I've met whole families whereevery member except maybe one or two was a box of rocks.I've met families where everyone was highly intelligent except for one or two members........Do you believe it's genetic..like certain diseases..If certain mental illnesses are genetic couldn't intelligence be also?
2007-05-28 03:33:38 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
If one parent is intelligent and another is not..could some of their kids be intelligent and others not??
2007-05-28 03:34:27 · update #1
There's a BIG difference between smart and intelligent.
2007-05-28 03:40:23 · update #2
That was funny STU
2007-05-28 03:44:38 · update #3
yes
2007-05-28 03:35:55 · answer #1 · answered by Felix 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The nature or nurture question is a long standing mystery and I don't think we'll be getting an answer anytime soon. I believe Genetics is only a part of the answer.
The nature or nurture argument goes like this. Some ppl claim mental character traits (as opposed to the physical traits such as obesity) are predetermined by genetics (i.e) if the father is a criminal, there's a higher chance that the kid will be a criminal because such traits are inherited. This is the NATURE side of the question. The NURTURE side says that whoever the kid's parents may be, the way the kid is brought up determines the character. Some of the traits being hotly debated are intelligence, criminality etc.
As you can imagine this argument is highly controversial because if it can be proved that traits such as a tendency to criminal behavior are inherited, it could lead to restrictive laws in the name of public safety or evolution of Mankind. You can imagine the field day conspiracy theorists would have with something like this!
My view is that it's not as simple as either nature alone or nurture alone. For example, lets take a kid born in a stupid family. For much of the earliest times of the kid's life when it is developing it's cognitive functions, it'll be exposed only to that kind of behavior. Even if it had any tendency towards intelligence or intellectual curiosity, how well do you think it would develop in such an environment? So, it may well be not just genetics but also the child's environment that affects it's intelligence. This may also be pure hogwash. No one knows and no one can really tell.
And how do you define intelligence anyway? Should we just use the narrow scale of Academic success? Or maybe the monetary success achieved in life? The kid may jus win a lottery. That doesn't take too much intelligence. And some of the best minds of the world have had miserable academic records. Like I said before, it's a really involved debate and we aren't gonna be figuring out an answer to it anytime soon....
2007-05-28 10:59:50 · answer #2 · answered by krithi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no it is not.
it has to do with the surroundings one grows up.
it is obvious that if your surroundings are boxes of rock as you say you do not have much chances either but if the same kid grew up in a highly intelligent environment then the results would have been different.
and just because i see you differentiate smart from intelligent...
you are right a smart person can use its smarts and convert them into intelligence but an intelligent person no matter how hard he tries cannot turn the intelligence into smarts
2007-05-28 10:48:07 · answer #3 · answered by grace g 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think the family is part of the situation. If education is promoted and encouraged then one would be more likely to aspire to it. Of course having the family w/brains plays a part too.
2007-05-28 10:42:45 · answer #4 · answered by sideways 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe it's totally random, for the most part.
We hear about 12 y/o autistic kids who are dynamic artists, and we hear of 3 y/o's who are piano prodigy's.
Most of those people don't come from backgrounds reflective of their particular talents, such as one or both of their parents being artists, or musicians.
2007-05-28 10:49:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope, I don't think you're born smart. I think intelligence comes with effort.
2007-05-28 10:37:20 · answer #6 · answered by Banana Hero [sic] 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes genetics count the most, then there's experience and influence and the ultimate self discovery
2007-05-28 10:37:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends on the person... I am sure genetics is involved somehow
2007-05-28 10:39:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe everyone is smart, its just a matter of how you apply yourself
2007-05-28 10:37:47 · answer #9 · answered by bowsgirl1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i certainly think it helps but there is always an exception to the every rule
2007-05-28 10:42:17 · answer #10 · answered by Nora G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