Now, suppose you had a mutation which caused your brain cells to act in a way that was different- more effective in some cases, but less effective in other cases.
For example, I suppose that a change that made neurons release more ions faster when triggered could develop more responsive brains with faster reflexes, but the longer time to clear the chemistry and return a neuron to the initial state might impede other forms of thought.
Now suppose that the number of some organelle in the stem cell that becomes the brain determines the neuron response rate, and that there are many other similar factors which effect differences in the physical development of the brain but are substantially more random than genetic factors. Further grant that such variation is pro-survival.
Now, reasonable intelligence tests test only for things which have already been experienced: It is reasonable that a group of some people who perform poorly on every task ever attempted by a human brain might excel at a task which has not yet been attempted. “Reasonable intelligence tests” correlate well because they test the same things as each other, because they cannot test the unknown.
Now, suppose you had a mutation which caused your brain cells to act in a way that was different- more effective in some cases, but less effective in other cases.
For example, I suppose that a change that made neurons release more ions faster when triggered could develop more responsive brains with faster reflexes, but the longer time to clear the chemistry and return a neuron to the initial state might impede other forms of thought.
Now suppose that the number of some organelle in the stem cell that becomes the brain determines the neuron response rate, and that there are many other similar factors which effect differences in the physical development of the brain but are substantially more random than genetic factors. Further grant that such variation is pro-survival.
Now, reasonable intelligence tests test only for things which have already been experienced: It is reasonable that a group of some people who perform poorly on every task ever attempted by a human brain might excel at a task which has not yet been attempted. “Reasonable intelligence tests” correlate well because they test the same things as each other, because they cannot test the unknown.