Is intelligence a trait passed on to each generation?

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Limit procreation to individuals of high intelligence?

  • I don't have a child- I'm in favor of this

  • I don't have a child - I'm NOT in favor of this

  • I have a child - I'm in favor of this

  • I have a child - I'm NOT in favor of this


Results are only viewable after voting.

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
there's more to intelligence than genetics and there's more to making the world a better place than raw intelligence.

tbh, the world would probably be a lot better filled with stupid but caring people rather than smart a-holes.
 

marvdmartian

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2002
5,444
27
91
OP, intelligence is not inherited, but rather, nurtured. If you have a couple that are of higher intelligence, it's natural to think that they will raise children that have higher intelligence, simply because they're surrounded by it from day one. On the other hand, dimwits would then tend to raise more dimwits, right?

So why don't we have a few dozen Einsteins running around by now? He had two sons and a daughter, it would be natural to assume they each would have at least two children, those offspring would have at least a pair each, etc. Einstein's youngest child was born in 1910, so we can assume at least 4, perhaps 5 generations since then. That would amount to anywhere from approximately 90 to 150 children in this generation. Yet, we hear nothing about the physicists of the world having a dozen Einsteins, coming up with brilliant theories every year, do we?

What you've stumbled upon is more along the lines that ignorance tends to breed ignorance. Probably why we still have racism in this world, even though it's been proven that we're all the same on the inside, with few exceptions (blood type, etc). That's more of a human failing than anything that's passed on through the DNA.

That being said, I suggest you go rent/find/borrow/download a movie called Idiocracy, starring Luke Wilson. Looks as though you're not the only person to wonder about such a thing!! :hmm:
 

TecHNooB

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2005
7,458
1
76
A friend of mine, both his parents went to the #1 university in Taiwan. The traits DID NOT PASS ON. His entire family is evidence of this.

OP's poll is pretty outrageous. Aside from people having other strengths besides intelligence, we would be screwing ourselves because someone has to do the manual labor. At the same time, we need to let darwin do his work.
 
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Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
No cus we need the dumb people as much as the smart people. Who's ganna clean our toilets and serve us our food? Smart people would think they're too good for that type of work.
Robots.
Don't worry, Japan is working on it. :awe:
 
S

SlitheryDee

I don't have a child and I'm NOT in favor of this. People of average or below average intelligence can still have highly intelligent children. A single genius can change the world in a way that's worth the droves of idiots we go through to get him/her.
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
I think it boils down to the idea that the potential for high intelligence is an inheritable trait, but a lot of environmental factors need to be present for it to actualize.
 

TridenT

Lifer
Sep 4, 2006
16,800
45
91
I think it boils down to the idea that the potential for high intelligence is an inheritable trait, but a lot of environmental factors need to be present for it to actualize.

Yup. I think a lot of us could be smarter. I think once we all have reached like a maximum of rational time spent on educating people then we can go over the eugenics of who gets what, but I think by then we'll have some kind of ability to change peoples' genes when they're being made so everyone comes out with a super brain
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,783
6,340
126
Nope, but bling-blong, shutter shades, popped collars, a slick haircut and $200 jeans ARE. Sowin my seeds all over the place baby.

Protip: Dudes can't get Pregnant.

the_more_you_know.jpg
 

angminas

Diamond Member
Dec 17, 2006
3,331
26
91
there's more to intelligence than genetics and there's more to making the world a better place than raw intelligence.

tbh, the world would probably be a lot better filled with stupid but caring people rather than smart a-holes.

Pretty much what I was going to say. Intelligence is WAY overrated. It's just a form of power. As such, it's only beneficial when used properly. And we know how well humans do at using power properly.
 

polarmystery

Diamond Member
Aug 21, 2005
3,888
8
81
I'm fairly sure that intelligence is measured by one's ability to recognize patterns, which is why people that can see those patterns and manipulate them accordingly for their own benefit do very well.
 
Sep 7, 2009
12,960
3
0
What you're presenting is not socially acceptable (at least right now). It's rather hitler-style imo.


However, it already happens naturally.
 

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
81
Nope, but bling-blong, shutter shades, popped collars, a slick haircut and $200 jeans ARE. Sowin my seeds all over the place baby.

I was totally against this whole sterilization of inferiors thing until I saw this video. I've seen people like that in real life and yes they should be sterilized.
 

BladeVenom

Lifer
Jun 2, 2005
13,365
16
0
And you wonder why people supported hitler..
It's called eugenics, read up on that

European Jews have the highest average IQ. So what he was doing was anti-eugenics. So if you are anti-eugenics, you are one who would have supported Hitler. Our current government policies are anti-eugenic so they are in line with the Nazi practices. So don't be a Nazi, support eugenics.
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
I was totally against this whole sterilization of inferiors thing until I saw this video. I've seen people like that in real life and yes they should be sterilized.
many normal, contributing members of society can attest to having bizarre and insane parents.