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‘Do Different Race Of People Have Different Levels Of Intelligence’. Critically Discuss This Claim.

First let me discuss intelligence; Intelligence can’t be pinned down to one central skill it is considered a very broad term. Spearman defines intelligence as well defined tests that correlate to give a measure of intelligence, a well known and widely used test is the intelligence quotient or IQ test (Eysenck 1971, p.53). On the other hand IQ according to Ashley Montague doesn’t measure intelligence; the make up of intelligence has no definitive term. Different circumstances form the abilities we name intelligence and without looking further into these circumstances such intelligence tests are worthless in measuring intelligence. Intelligence may be better defined as diverse accustomed abilities (Montague 1975, p.190). In the nineteenth century craniometrical measurements were used to measure intelligence however this type of technique has now been proven as incorrect science. The brain in mass, dimension and obscurity in the collection of variations have no merit to intelligence (Montagu 1975, p.191). Everything we understand and deduce as people we have understood from others. Research has proven individual experience moulds the growing brain and the later conduct of the person. The value of this individual experience is essential for the progression of analytical performance that we refer to as “intelligence” (Montagu 1975, p.191).

The whole argument between race and IQ needs to be treated with caution. Eysenck defines race as groups of people with different hereditary and physical traits (Eysenck 1971, p. 36). Race and intelligence is a controversial area of intelligence research studying the nature, origins, and practical consequences of racial and ethnic group differences in intelligence test scores and other measures of cognitive ability. It has been suggested that people of various races do have different levels of intelligence, however the controversy of establishing what exactly makes a person intelligent is the basis for argument. Intelligence is...