I have always shown interest in these tests. Have been involved with solving some of the Mensa , tickle and some of the tough tests out there on the net. Though my score reflects as having an above average IQ, I have always doubted these tests.

The simple reason being, one test can no way gauge your intelligence and no way can they derive a score based upon your 45 minute - 1 hour effort. Tomorrow if I take a similar one, I would end up scoring high/less.

 

So here I was reading "Schrödinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality" by John Gribbin on my way to work today ( which I always do - to and fro) and I'd like to quote what he has to say .. He says ... IQ tests which are supposed to measure something called 'intelligence quotient' of human beings. 

 

But it is now generally accepted that what IQ tests measure is the ability of people to do IQ tests. Innate intelligence may be a factor in determining this ability but it is not the only factor.

 

No wonder the results of IQ measurements only tell us about the ability of people to respond to IQ tests, not their real intelligence. Now I give you a moment to digest this. I too read the stuff again and again to make sure that I'm reading the right stuff, but its a well accepted fact now. So, those tickles do not tickle me any more and even if Einstein comes up (as he does) asking me to take it .. I am not gonna buy that crap.

 

A correlation he draws out there (Gribbin) is that the same way when we measure the momentum of an electron, its not the momentum that we are measuring, its the ability of an electron to respond to momentum tests and for that matter mass or any other physical property. I believe he is right not because He says so but the examples he outlines to prove his point is pretty convincing ... Well Quantum Mechanics for that matter has had profound effect on myself within the past 2-3 months ..

 

I never understood the facts  and the main idea was to explain the Copenhagen Interpretation which is now not taken seriously because of the whole concept of the collapse of the wave function. Come to think of it, I have no clue as to what they might find out in the coming decades but what ever it may be, it would be interesting to learn whether faster than light travel is actually possible and if so, does it mean backwards in time ? What happens to Einstein's theory of relativity ?

 

Sigh !!!