I think what has been said makes sense, but here's what I think.

1. There's a difference between IQ, and knowledge we are brought up with. If one is intelligent, they will be able to learn and form new ideas from the environment. So, we cannot compare, natives and a civilized man's survivability on an island as a proper measurement. Instead we should look at universal areas which is practical for the learning and thinking process, eg. maths, reflexes, etc. because these applies either you're counting your bus fare or the number of fish caught.

2. IQ test- Though present IQ tests are the best method we have for measuring, I do not believe that IQ tests can ever be sufficient in determining ones real intelligence.

For 1, there are certain aspects of intelligence which cannot be measured like creativitiy (or have not). 2ndly, For any given area, there can actually be sub categories which we overlook. For example 1 person maybe better at multiplication, another would be good at division. And both belong to Maths. There are probably, infinite numbers of sub categories.

3rdly, Intelligence is relative to the environment, so in some cases we might need more maths, in others we may need perhaps better fine motor skills.

3. Upbringing- yes I believe upbringing plays a major role with what we can see today, with race-job preferences. But not an indicator of intelligence.

4. Race does effect our intelligence - of course not to say that one is smarter then the next, just that one maybe more inclined to excel at one area then the next. This is because, our race is basically an indicator of our parentage. And we know that intelligence can be inherited up to a certain extent. It is so, with physical traits such as dark skin peoples abilities to be able to stand under the sun for longer periods of time thus most probably the same for intelligence.

5. As to the savvants we see, which appears in all races, I believe those are anomalies. Same as why some people are borned crippled, or retarded. It is not related to race.

This post has been edited by TheDoer: Dec 17 2009, 08:59 AM

hum... Refer to my points 1 and 4
and as annariana mentioned:
Whether we like it or not, I believe race does make a difference. But note that the difference, does not mean one race is more superior than the next. So people shouldn't be using it to talk about eugenics.

Eugenics is a myth. It's like a doctor and a mechanic arguing whose smarter, but they have to accept that they can't live without one another.