Intelligence is a very broad subject although it seems easily defined. A great amount of different meanings are given to intelligence as a concept from various cultures and sciences. Throughout history psychologists and sociologist have been trying to devise a way to reveal the level of intellect animals or humans possess. However this quest might not have a definitive answer. Intelligence therefore should be considered to be a broad and elusive concept with many distinct aspects to it.
Research in the field of animal intelligence is essential to understand the more complex aspects of human intelligence. Ken Richardson, an honorary senior research fellow in the center of human development and learning at the Open University, in his book The Making of Intelligence remarks: “We can examine the nature of intelligence in its simpler - and hopefully more comprehensive - form in other animals, and thus describe it, and how it has increased in humans, more clearly.”(9) Even though animals can provide us with explanations, in many cases scientists are amazed by their intellect. According to Eugene Linden’s article in the Times, dolphins can to a command such as “now let’s try a tandem creative” with amazing stunts of synchronization. Only through conscious thought can they understand the meaning of being creative. Moreover to perform such an act they must also communicate with each other in some way. This comes to show that dolphins do bear a form of intellect.(Linden 1) Another exiting animal is an African gray parrot at the University of Arizona which can announce true facts about all he sees. He will indicate that a tea mug is “Hot” to anyone who attempts to handle it. (Linden) Such amazing feats of thought are evident in other species mostly though in primates, which closely resemble humans.
The question however remains. How does intelligence evolve and why? For the past decades it was thought that humans’ mental development was due to the use of tools. Many studies have shown animals that are capable of using tools have less thinking capacity then others who don’t. Another astonishing fact is that humans had a fully developed brain before they started to consistently use tools. The explanation that scientists provide is that the development of intelligence is closely related to the social skills of every species. The ability to play social chess is what deter...
... middle of paper ...
...ere. He proposes that computer scientists should become more aware of the biology of the brain and try to integrate it into their work. Hawkins also notes that the creation of true artificial intelligence is not that far into the future.
Intelligence is a subject which involves many different sciences. The more human kind learns about intelligence the more we will learn about ourselves and the world surrounding us. There might come a point in the future when humans will be able to communicate with animals and machines the same as they do with each other.
Work cited
Ehrenwald, Jan. Anatomy of Genius Split Brains and Global Minds. New York: Human Sciences Press, 1986.
Linden, Eugene. “Can Animals Thinks?” Time 141 1993: n12 54-62.
Hawkins, Jeff and Blakeslee Sandra. On Intelligence. New York: Times Books, 2004.
Plomin, Robert. “Genetics and Intelligence.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 38 1999: i6 786-789.
Richardson, Ken. The Making of Intelligence. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000.
In the United States today more than one-half of all marriages end in divorce. The purpose of this paper is to examine the reason why women have typically received custody of the children far more often than the fathers. In order to better understand child custody one must first examine how fathers have often times been left out of the picture, and conversely why mothers have had such hard times raising children on their own. This paper will first examine the perspective of a father who has lost custody of his children.
The overabundance of debauched dad’s on Television undermines a cultural ideal of responsible fatherhood at a time when that ideal is most needed. At a time when the culture around us is morally crumbling for lack of responsible men leading their families. A time when the divorce rate is 20 X higher than it was 50 years ago. We are in a time when fatherhood is under assault and the consequences of dads disappearing from America’s Family landscape is detrimental to the well-being of fatherless children. The contributors to fatherlessness are only growing, as are the consequences but there is still hope for father-fullness in America today.
Throughout the Diet Analysis Project, I was able to analyze and inspect my diet to examine what I was eating, what types of nutrients I was getting and how much exercise I was participating in over a week’s period. Through this period, five of the days were back to back and the last two was a weekend day. I then compared all aspects with my recommended levels of nutrients for my dietary recommended intake and the calories burned through exercise versus my calories consumed through what I was eating. I needed to ensure the nutrients I was getting would allow a good fit for staying healthy and reaching, but not overextending, my needed nutrient levels. I found some very interesting facts that pertained to my diet that were good and then some
Since the late 1970s there has been substantial change in the judicial system regarding child custody hearings (Symons, 2010). The end of the 20th century sparked a public demand for more custodial options including joint physical custody (refers to the day-to-day care of children), joint legal custody (refers to a parents rights and responsibilities regarding major decisions involving children) and a general increase in paternal involvement in children’s lives post-divorce (Symons, 2010; Atwood, 2007), 1982 marked the first year where a father in North America was granted sole custody (Amato, 2001). As recently as 1970, there were custodial cases granting sole custody to mothers stating that mothers make the best parents simply because they are mothers (O’Connell, 2007). Today we see many custodial options that range far beyond the traditional scope of sole custodian mothers and fathers with visitation rights or financial responsibilities (American Psychological Association, 2010). Juby, Marcil-Gratton and LeBourdais (2005) found that in Canada, sole custody awarded to fathers remains stable around 10% while joint physical and legal custody range between 25% and 50%.
