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I think it has to do with the fact that overall, humans today, don't face the survival challenges that they did in the past.
At first, intelligence was most likely a major factor in our survival and reproductive probability, thus it increased rapidly, but that is not the case anymore. Over time, we have invented many things that replace the need for intelligence. In fact we are seeing a trend where people lack the ability to discern what is true from what is not true. We see many who don't understand science and who stand in denial of it...this leads to a complete dismantling of an informed democracy.
That might have to do with the confusion resulting from information overload. One can't really blame people for not knowing anymore what is correct and what isn't. Many decisions would require way more than common sense and high-school knowledge. People feel lost in view of their ignorance and thus fall for people who act as if they were in the know.
Many modern humans are very specialized in one area, but have no clue of anything else. Thousands of years ago there was so little knowledge that the difference between individuals was much less. If you had the time and motivation, you could easily learn whatever there was to learn. Now that is impossible.
I think even the less intelligent people of today are slightly more intelligent than people thousands of years ago. But the bright ones today are way more intelligent than people thousands of years ago. Of course it is probably just volatile intelligence that is lost when the person dies. Nothing genetic, that gets carried over to the kids.
As for our species, I believe that birth is a limitation-you can make a baby's head only so large before birth becomes unworkable.
There is already an epidemic of C-sections, at least here in Portugal.
Nor do I think that an increase of intelligence requires bigger heads. Neanderthals had bigger heads and brains than we do, but their brains were not quite as evolved as ours in terms of quality and they were not as smart as we are. (At least that is what I have read repeatedly, but who knows, maybe that is just the usual anti-Neanderthal sentiment of the past.)
That might have to do with the confusion resulting from information overload. One can't really blame people for not knowing anymore what is correct and what isn't.
Can you provide an example of each claim?
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Originally Posted by Neuling
Many decisions would require way more than common sense and high-school knowledge. People feel lost in view of their ignorance and thus fall for people who act as if they were in the know.
I don't know what most people feel thus I can't offer a true and valid response.
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Originally Posted by Neuling
Many modern humans are very specialized in one area, but have no clue of anything else.
I would say the opposite is true. Most intellectuals today have RANGE!
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Originally Posted by Neuling
Thousands of years ago there was so little knowledge that the difference between individuals was much less.
Can you please provide support for this claim?
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Originally Posted by Neuling
If you had the time and motivation, you could easily learn whatever there was to learn.
This is not the truth for everyone. This is only true if you possess the capacity to learn.
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Originally Posted by Neuling
I think even the less intelligent people of today are slightly more intelligent than people thousands of years ago.
5 or 10ky ago life was very simple, society was not split into "intellectual classes", there was no "intellectual gentrification", not least because people did not have writing, yet.
You claim to have observed and deducted your conclusions...I am asking if you have based this conclusion on observing ALL of the life forms on this planet?
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Originally Posted by Neuling
ky = kiloyear = 1000 years, a common abbreviation in such discussions.
Perhaps in your neck of the woods.
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Originally Posted by Neuling
Go to bed
I doing my best to get there! No doubt when the alarm goes off I will be suffering.
Of course not for all life forms, I only care about humans in this context.
No, ky really is used in some scientific disciplines such as anthropology.
Yes, go to bed while I will go and do the laundry
I think we have not reached peak intelligence...especially since we are not utilizing 100% of our brains capacity. And not everyone is born as a child prodigy.
I think we have not reached peak intelligence...especially since we are not utilizing 100% of our brains capacity. And not everyone is born as a child prodigy.
Again, that notion is a myth and not supported by science:
Would be interesting to know in which respect a prodigy's brain differs from a normal brain, if at all.
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