The g Quotient is Education and Success

{``...defined by g, ... g being the standard, ... Proponents ... are called g theorists ...``}

Thank you for this article in general and for solving my g-mystery. For years, I searched for g, in vain. Somebody said it was a ``spot`` somewhere on (or in) the body. But having looked high and low I`d given up the search as a futile pursuit, until now. Thanx again.

Truly pathetic. Like Delhiwala pointed out, this article is getting scant attention while inflammatory prose is inciting a wide debate.

Personally, I believe in the maxim ``Genius is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.`` Geniuses seem to have a lot more drive and persistence to achieve something, mostly under seemingly unflinching odds.

I think we can all be geniuses if we follow our passion and relentlessly pursue it until we reach those milestones that the world classifies as genius.

Sachin,
Lack of interest on this thread versus Manto`s thread that has nothing but jibes, itself shows the standard of DESI crowd. They would rather spend time on attacking Sikhs/Hindus than participate on quality discussion such as this.
Sad...

Anyways, I had two dreams in my life when I was studying in Central School in India. One was to invent a Computer with a foldable screen, so that people can carry a folding PC with them and just flip open the little device that becomes Laptop type of station. I had some brilliant ideas about using TFT display(pasma), but they are already invented. I was so surprised when I saw them in a conference in Boston. I had these ideas without even knowing anything about what is going on the IT field in early eighties when biggest computer was BB Acorn or Synclair with 16 K disk.

How did I get this idea sitting in India with no access to world events etc? My frustration led me to the conclusion that intelligence always persisted in humans it is just the materialisation of the idea that defines success.
While visiting the V&A museum in London, I saw the work of ancient greeks and I was spellbound, how the heck someone 2000 yrs ago with no precision power tools or not eve paper to draw pictures could create those wonderful pieces of art.
I mentally travelled in a time warp 200 yrs ago, and I could picture myself sitting on a hill in MT Athena and drawing ideas.

Leonardo and Jules Verne lived in pre industrialized Europe, yet they wrote about things that are used today.
Leonardo gave us a Parachute, tank, anatomy of humans, a non working model of helicopter, ballon.
Vernes wrote about time travel and fax machines 150 years ago.
It is so cool when you think about pure power of imagination without any other obstruction.

I have another brilliant idea that I am carrying with me i.e. to use DNA as the model for all Discrete Mathematical Structures and to be used for all Storage and computing media.
Imagine a DNA hard disk or cpu, stored on one tea spoon, that could do the work of most powerful computing machine in the world.

Ciao.

Sachin,
Lack of interest on this thread versus Manto`s thread that has nothing but jibes, itself shows the standard of DESI crowd. They would rather spend time on attacking Sikhs/Hindus than participate on quality discussion such as this.
Sad...

Anyways, I had two dreams in my life when I was studying in Central School in India. One was to invent a Computer with a foldable screen, so that people can carry a folding PC with them and just flip open the little device that becomes Laptop type of station. I had some brilliant ideas about using TFT display(pasma), but they are already invented. I was so surprised when I saw them in a conference in Boston. I had these ideas without even knowing anything about what is going on the IT field in early eighties when biggest computer was BB Acorn or Synclair with 16 K disk.

How did I get this idea sitting in India with no access to world events etc? My frustration led me to the conclusion that intelligence always persisted in humans it is just the materialisation of the idea that defines success.
While visiting the V&A museum in London, I saw the work of ancient greeks and I was spellbound, how the heck someone 2000 yrs ago with no precision power tools or not eve paper to draw pictures could create those wonderful pieces of art.
I mentally travelled in a time warp 200 yrs ago, and I could picture myself sitting on a hill in MT Athena and drawing ideas.

Leonardo and Jules Verne lived in pre industrialized Europe, yet they wrote about things that are used today.
Leonardo gave us a Parachute, tank, anatomy of humans, a non working model of helicopter, ballon.
Vernes wrote about time travel and fax machines 150 years ago.
It is so cool when you think about pure power of imagination without any other obstruction.

I have another brilliant idea that I am carrying with me i.e. to use DNA as the model for all Discrete Mathematical Structures and to be used for all Storage and computing media.
Imagine a DNA hard disk or cpu, stored on one tea spoon, that could do the work of most powerful computing machine in the world.

Ciao.

satyamvada:

you`re partially true, i wouldn`t say that my knowledge of indian literary tradition is zero, though it`s limited. thanks for the link to the infinity foundation.

delhiwala:

you too are hitting the nail right on the head. glad to see others out there with a similar point of view.

gill saheb

i`m just happy you responded.

