Two year old has "Einstein" IQ ?

Rrose Selavy · 12th October 2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

A Berkshire toddler has become the youngest boy to be accepted by high IQ society Mensa. Oscar Wrigley, two-and-a-half, was tested on his vocabulary and numeracy. Testers said his IQ was akin to that of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking

Except Einstein never took an IQ test..so why would "testers" use a comparison that doesn't exist , makes an assumption and could be completely wrong?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/b...re/8303880.stm

duras · 12th October 2009, 05:13 PM

Another thing to note is that MENSA is just a money making scheme meant to trick people with slightly above average IQs.

The way IQ works (as I recall, I could be wrong) is that they compare you to others in the same age group. So it means this kid, at age 2.5, is smarter than most other kids his age. That's simply moronic as children develop at different rates and within a few years he could easily be average for his age.

jhunter1163 · 12th October 2009, 05:18 PM

My IQ is between 147 and 161, depending on which test you use. I joined Mensa for about a minute back in the day. It was basically a bunch of people standing around congratulating themselves on being smart. There weren't any hot chicks or beer there so I had no compelling reason to go back.

paximperium · 12th October 2009, 05:20 PM

If a 2 year old test at the level of a 5 year old, his IQ would be beyond Einstein's...adults would just think it was cute.

duras · 12th October 2009, 05:26 PM

Their list on wikipedia is really underwhelming:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mensans#top

For 100,000 members this isn't a particularly impressive list. Control + f and search for "scientist" for a good laugh. You'd think if it was such an exclusive society they'd have at least one notable scientist.

paximperium · 12th October 2009, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by duras

Their list on wikipedia is really underwhelming:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mensans#top

For 100,000 members this isn't a particularly impressive list. Control + f and search for "scientist" for a good laugh. You'd think if it was such an exclusive society they'd have at least one notable scientist.

Uh, I don't consider that much of an issue against Mensa. Many folk don't bother to join Mensa and being a good scientist does not require a high IQ so I don't see your point.

paximperium · 12th October 2009, 05:31 PM

Quote:

What are Mensa's goals?
Mensa has three stated purposes: to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence, and to promote stimulating intellectual and social opportunities for its members.

I think that is probably its most reasonable goal.

This story on the other hand just makes them look stupid(pun intended).

Andrew Wiggin · 12th October 2009, 05:55 PM

It's not the number that determines genius, but what you do with it. It'll be interesting to see if this kid accomplished great things, or if he just publicizes himself as an authority based on a test score, in the style of Marilyn vos Savant. I read her column, but I always feel vaguely disillusioned that the self-proclaimed most intelligent person spends her time answering questions on puzzle problems.

I had decent numbers too, but when people want proof that I'm intelligent and competent, I show them things I've done, not test scores.

A.

Jungle Jim · 12th October 2009, 06:18 PM

Well, he missed the answer to the question of a house made of glass...So I'm not all that impressed. Cute kid though. What I found odd is that the father states that he hoped Mensa could provide help. What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child?

Paul C. Anagnostopoulos · 12th October 2009, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by Jungle Jim

What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child?

I recommend they attend the "How to Deal with a Smartass" class.

~~ Paul

Dave Rogers · 13th October 2009, 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by Rrose Selavy

Except Einstein never took an IQ test..so why would "testers" use a comparison that doesn't exist , makes an assumption and could be completely wrong?

[hand up] Ooh! I know this one!

Because news reporters trivialise and sensationalise stories in order to attract more information, ignore qualifiers and nuances in the source material in order to do so, and often make gross and laughable errors as a result?

Dave

cyborg · 13th October 2009, 02:47 AM

Well, that kid's going to be screwed by this.

McHrozni · 13th October 2009, 03:08 AM

IQ just tells how smart you are for your age, it's a relative number. It doesn't tell what this kid can achieve as an adult. He's likely to be intelligent, however, but it doesn't mean he can reason now as Einstein did in his best years.

