A Question of Intelligence: The IQ Debate in America

By Daniel Seligman

Book Overview

A look at the inequality in human intelligence addresses the sensitive issue of ethnic and national differences in IQ, outlining correlations between IQ levels and economic achievements, arguing for... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559721316
• ISBN13: 9781559721318
• Release Date: January 1992
• Publisher: Birch Lane Pr
• Length: 239 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.0" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Excellent overview of the IQ debate

Seligman writes brilliantly, and makes what could be a very technical discussion interesting & understandable. Seligman frames the controversy and how IQ tests have gone from being viewed as a liberal means to ensure a true meritocracy, to being demonised as oppressive. Seligman notes that part of this is because the results show individual and group differences, which goes against the egalitarian ethos that anyone can achieve whatever they set their mind too. Seligman also notes that the fact that ethnic groups differ in average performance has been particularly troubling and been one of the sources of opposition to them. Seligman makes an excellent case that the tests do actually measure something that has real implications for a person's academic and even occupational performance. He addresses the common distinction people make between 'book smarts' and 'street smarts' and theories of multiple intelligences. He shows that accusations that the tests are biased are mislaid. The portrayal of IQ tests in the media is something Seligman notes is particularly one-sided. He draws on the Snyderman, Rothman survey which shows the media portrayal is very different to that of the majority of psychologists, and political reasons have lead to this distortion. The chapter on Jensen is great, as it provides some insight into the mind and motives of someone who has been unfairly demonised. Seligman even deals with fears of eugenics, noting that the idea of equal rights under the law does not require everyone to have equal ability. The book ultimately makes the case that IQ testing is a valuable tool. Group differences may exist, but individual performance overlaps and their suppression is not helping anyone.

Great Summary on IQ Science-Debate. True-False

Daniel Seligman's book predated the 1994 "The Bell Curve" by two years. In all its essential form, it states the same facts and conclusions. What is IQ? (Intelligence Quotient) Is IQ real, tangible, measurable? Is there consensus among IQ experts? Can an individual or groups IQ be measured? Does an individual's IQ vary over a life-time In modern science, we know it is dependent on the so-called O.E.M. method. #1. Observation #2. Experiment #3. Measurement Seligman is not a professional, full-time IQ tester, the Psycho-metricians. He is simply writing a summary about the known and un-known of IQ. Readers will be surprised to know that there is a consensus among professionals on the IQ debate. This consensus has been building up in the academic literature for the last 50-100 years. Humans are created by Nature. Nature created the Earth-Moon-Sun-Cosmos. Humans are an evolved chimpanzee. All life on Earth share a common-universal descent. IQ or general intelligence is a product of Nature that Humans evolved to survive against the harsh natural environment. God-- Good--Goood is purely a human-creation out of ignorance and know-nothing. Nature created Life-Earth-Sun-Cosmos. Nature granted humans a brain-body. IQ can be tested and this is a great book on the latest findings. Are all the claims True. Are they False. Please read the book and judge for yourself whether it's True-False

An excellent book on the overview of IQ and its issues

This is an excellent book for the understanding of intelligence and its issues. The author provides a good overview on the many aspects on intelligence, IQ tests and the debates around these issues.In my opinion, the best part of this book is chapters 7 and 8. Chapter talks about "Nature and Nurture." Nature is very much stronger a factor on intelligence than environment (or nurture). Chapter 8 talks about identical twins separated at birth and raised in very different environments, and after dozens of years reunited. Psychologists discovered that these twins have very similar IQs, personality, and characters. This proves that intelligence and personality are 'encoded' in our genes.This is an excellent book for anyone interested in understanding not only about IQ and its debates, but also about why many social engineering prgrams failed.In my view, intelligence is given by God. Those of us who have more should not be proud, because we did not sweat to get it. Those of us who have less should not feel ashamed. We all need to work hard throughout our lives and respect one another. All are precious in the eyes of God.It is too bad that this book is out of print, but many low-value books are popular. I recommend this book to anyone who is open-minded.

An excellent readable overview of IQ and media issues

Part journalism and part personal essay, this fine little book is readable and, given the strong stand it takes, surprisingly mild. It makes an excellent choice for anyone who wants a quick summary of the issues, even if the reader disagrees. Of special interest to me were the revelations about the limitations of the case against Cyril Burt and the NY Times and other media's non-journalistic failure to review the books that have shown those limitations. The personal material on Jensen was enjoyable. Again, from the media he would seem to be a monster, not a liberal leaning nice guy. And the fact that he had to have special police protection for years is astonishing. The paperback was published in 1994 and it is now 1998. Perhaps the dogma against IQ measurement is weakening, for it seems to me that more and more credibility is being given to the fact that we are after all biological organisms. How long will it be until all of Seligman's points (which are the same as the overwhelming majority of experts on intelligence according to research by Snyderman) are accepted by the general culture?

The best introduction to the IQ controversy

While I don't agree with Seligman on everything, this is far and away the best introduction for the general reader to the enormous literature of the IQ controversy. It's superbly readable, and, amazingly enough in this age of bloated books, short. Steve Sailer