Every one doesn`t have the talent to become a scientist, an engineer or a medical doctor. It doesn`t mean that those who do not become scientists are not talented. Diversity is the order of the world and nature. if you`re able to earn your living with honor and do the things which interest you, it`s good. A guy who is good at pure mathematics shouldn`t waste his talent in engineering although it might give him more money.

exactly what i`m trying to say, you just put it more aptly.

irfanhamid

you`re so very right, it is a romantic notion, but from the point of view of a non technical person like myself, romance is the only hope (literally).

thank you also you for that nugget about issac newton.

@Sachin,

Most of what you say makes a lot of sense. Raw IQ cannot be taken as a predictive barometer for success in relationships, but it can be used for predicting how successful at certain types of studies and careers a person would be. A high mathematical and spatial reasoning score might mean someone is more suited to theoretical physics, a high score in pattern recognition might point to a career in cryptography. You yourself quote that the g theorists` results are validated by studies, and math (statistics) doesn`t lie; given a large enough sample, you can say with high confidence what the chances of accuracy for a certain hypothesis are.

I do, however, take issue with your interpretation of how major scientific breakthroughs occur. You state ``...greatest ideas in science are a result of abstract creativity and tremendous empathy``, well, abstract reasoning I can agree with. But empathy (defined as ``Identification with and understanding of another`s situation, feelings, and motives``), even in tremendous portions will not rectify a lack of knowledge, intelligence and hard work.

The great Isaac Newton was once asked how he solved his hardest problems, his reply is classic: ``by working unto it``. Empathy may, or may not, provide the motivation to solve a scientific problem, but will never be the vehicle for finding the solution to it. Being in engineering research myself, I can safely say that most people in this domain are smarter than average which is counter-balanced by a lack of social skills. It`s just the way it is. Most of the great scientists of history were not ``people persons``, they rarely had an artistic bent, and seldom displayed empathy. If empathy were a prerequisite to science, Oppenheimer and Fermi would not have developed the A-bomb, and a significant amount of technological innovation would not be driven by the military-industrial complex.

Regards,
Irfan.

PS: I can understand the romantic appeal of this point-of-view, in fact it has been discussed here at chowk before.

Re: # 3
For the second time Mr Gill on this forum, I agree with you.
Like, you have been taught ``Humdulm Ullah``

Every one doesn`t have the talent to become a scientist, an engineer or a medical doctor. It doesn`t mean that those who do not become scientists are not talented. Diversity is the order of the world and nature. if you`re able to earn your living with honor and do the things which interest you, it`s good. A guy who is good at pure mathematics shouldn`t waste his talent in engineering although it might give him more money.

Our society needs the professionals like technicians, motor mechanics, plumbers, etc. also. In restaurants, the waiters and waitresses are needed. The western countries have taken care of all these needs. A waiter or a waitresses doesn`t have to wait on tables all his and her life. And there is dignity in all kinds of work. The important thing in life is that one should have self respect and shouldn`t lose it.

Mohammad Gill

Sachin,
Welcome to my World Pal!

You are hitting the nail right on head where it deserves to be, we are so much alike.

In India, creativity is not possible because of economic depravity, regardless of the progress made in different areas. In fact it is suppressed, under the circumstances either very rich or very poor who disregard everything and go all out for their creative pursuit turn the tide. For e.g. AR Rehman, Sachin Tendulakar and many other examples.

Whereas in the Western World, people are actually encouraged to do extra curricular activities and pursue what you might like in later years of your life.
Indians in India cannot afford to go after their dreams till they have Roti/Kapra/Makan needs met. There is no much “kasham-kash” that nobody pays any attention to new ideas.

What you are saying was actually the topic of the day for me also at work.
Unfortunately the world we live in measures a person`s aptitude or his S-Factor(success) based on his material possessions or the ability to reach them.

How many parents would say that my son is becoming a folk artist when he grows up or for that matter my son is becoming a cricketer to join Indian team?

It is sad.

IQ, as I see it is a function of intelligence in all the spheres around humans, physical aptitude, rational logic, reasoning, creativity, physical abilities and add what not.

Also, what about dump, deaf, mute person, can they be intelligent?
What about cases like Rainman or Autistic kids, my friend’s brother in Chicago lives in a Looney-Bin but he can multiply numbers and tell the day of the week for a date in a second.

Sachin,

I noticed that other than Tendulkar or Rehman (mere pop icons) - you ended
up quoting western literary sources. Your knowledge of Indian literary tradition
seems to be zero.
It seems to me that you are the typical anglicized Indian whose knowledge
of India is
minimal to non-existent.
I recommend that you read the Infinity Foundation Mandala website

http://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/indic_mandala_frameset.htm