McHrozni

Rrose Selavy · 13th October 2009, 04:19 AM

Originally Posted by Dave Rogers

[hand up] Ooh! I know this one!

Because news reporters trivialise and sensationalise stories in order to attract more information, ignore qualifiers and nuances in the source material in order to do so, and often make gross and laughable errors as a result?

Dave

Yes but it's the "testers" who are supposedly making this assertion not the reporter.
And has Hawking ever taken an IQ test anyway or do they just think of the first two "brainy" people that comes into their head?

cyborg · 13th October 2009, 04:21 AM

I'm fairly sure we've had discussions in the past about the flawed nature of IQ tests anyway.

It's just a way for the people to get excited over nothing, "wooh golly, we got our selves a gen-u-ine genius here, better prepare the kid for the inevitable Nobels he's going to get now because treating a two year old like a genius for doing things that we should consider unremarkable for a two year old if we weren't so generally ignorant about the nature of intelligence and child development definiately isn't going to cause issues for the young-un."

erlando · 13th October 2009, 08:18 AM

My IQ is (or at least was a few years back) tested by Mensa to >155. That's supposed to be in the genius range.

Where's my Nobel Prize dammit?

erlando · 13th October 2009, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by duras

Their list on wikipedia is really underwhelming:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mensans#top

To be fair I hardly think a list on Wikipedia is an authoritative source. I know for a fact that Mensa's member list is not a matter of public record.

JJM · 13th October 2009, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by paximperium

... being a good scientist does not require a high IQ so I don't see your point.

Disregarding the notion of "IQ" and just referring to native intelligence (whatever that may be), I think being good at just about anything requires high intelligence. (I mean walking-around-type people, not, e.g., autistic savants.) In my estimation, most of what you might consider "good" chemists at work today are competent technicians, not "scientists" who, in my opinion need deeper understanding and creativity. That is, scientists are not people who simply do repetitive work, or the next obvious thing.

bpesta22 · 13th October 2009, 09:49 AM

Would any one bet against this kid in terms of success in life versus a similar kid, raised in the same environment (SES) with an IQ of 100?

The odds a randomly selected ph.d. (scientist) has a lower IQ than a randomly selected person with a high school diploma are 1:100. Seems like having some minimum IQ (115 or so) is critical for success as a scientist, though having more than the minimum doesn't make one a better scientist. IQ predicts jobs (scientists too) in that having the minimum level of IQ for the specific job is critical; having more than that typically doesn't help.

wuschel · 13th October 2009, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Jungle Jim

What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child?

Deny premature access to

Originally Posted by jhunter1163

hot chicks or beer

...for one?

kerikiwi · 13th October 2009, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Jungle Jim

What I found odd is that the father states that he hoped Mensa could provide help. What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child?

The father said there may be other parents who could help. Sounds like a perfectly reasonable idea.

Eos of the Eons · 13th October 2009, 02:11 PM

His parent is at risk of raising a narcissistic arrogant brat if he's already trying to see if his kid is special.

Rolfe · 13th October 2009, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by jhunter1163

My IQ is between 147 and 161, depending on which test you use. I joined Mensa for about a minute back in the day. It was basically a bunch of people standing around congratulating themselves on being smart. There weren't any hot chicks or beer there so I had no compelling reason to go back.

What he said, almost exactly.

I got 158 on the preliminary test and 161 on the formal test, nearly 20 years apart, which I thought was quite good reproducibility.

But as a society, it sucked. Even though the local organiser lived within walking distance of me. They say it's the top 2%. I decided it must be the second-top 1% or something, 'cos they were all posers.

(They had a singles list, which was sort of the point at the time, but even that didn't cut it.)

Rolfe.

Prometheus · 13th October 2009, 04:12 PM

If the parents are smart, they'll skip the Mensa meetings and get the kid some karate classes or something, else he's gonna get the crap kicked out of him when he get's to school.

bpesta22 · 13th October 2009, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Prometheus

If the parents are smart, they'll skip the Mensa meetings and get the kid some karate classes or something, else he's gonna get the crap kicked out of him when he get's to school.