Intelligence tests have been developed by scientists as a tool to categorize army recruits or analyze school children. But still discussing what intelligence is, academics have a difficult time defining what intelligence tests should measure. According to the American researcher Thorndike, intelligence is only that what intelligence tests claim it is (Comer, Gould, & Furnham, 2013). Thus, depending on what is being researched in the test and depending on the scientist’s definition of intelligence the meaning of the word intelligence may vary a lot. This essay will discuss what intelligence is in order to be able to understand the intelligence theories and aims of intelligence tests.
The study of non-human primates and dolphins has lead to many profound questions as to the nature of intelligence. And thought the answers provided to date have been disputed, the questions are not any less worth of being asked. But in order to get beyond the disputes, researchers must be willing to shed there antrocentric view of intelligence and accept that it is an trait which can evolve like any other trait. When this is done it may be finally possible to recognize the remarkable abilities that some many people seem to find in animals as evidence of animal intelligence not lesser human intelligence.
...nder roles that lack this maternal instinct. Culturally fathers are perceived to be the “bread-winners” and be more involved in playing with children, whereas mothers are often involved in the daily care of children, such as feeding and bathing children. Although women are commonly the head of sole-parent families, the Ministry of Social Development state that there is a growing rate of sole-parent fathers accounting for 14% of all sole-parents with dependent children in 1986 rising to 17% in 2006 (2010). It is evident that single-mother parenting is different to single-father parenting; however the rising rate of single-fathers suggests that the stigma of gender roles in sole-parenting is on the rise towards equality.
Monkey see, monkey do. Apes have always been thought to have an increased level of intelligence. Over the years, researchers have attempted to understand the degree of intelligence these primates possess. However, it is essential to understand the definition of intelligence in order to determine the amount of intelligence primates have. Intelligence is the capability of obtaining knowledge and being able to utilize it in everyday situations. There are many hypotheses that focus on the evolution of intelligence in primates that view a number of factors including brain size and modernism. Primate intelligence has been a topic of interest to many because it will allow us to further understand the close relationship between humans and primates. Additionally, we will be able to understand the difference between human and primate cognition. Some studies suggest that the human and primate brains possess many similarities. This demonstrates why primates tend to respond to stimuli in a manner that is closely related to humans. Researchers have conducted a number of studies in an effort to understand primate cognition.
In spite of the fact that intelligence quotient tests have been around for decades, many professionals are attempting to determine the factors and causes behind aptitude. Several options exist to explain or disprove the reasons why some attain above average intellect, while others manage varying degrees less. Some of these alternatives, along with arguments in the general and human intelligence topics, will be found inside the following pages of discussion.
Human intelligence is an eel-like subject: slippery, difficult to grasp, and almost impossible to get straight [3]. Many scientist and psychologist have made numerous attempts to come up with an explanation for the development of human intelligence. For many years, there has been much controversy over what intelligence is and whether it is hereditary or nurtured by the environment. Webster's dictionary defines intelligence as "the ability to acquire and apply knowledge; which includes a sensing an environment and reaching conclusions about the state of that environment [7]. In this paper I am going to examine the factors, which make up ones intelligence. I will be investigating whether or not intelligence is fostered by genetic heritance or nurtured by ones environment.
Since the beginning of time, fathers have had a profound effect on their child’s development. Over the years, the norm for traditional family dynamics of having a father figure in the household has changed drastically, and so did the roles of the parents. It is not as common as it used to be to have a father or father figure in the home. In this day and age, women are more likely to raise children on their own and gain independence without the male assistance due to various reasons. The most significant learning experience and development of a person’s life takes place in their earlier years when they were children. There are many advantages when there is a mother and father combined in a
...cience and human genetics concerned with human learning, memory, and intellectual developments which have implications in gifted education.
Intelligence by definition is “the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills” (Oxford Dictionary, 2014). However, many psychologists argue that there is no standard definition of ‘intelligence’, and there have been many different theories over time as psychologists try to find better ways to define this concept (Boundless 2013). While some believe in a single, general intelligence, others believe that intelligence involves multiple abilities and skills. Another largely debated concept is whether intelligence is genetically determined and fixed, or whether is it open to change, through learning and environmental influence. This is commonly known as the nature vs. nurture debate.
The most common reasons for father absence today are divorce, out-of-wedlock births, and incarceration. In most divorces the children are separated mostly from the father. Currently, the divorce rate in the United States if 50 percent, according to “Divorce in America Infographic” which was posted on the website titled, “Daily Infographic” (Jasmin, 2013). This data leaves you to assume that most children live with thei...
While it is very difficult to define intelligence in itself, I believe in the theory of multiple intelligences. This is the idea that intelligence has different modalities, rather than a general understanding that someone is either intelligent, or that they are not. Interpersonal intelligence is the most important modality in my view. This can be roughly defined as having the ability to interact well with others. A good example of someone with high interpersonal skills was Martin Luther King. He was a clever man, however, it was not his IQ score that made him such a popular figure with the public, but his ability to read people, how they felt, and what their intentions