Congress that a pair of wire cutters, a soldering iron and a pair of chopsticks wouldn't fix, pre-birth.

dahermit · 04-07-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Of course, now that you mention it, if we could go back in time I can think of a lot of "brains" in Washington I'd LOVE to work on before they were born. Nothing wrong with the President and much of Congress that a pair of wire cutters, a soldering iron and a pair of chopsticks wouldn't fix, pre-birth.

Are you suggesting that if we could time travel that you would do some retroactive abortions?

Scribbler1 · 04-07-2007, 02:00 PM

No. I'd only lobotomize them, so they could only work in local and state governments. Maybe sew their mouths shut so they couldn't lie, either.

panteth4h2o · 04-08-2007, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

No. I'd only lobotomize them, so they could only work in local and state governments. Maybe sew their mouths shut so they couldn't lie, either.

LOL You gotta love this guy's sarcasm sometimes.

I wouldn't mind having a kid with a high IQ, but having a high IQ might now get you anywhere without a strong work ethic and deep desire to get somewhere in life. I've known some average people who where very successful due to a strong work ethic, and others who had high IQ's, but were completely undisciplined with no desire. Of course, if they have both, then that's even better. Still, it doesn't guarantee greatness or anything.