True, but if he survives it, they'll be pumping his gas when he's older.

Hindmost · 13th October 2009, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by Andrew Wiggin

It's not the number that determines genius, but what you do with it. It'll be interesting to see if this kid accomplished great things, or if he just publicizes himself as an authority based on a test score, in the style of Marilyn vos Savant. I read her column, but I always feel vaguely disillusioned that the self-proclaimed most intelligent person spends her time answering questions on puzzle problems.

I had decent numbers too, but when people want proof that I'm intelligent and competent, I show them things I've done, not test scores.

A.

I have to second you on this. Marilyn vos Savant has not really done much for all her acclaimations. It would be like Tiger Woods playing putt-putt for a living.

glenn

Checkmite · 13th October 2009, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by Eos of the Eons

His parent is at risk of raising a narcissistic arrogant brat if he's already trying to see if his kid is special.

That just means the kid is also an Indigo Child.

Checkmite · 13th October 2009, 09:58 PM

Sadly, unless the article actually discusses Einstein as a subject, I've come to begin disregarding as any mention or comparison to or quotation of Einstein as sensationalistic misinformation.

Eos of the Eons · 13th October 2009, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by Checkmite

That just means the kid is also an Indigo Child.

bwahaaaa! But, I don't think indigos can pass IQ tests at genius levels. Just ask McCarthy to try one and we'll all see. I think she called her kid a "crystal", and called herself an indigo.

Everyone wants to be "special" and to make sure everyone knows their kids are "special".

I respect Rolfe because she does something with her intelligence besides crow about it. I know some mensa members that are so lost in their own greatness that nobody can stand them and they still live in some parents' basements and can't even afford to drive.

quarky · 13th October 2009, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by Hindmost

I have to second you on this. Marilyn vos Savant has not really done much for all her acclaimations. It would be like Tiger Woods playing putt-putt for a living.

glenn

I know the writer that got Marilyn her big break. He wrote about her in Parade magazine. She was floundering, as I heard it, and he had to remind her that being the smartest person in the world should be good for something in its own right. She scored that goofy column, answering mostly dumb questions, with time to research them. Not terribly remarkable. My friend told me I was smarter than the smartest person in the world, but it didn't swell my head, or get me a job. I have a single digit I.Q.

Pre-computer days, braniacs competed for the most digits of pi they could remember. A few made it to 50,000 as I recall. Truly amazing, yet eventually a fairly useless talent.

Suppose a person could solve more problems correctly than most mensa members, but it took them 4 times longer:

They would score poorly on the test, but they would be extremely valuable.

Checkmite · 13th October 2009, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Jungle Jim

Well, he missed the answer to the question of a house made of glass...So I'm not all that impressed. Cute kid though. What I found odd is that the father states that he hoped Mensa could provide help. What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child?

You're not thinking like the parents.

Seriously - just think. Those parents have bragging rights for zero effort. They'll never have to expend energy shouting obscenities at kid-league referees and coaches from the stands, or subsequently beating the boy when they get home for dropping the ball at the wrong time, to force their kid to be exceptional - he just came that way straight out of the box. They'll be bragging about it for years.

Of course, they'll be really frustrated when the kid burns out from all the extracirriculars that will be replacing real life for him, so there will be lots of yelling and scolding about how he's "a disappointment" and how he's "letting his parents down"; but enough heavy drugs will make those voices go away.

wipeout · 14th October 2009, 02:22 AM

Originally Posted by Rrose Selavy

Except Einstein never took an IQ test..so why would "testers" use a comparison that doesn't exist , makes an assumption and could be completely wrong?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/b...re/8303880.stm

I remember reading a few articles about the relationship between high IQ scores and success in various fields. Briefly, they said you don't want to have too high an IQ since the imperfect correlation means the highest IQ scores are actually predicting against the highest levels of success. As we would expect, IQ is necessary up to a point then other factors come into play.

