Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Paul Razvan Berg's avatar

Great post! It's refreshing to see IQ discussed in a Popperian context.

A few thoughts:

→ I would phrase it like this: Nature and nurture are in a continuous interplay, spiraling into each other. I like Ruxandra Teslo’s metaphor: 'Biology, akin to a mighty river, is channeled through the banks of Culture.'

→ Nature is only fixed at present time. Future technology will enable us to overcome many of our current genetic limitations.

→ Using Newton as the benchmark for success feels a bit extreme. For most people, success looks more like earning six figures, being generally healthy, and having a lovely family and social life—these are more attainable and realistic measures.

→ I think IQ plays a larger role than 10% in achieving success. I have no idea how much precisely, but the strong correlation between IQ, higher income, and overall well-being makes me skeptical that its impact is as minimal as you suggested.

→ In the section on desire, it might be worth noting this well-established sex difference — men generally show a stronger preference for working with "things" (e.g., mechanical or technical fields), while women often prefer working with "people" (e.g., caregiving or social roles). Aaand since this difference impacts desire, could it be argued that nature and desire are, at times, intertwined?

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19883140/

Expand full comment
2 more comments...

No posts