You can increase your intelligence • Hacker News Board

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#81

Post by gwern » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 12:29 AM UTC

Malus wrote: post #70

darkmighty wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it's been known for a while that IQ works in a "good enough" fashion -- once it's good enough there are so many other things more important. A good example is of course Einstein, which was tested and had a normal IQ.

You were probably thinking of Feynman. From Wikipedia[1]: In high school, his IQ was determined to be 125—high, but "merely respectable" according to biographer James Gleick.[14] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feynman#Education

While we're debunking IQ tests of historical figures, I'll add some context for Feynman: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1251164 And I'll add something which probably isn't obvious from the summary: given the context of Feynman's test, 125 may have been the ceiling on it, since for educational purposes there would be little reason to detect anything higher.

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#82

Post by regularfry » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 1:03 AM UTC

fersho311 wrote: post #76

avtar wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I almost never misplace my things (keys, wallet, etc) anymore. Mind blocks like, "what was the company's name? I used to know it...", happens less frequently and I can recollect facts much faster. Most importantly though, I have seen a dramatic improvement in the speed I learn and understand things." This piqued my interest. I find myself forgetting simple things all the time and it's very unsettling given that I'm…

I started here: http://www.memrise.com/course/44056/the-10k-memory-competiti... Memrise helped me get me off my feet, and then I created my own objects/actions for each card because I had no idea who half of those people are.

The Mentat wiki at http://www.ludism.org/mentat/ is full of related memory tricks. I call them "tricks" - they really do work. I've used memory palace and peg systems to memorise fairly long chunks of recital.

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#83

Post by frozenport » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 1:10 AM UTC

arrfscarf wrote: post #16

auctiontheory wrote: post #14

Most of us on HN have enough intelligence. Other qualities (focus, dedication, ambition, sociability) will have much greater impact on our success in life.

Focus! Here I am wasting time/procrastinating. There certain days, that no matter what I do, consistent concentration is impossible.

The right solution is to do something else and have more then one task on your plate.

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#84

Post by regularfry » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 1:12 AM UTC

cliveowen wrote: post #3

This may seem very good and useful at first sight but it actually doesn't mean anything. The classical stance is that intelligence it's something fixed and can't be improved, so the smart guy will outsmart the average guy. Now they say that intelligence can actually improve so it's possible for the average guy to outsmart the smart guy. Well, not at all. If intelligence can improve this means that the average guy can…

You don't see the point for the average guy to be better than they themselves were 6 months ago? Why must this be adversarial?

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#85

Post by frozenport » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 1:13 AM UTC

buckbova wrote: post #31

gaelow wrote: post #22

Of course I can. If I manage to stop drinking.

Drinking excessively makes one smarter. Consider it culling the herd. The weaker slower brain cells die off, leaving the stronger faster brain cells to propell your brain power to peak levels.

Exactly my point, it also does wonders for my liver by killing the old cells so that new ones can take their place - eventually, if I stop drinking. Perhaps even a new liver!

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#86

Post by jafaku » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 1:14 AM UTC

tadfisher wrote: post #69

sillysaurus2 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure this isn't placebo effect? I.e. you've always had this capacity, but the reason you're having success is because you're now focused on utilizing it. That's somewhat different from not having the capacity in the first place.

If one has to train themselves to utilize this ability, is there a difference?

Yes, because some people might not have it and the training will be useless.

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#87

Post by FLUX-YOU » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 1:42 AM UTC

super-serial wrote: post #79

lgieron wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my opinion, the urge to procrastinate is just our brain telling us that the kind and amount of effort we're demanding from it is not natural. People aren't meant to spend 40+ hours a week sitting behind a desk and concentrating on stuff they have little connection with. Marx wrote about that (the alienation of workers) 150 years ago.

As someone who has spent entire months not doing work, just doing things like studying Japanese, watching TV shows and playing chess online... I have to disagree. I think the source of my motivation problem is having the feeling that what I do 'Does Not Matter.' Some months I can't shake this feeling and get absolutely nothing done. Other months I feel like I can take over the world - and end up making the progress o…

You sound like me. I currently work in healthcare doing non-patient-care stuff, and I'm learning programming when I'm not working. My days are normally boring and steady-paced.

When my boss asked me to temporarily pick up some slack and new responsibilities, I immediately surged into action and got some praise. I was feeling productive, so I built a few things when I got home even after doing 10 hour days.

If someone asks me to build something for them, it gets a fair amount of attention right now (mostly because I'm trying to break into programming/webdev), and occupies my thoughts. When I have no demands, I'm pretty meh on projects unless I think I have a good idea.

I simply need an external demand to operate productively. I think I would end up ignoring any productivity programs.

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#88

Post by gboudrias » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 2:01 AM UTC

fersho311 wrote: post #74

JakeSc wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How did you decide to embark on this challenge? Do you have any online resources that you can link to so we can learn more?

I started with this 10k memory competition, did really poorly, and decided to continue after the competition because it seemed to me helping me alot. http://www.memrise.com/course/44056/the-10k-memory-competiti...

Thanks for this! I really needed memory exercises but didn't know where to start.

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#89

Post by PKop » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 2:52 AM UTC

jafaku wrote: post #86

tadfisher wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If one has to train themselves to utilize this ability, is there a difference?

Yes, because some people might not have it and the training will be useless.

So don't try?

Re: You can increase your intelligence

#90

Post by themodelplumber » Thu, Oct 10, 2013, 4:00 AM UTC

lgieron wrote: post #46

arrfscarf wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Focus! Here I am wasting time/procrastinating. There certain days, that no matter what I do, consistent concentration is impossible.

In my opinion, the urge to procrastinate is just our brain telling us that the kind and amount of effort we're demanding from it is not natural. People aren't meant to spend 40+ hours a week sitting behind a desk and concentrating on stuff they have little connection with. Marx wrote about that (the alienation of workers) 150 years ago.

Agreed. Thank you for writing stuff I agree with.