So yeah, an irony is that IQ tests themselves predict Einstein is unlikely to have had what many would assume is an "Einstein IQ" as he was too successful for that.

pakeha · 14th October 2009, 05:06 AM

Originally Posted by erlando

My IQ is (or at least was a few years back) tested by Mensa to >155. That's supposed to be in the genius range.

Where's my Nobel Prize dammit?

There's just a slight delay due to technical difficulties.
A gentleman from Nigeria will e-mail you in due course to discuss the payment arrangements.

quarky · 14th October 2009, 10:29 AM

When I was in 9th grade (public school in New York) we all had to take the I.Q. test, and for some dumb reason, we were also told the results. Smart kids suddenly became a-holes, bragging and shaming others.

I did poorly, and my mom was so disgusted, she somehow got them to let me have another go at it the following day. The second time, I scored 30 points higher, which made no sense to me. It was as if my mom's belief in me made me suddenly a lot smarter. I put no stock in it. I'm sure plenty of other kids took the test on a 'slow' day, and were forever stuck in the dumb classes.

12th October 2009, 05:05 PM	#1
Rrose Selavy Graduate Poster Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,156	Two year old has "Einstein" IQ ? Quote: A Berkshire toddler has become the youngest boy to be accepted by high IQ society Mensa. Oscar Wrigley, two-and-a-half, was tested on his vocabulary and numeracy. Testers said his IQ was akin to that of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking Except Einstein never took an IQ test..so why would "testers" use a comparison that doesn't exist , makes an assumption and could be completely wrong? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/b...re/8303880.stm
	Last edited by Rrose Selavy; 12th October 2009 at 05:10 PM.

12th October 2009, 05:13 PM	#2
duras Student Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 29	Another thing to note is that MENSA is just a money making scheme meant to trick people with slightly above average IQs. The way IQ works (as I recall, I could be wrong) is that they compare you to others in the same age group. So it means this kid, at age 2.5, is smarter than most other kids his age. That's simply moronic as children develop at different rates and within a few years he could easily be average for his age.
duras Student Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 29

12th October 2009, 05:18 PM	#3
jhunter1163 Beer-Swilling Semiliterate Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Room 118, Bohemian Grove Marriott Posts: 5,813	My IQ is between 147 and 161, depending on which test you use. I joined Mensa for about a minute back in the day. It was basically a bunch of people standing around congratulating themselves on being smart. There weren't any hot chicks or beer there so I had no compelling reason to go back.
	__________________ [Due to high ambient stupidity, I guess I need to spell it out: THIS IS A JOKE.] - JamesBlodgett The three essential components of being a "truther" are stupidity, dishonesty, and insanity. All are essential, but none is sufficient by itself. - FineWine

12th October 2009, 05:20 PM	#4
paximperium Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Location: Silicon Valley-Stuck between Google and Apple Posts: 7,800	If a 2 year old test at the level of a 5 year old, his IQ would be beyond Einstein's...adults would just think it was cute.
	__________________ "The method of science is tried and true. It is not perfect, it's just the best we have. And to abandon it with its skeptical protocols is the pathway to a dark age." -Carl Sagan "They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."-Terry Pratchett

12th October 2009, 05:26 PM	#5
duras Student Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 29	Their list on wikipedia is really underwhelming: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mensans#top For 100,000 members this isn't a particularly impressive list. Control + f and search for "scientist" for a good laugh. You'd think if it was such an exclusive society they'd have at least one notable scientist.
duras Student Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 29

