This reminds me of this post about the difference between emotionlessness and rationality. The lobotomy patients, assuming that you describe them accurately, suffer a failure of motivation and initiative and generative thought; that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t solve IQ test problems that are presented to them. That is, after all, what one does with IQ test problems, in much the same way that washing is what one does with dishes and lying down is what one does with beds.
Your point is well-made. However, you miss the deep issue—why is it that IQ test problems don’t require the vastly important functions and capabilities that lobotomized patients lack?
The answer to that question, I believe, reveals the difference between being bright—which IQ is an approximate measure of—and being intelligent—which IQ doesn’t indicate.
This reminds me of this post about the difference between emotionlessness and rationality. The lobotomy patients, assuming that you describe them accurately, suffer a failure of motivation and initiative and generative thought; that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t solve IQ test problems that are presented to them. That is, after all, what one does with IQ test problems, in much the same way that washing is what one does with dishes and lying down is what one does with beds.
Your point is well-made. However, you miss the deep issue—why is it that IQ test problems don’t require the vastly important functions and capabilities that lobotomized patients lack?
The answer to that question, I believe, reveals the difference between being bright—which IQ is an approximate measure of—and being intelligent—which IQ doesn’t indicate.
Can you elaborate on your working definitions of “bright” and “intelligent”? They don’t seem to map onto mine.
Yeah. I’d prefer to do so in a post rather than a comment, though. I should have something ready in a few days.