11.2018 | THE SCIENTIST 13FROM THE EDITORIQ can’t capture the breadth, depth, or variety
of human intelligence.BY BOB GRANTSmarts and Hearts
O
ften human intelligence is presented as a broad
abstraction, a somewhat amorphous concept that
may or may not be grasped by the pointed cali-
pers of science. Is there a genetic component? Do proxies
of intelligence—such as IQ tests—really capture the phe-
nomenon? Might there be a way to increase intelligence
once we have a firm understanding of its biological roots?
Associate Editor Shawna Williams deftly tackles these
big-picture questions in her feature story, “The Intelligence
Puzzle,” on page 28. She talks to scientists at the forefront
of intelligence research, and poses this intriguing question
to readers: “Is our species smart enough to understand the
basis of our own intelligence?”
I personally think humans are up to this ambitious neuro-
scientific challenge. But I’ve recently been mulling over
some less-ballyhooed manifestations of intelligence. I do
think there is utility in dissecting general intelligence and
thinking about its component biological, environmental,
and social drivers. But I also think that intelligence blos-
soms in more-subtle ways that are too often overshadowed
by the IQ-testable variety.
Firstly, specialized knowledge has played a pervasive
part in human economies and societies for millennia. As
our species transitioned out of hunting and gathering and
began to settle into a more sedentary lifestyle, carving
off a specific slice of the human intelligence pie became
valuable. Scribes, wheel makers, boat builders, and bak-
ers could not only trade on their acquired knowledge and
skills, they were afforded special status in their communi-
ties. That segmenting of human intelligence continues to
this d ay, as journalists, home builders, and teachers make
livings from having specific types of intelligence and skills
that are not widespread across the population.
Beyond this economically vital segmenting of human
intelligence, traits such as honesty, kindness, and civil-
ity are born of an even more fundamental intelligence,
something that is missed by IQ tests. In a world too often
beset by obfuscation, rudeness, and confrontation, these
nobler attributes might be construed as weakness. But
such behavior is a strength, capable of making society
more inviting, inclusive, and peaceful. Although being
dishonest, for example, might net a human short-term
gains, the breakdown of factuality and honesty weakens
the very fabric that binds together our institutions and
our civilization.When human intelligence is parsed into its pragmatic
parts, it begins to look less like a uniform quality that each
of us possesses to a greater or lesser extent and more like a
diverse human trait with a spectrum of variants. Sure, we
need brilliant people exercising their cerebral cortices in
order to explore space, combat disease, and increase our
understanding of the laws that govern our universe. We
also need pilots, lawyers, and roofers. But if attaining lofty
intellectual heights or maintaining specialized knowledge
and skill sets is not paired with progress and thoughtful-
ness in the ways humans treat each other and our planet, it
makes our species seem, ultimately, kind of dumb. gEditor-in-Chief
ANDRZEJ KRAUZE [email protected]