12th October 2009, 05:28 PM	#6
paximperium Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Location: Silicon Valley-Stuck between Google and Apple Posts: 7,800	Originally Posted by duras Their list on wikipedia is really underwhelming: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mensans#top For 100,000 members this isn't a particularly impressive list. Control + f and search for "scientist" for a good laugh. You'd think if it was such an exclusive society they'd have at least one notable scientist. Uh, I don't consider that much of an issue against Mensa. Many folk don't bother to join Mensa and being a good scientist does not require a high IQ so I don't see your point.
	__________________ "The method of science is tried and true. It is not perfect, it's just the best we have. And to abandon it with its skeptical protocols is the pathway to a dark age." -Carl Sagan "They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."-Terry Pratchett

12th October 2009, 05:31 PM	#7
paximperium Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Location: Silicon Valley-Stuck between Google and Apple Posts: 7,800	Quote: What are Mensa's goals? Mensa has three stated purposes: to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence, and to promote stimulating intellectual and social opportunities for its members. I think that is probably its most reasonable goal. This story on the other hand just makes them look stupid(pun intended).
	__________________ "The method of science is tried and true. It is not perfect, it's just the best we have. And to abandon it with its skeptical protocols is the pathway to a dark age." -Carl Sagan "They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance."-Terry Pratchett

12th October 2009, 05:55 PM	#8
Andrew Wiggin Muse Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: A small planet named for it's dirt. You'll find it filed under 'mostly harmless' Posts: 578	It's not the number that determines genius, but what you do with it. It'll be interesting to see if this kid accomplished great things, or if he just publicizes himself as an authority based on a test score, in the style of Marilyn vos Savant. I read her column, but I always feel vaguely disillusioned that the self-proclaimed most intelligent person spends her time answering questions on puzzle problems. I had decent numbers too, but when people want proof that I'm intelligent and competent, I show them things I've done, not test scores. A.
	__________________ "Everyone takes the limits of his own vision for the limits of the world." - Arthur Schopenhauer "New and stirring things are belittled because if they are not belittled, the humiliating question arises, 'Why then are you not taking part in them?' " - H. G. Wells

12th October 2009, 06:18 PM	#9
Jungle Jim Critical Thinker Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 273	Well, he missed the answer to the question of a house made of glass...So I'm not all that impressed. Cute kid though. What I found odd is that the father states that he hoped Mensa could provide help. What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child?

12th October 2009, 06:26 PM	#10
Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Looking for Fountain of Smart Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: a little toolshed Posts: 17,157	Originally Posted by Jungle Jim What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child? I recommend they attend the "How to Deal with a Smartass" class. ~~ Paul
	__________________ Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. ---Susan Ertz pi = 3.1415926...19729715941700531415926095214704122509...

13th October 2009, 02:39 AM	#11
Dave Rogers The Unbanned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Notlob Posts: 8,013	Originally Posted by Rrose Selavy Except Einstein never took an IQ test..so why would "testers" use a comparison that doesn't exist , makes an assumption and could be completely wrong? [hand up] Ooh! I know this one! Because news reporters trivialise and sensationalise stories in order to attract more information, ignore qualifiers and nuances in the source material in order to do so, and often make gross and laughable errors as a result? Dave
	__________________ "I guess for Truthers the great thing about Google is that it abolishes context automatically, thus saving your precious reserves of stupid for more important tasks." - Dr. Adequate GENERATION 6: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation. Social experiment.

13th October 2009, 02:47 AM	#12
cyborg deus ex machina Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,443	Well, that kid's going to be screwed by this.
cyborg deus ex machina Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,443	__________________ The phrase deus ex machina (literally "god out of a machine") describes an unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot...

13th October 2009, 03:08 AM	#13
McHrozni Muse Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 691	IQ just tells how smart you are for your age, it's a relative number. It doesn't tell what this kid can achieve as an adult. He's likely to be intelligent, however, but it doesn't mean he can reason now as Einstein did in his best years. McHrozni
McHrozni Muse Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 691

13th October 2009, 04:19 AM	#14
Rrose Selavy Graduate Poster Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,156	Originally Posted by Dave Rogers [hand up] Ooh! I know this one! Because news reporters trivialise and sensationalise stories in order to attract more information, ignore qualifiers and nuances in the source material in order to do so, and often make gross and laughable errors as a result? Dave Yes but it's the "testers" who are supposedly making this assertion not the reporter. And has Hawking ever taken an IQ test anyway or do they just think of the first two "brainy" people that comes into their head?

13th October 2009, 04:21 AM	#15
cyborg deus ex machina Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,443	I'm fairly sure we've had discussions in the past about the flawed nature of IQ tests anyway. It's just a way for the people to get excited over nothing, "wooh golly, we got our selves a gen-u-ine genius here, better prepare the kid for the inevitable Nobels he's going to get now because treating a two year old like a genius for doing things that we should consider unremarkable for a two year old if we weren't so generally ignorant about the nature of intelligence and child development definiately isn't going to cause issues for the young-un."
cyborg deus ex machina Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,443	__________________ The phrase deus ex machina (literally "god out of a machine") describes an unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction or drama to resolve a situation or untangle a plot...

13th October 2009, 08:18 AM	#16
erlando Critical Thinker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Denmark Posts: 448	My IQ is (or at least was a few years back) tested by Mensa to >155. That's supposed to be in the genius range. Where's my Nobel Prize dammit?
	__________________ "If it can grow, it can evolve" - Eugenie Scott, Ph.D Creationism disproved? Evolution IS a blind watchmaker

13th October 2009, 08:24 AM	#17
erlando Critical Thinker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Denmark Posts: 448	Originally Posted by duras Their list on wikipedia is really underwhelming: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mensans#top To be fair I hardly think a list on Wikipedia is an authoritative source. I know for a fact that Mensa's member list is not a matter of public record.
	__________________ "If it can grow, it can evolve" - Eugenie Scott, Ph.D Creationism disproved? Evolution IS a blind watchmaker

13th October 2009, 09:29 AM	#18
JJM Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,720	Originally Posted by paximperium ... being a good scientist does not require a high IQ so I don't see your point. Disregarding the notion of "IQ" and just referring to native intelligence (whatever that may be), I think being good at just about anything requires high intelligence. (I mean walking-around-type people, not, e.g., autistic savants.) In my estimation, most of what you might consider "good" chemists at work today are competent technicians, not "scientists" who, in my opinion need deeper understanding and creativity. That is, scientists are not people who simply do repetitive work, or the next obvious thing.
JJM Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,720

13th October 2009, 09:49 AM	#19
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,507	Would any one bet against this kid in terms of success in life versus a similar kid, raised in the same environment (SES) with an IQ of 100? The odds a randomly selected ph.d. (scientist) has a lower IQ than a randomly selected person with a high school diploma are 1:100. Seems like having some minimum IQ (115 or so) is critical for success as a scientist, though having more than the minimum doesn't make one a better scientist. IQ predicts jobs (scientists too) in that having the minimum level of IQ for the specific job is critical; having more than that typically doesn't help.
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,507	__________________ Manifest thy bosoms or decamp.

13th October 2009, 10:22 AM	#20
wuschel Critical Thinker Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 359	Originally Posted by Jungle Jim What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child? Deny premature access to Originally Posted by jhunter1163 hot chicks or beer ...for one?
wuschel Critical Thinker Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 359

13th October 2009, 01:36 PM	#21
kerikiwi Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bay of Islands NZ Posts: 1,605	Originally Posted by Jungle Jim What I found odd is that the father states that he hoped Mensa could provide help. What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child? The father said there may be other parents who could help. Sounds like a perfectly reasonable idea.

13th October 2009, 02:11 PM	#22
Eos of the Eons Mad Scientist Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Alberta Posts: 13,253	His parent is at risk of raising a narcissistic arrogant brat if he's already trying to see if his kid is special.
	__________________ Motion affecting a measuring device does not affect what is actually being measured, except to inaccurately measure it. the immaterial world doesn't matter, cause it ain't matter-Jeff Corey my karma ran over my dogma-vbloke The Lateral Truth: An Apostate's Bible Stories by Rebecca Bradley, read it!

13th October 2009, 02:18 PM	#23
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 19,388	Originally Posted by jhunter1163 My IQ is between 147 and 161, depending on which test you use. I joined Mensa for about a minute back in the day. It was basically a bunch of people standing around congratulating themselves on being smart. There weren't any hot chicks or beer there so I had no compelling reason to go back. What he said, almost exactly. I got 158 on the preliminary test and 161 on the formal test, nearly 20 years apart, which I thought was quite good reproducibility. But as a society, it sucked. Even though the local organiser lived within walking distance of me. They say it's the top 2%. I decided it must be the second-top 1% or something, 'cos they were all posers. (They had a singles list, which was sort of the point at the time, but even that didn't cut it.) Rolfe.
	__________________ "The thing about medicine is, that it all comes down to the numbers." - Dr. Stephen Franklin, Interludes and Examinations. "To give Rolfe his due, I think this is a good example to everyone of what can happen if we fail to get a proper diagnosis and begin treating on symptoms alone--a big mistake, as shown here." - "Snoopy" on H'pathy Forums, apparently abjuring the very fundamentals of homoeopathy after she'd just allowed a young mother with Addison's disease to die.

13th October 2009, 04:12 PM	#24
Prometheus Liver Donor Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North of Reality Posts: 28,684	If the parents are smart, they'll skip the Mensa meetings and get the kid some karate classes or something, else he's gonna get the crap kicked out of him when he get's to school.
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13th October 2009, 05:07 PM	#25
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,507	Originally Posted by Prometheus If the parents are smart, they'll skip the Mensa meetings and get the kid some karate classes or something, else he's gonna get the crap kicked out of him when he get's to school. True, but if he survives it, they'll be pumping his gas when he's older.
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 3,507	__________________ Manifest thy bosoms or decamp.

13th October 2009, 05:55 PM	#26
Hindmost Master Poster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Draco Tavern Posts: 2,666	Originally Posted by Andrew Wiggin It's not the number that determines genius, but what you do with it. It'll be interesting to see if this kid accomplished great things, or if he just publicizes himself as an authority based on a test score, in the style of Marilyn vos Savant. I read her column, but I always feel vaguely disillusioned that the self-proclaimed most intelligent person spends her time answering questions on puzzle problems. I had decent numbers too, but when people want proof that I'm intelligent and competent, I show them things I've done, not test scores. A. I have to second you on this. Marilyn vos Savant has not really done much for all her acclaimations. It would be like Tiger Woods playing putt-putt for a living. glenn
	__________________ Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong. Carl Sagan

13th October 2009, 09:55 PM	#27
Checkmite Skepticifimisticalationist Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Third in line Posts: 8,649	Originally Posted by Eos of the Eons His parent is at risk of raising a narcissistic arrogant brat if he's already trying to see if his kid is special. That just means the kid is also an Indigo Child.
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13th October 2009, 09:58 PM	#28
Checkmite Skepticifimisticalationist Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Third in line Posts: 8,649	Sadly, unless the article actually discusses Einstein as a subject, I've come to begin disregarding as any mention or comparison to or quotation of Einstein as sensationalistic misinformation.
	__________________ Nuclear energy is GREEN energy.

13th October 2009, 10:00 PM	#29
Eos of the Eons Mad Scientist Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Alberta Posts: 13,253	Originally Posted by Checkmite That just means the kid is also an Indigo Child. bwahaaaa! But, I don't think indigos can pass IQ tests at genius levels. Just ask McCarthy to try one and we'll all see. I think she called her kid a "crystal", and called herself an indigo. Everyone wants to be "special" and to make sure everyone knows their kids are "special". I respect Rolfe because she does something with her intelligence besides crow about it. I know some mensa members that are so lost in their own greatness that nobody can stand them and they still live in some parents' basements and can't even afford to drive.
	__________________ Motion affecting a measuring device does not affect what is actually being measured, except to inaccurately measure it. the immaterial world doesn't matter, cause it ain't matter-Jeff Corey my karma ran over my dogma-vbloke The Lateral Truth: An Apostate's Bible Stories by Rebecca Bradley, read it!

13th October 2009, 10:26 PM	#30
quarky Title Free Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6,082	Originally Posted by Hindmost I have to second you on this. Marilyn vos Savant has not really done much for all her acclaimations. It would be like Tiger Woods playing putt-putt for a living. glenn I know the writer that got Marilyn her big break. He wrote about her in Parade magazine. She was floundering, as I heard it, and he had to remind her that being the smartest person in the world should be good for something in its own right. She scored that goofy column, answering mostly dumb questions, with time to research them. Not terribly remarkable. My friend told me I was smarter than the smartest person in the world, but it didn't swell my head, or get me a job. I have a single digit I.Q. Pre-computer days, braniacs competed for the most digits of pi they could remember. A few made it to 50,000 as I recall. Truly amazing, yet eventually a fairly useless talent. Suppose a person could solve more problems correctly than most mensa members, but it took them 4 times longer: They would score poorly on the test, but they would be extremely valuable.
quarky Title Free Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6,082

13th October 2009, 10:39 PM	#31
Checkmite Skepticifimisticalationist Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Third in line Posts: 8,649	Originally Posted by Jungle Jim Well, he missed the answer to the question of a house made of glass...So I'm not all that impressed. Cute kid though. What I found odd is that the father states that he hoped Mensa could provide help. What possible help could an organization like Mensa provide in raising a 2.5 year old child? You're not thinking like the parents. Seriously - just think. Those parents have bragging rights for zero effort. They'll never have to expend energy shouting obscenities at kid-league referees and coaches from the stands, or subsequently beating the boy when they get home for dropping the ball at the wrong time, to force their kid to be exceptional - he just came that way straight out of the box. They'll be bragging about it for years. Of course, they'll be really frustrated when the kid burns out from all the extracirriculars that will be replacing real life for him, so there will be lots of yelling and scolding about how he's "a disappointment" and how he's "letting his parents down"; but enough heavy drugs will make those voices go away.
	__________________ Nuclear energy is GREEN energy.

14th October 2009, 02:22 AM	#32
wipeout Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,122	Originally Posted by Rrose Selavy Except Einstein never took an IQ test..so why would "testers" use a comparison that doesn't exist , makes an assumption and could be completely wrong? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/b...re/8303880.stm I remember reading a few articles about the relationship between high IQ scores and success in various fields. Briefly, they said you don't want to have too high an IQ since the imperfect correlation means the highest IQ scores are actually predicting against the highest levels of success. As we would expect, IQ is necessary up to a point then other factors come into play. So yeah, an irony is that IQ tests themselves predict Einstein is unlikely to have had what many would assume is an "Einstein IQ" as he was too successful for that.
wipeout Graduate Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,122

14th October 2009, 05:06 AM	#33
pakeha Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,099	Originally Posted by erlando My IQ is (or at least was a few years back) tested by Mensa to >155. That's supposed to be in the genius range. Where's my Nobel Prize dammit? There's just a slight delay due to technical difficulties. A gentleman from Nigeria will e-mail you in due course to discuss the payment arrangements.
pakeha Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,099

14th October 2009, 10:29 AM	#34
quarky Title Free Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6,082	When I was in 9th grade (public school in New York) we all had to take the I.Q. test, and for some dumb reason, we were also told the results. Smart kids suddenly became a-holes, bragging and shaming others. I did poorly, and my mom was so disgusted, she somehow got them to let me have another go at it the following day. The second time, I scored 30 points higher, which made no sense to me. It was as if my mom's belief in me made me suddenly a lot smarter. I put no stock in it. I'm sure plenty of other kids took the test on a 'slow' day, and were forever stuck in the dumb classes.
quarky Title Free Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6,082