Posted on 09/19/2014 8:54:22 AM PDT by fishtank
Are We Evolving Stupidity?
by Brian Thomas, M.S. *
Are we dumber than our grandparents?
Social psychologists are tracking IQ scores and noticed a decline in the last decade after a steady rise since the 1950s. Some wonder if the recent downturn reflects genes that have been eroding all along. Are we evolving stupidity?
The concept of eroding genes—steadily but slowly marred by new slightly harmful mutations that occur every generation—has its proponents and detractors. New Scientist consultant Bob Holmes wrote, “The most controversial explanation is that rising IQ scores have been hiding a decline in our genetic potential.”1
Holmes reviewed IQ score trends from Denmark, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Denmark, the UK, and Sweden. They show similarly rapid rises in postwar test results that peaked in the 1990s, and have steady declined since then.
(Excerpt) Read more at icr.org ...
You tell me. This is an entrance exam for High School in 1885. When I first saw this it was for Jersey City Jr High, not high school. I think the site I stole it from made a mistake.
EXAMINATION FOR ADMISSION
Jersey City High School, JUNE, 1885
Algebra
I. Define Algebra, an algebraic expression, a polynomial. Make a literal trinomial.
II. Write a homogeneous quadrinomial of the third degree. Express the cube root of 10ax in two ways.
III. Find the sum and difference of 3x – 4ay + 7cd – 4xy + 16, and 10ay – 3x – 8xy + 7cd – 13.
ARITHMETIC
I. If a 60 days note of $840 is discounted at a bank at 4 1/2% what are the proceeds?
II. Find the sum of {square root of} 16.7281 and {square root of} .72 1/4.
III. The interest of $50 from March 1st to July 1st is $2.50. What is the rate?
IV. What is the cost of 19 cwt. 83 lb. of sugar at $98.50 a ton? What is discount? A number?
V. By selling goods at 12 1/2% profit a man clears $800. What was the cost of the goods, and for what were they sold?
VI. A merchant offered some goods for $1170.90 cash, or $1206 payable in 30 days. Which was the better offer for the customer, money being worth 10%?
GEOGRAPHY
I. What is the axis of the earth? What is the equator?
What is the equator?
What is the distance from the equator to either pole in degrees, in miles?
II. Name four principal ranges of mountains in Asia, three in Europe, and three in Africa.
III. Name the capitals of the following countries: Portugal, Greece, Egypt, Persia, Japan, China, Canada, , Cuba.
IV. Name the states on the west bank of the Mississippi, and the capital of each.
V. Write the state or country of the following: Detroit, Chicago, Portland, Rio Janeiro, Callao, Venice, Bombay, St. Louis, Halifax, Vera Cruz.
.
VI. Name 10 countries of South America, and the capital of each.
VII. In what countries is coffee raised?
VII. New York is nearly 75 {degrees} west of London. When it is noon at the former, what time is it at the latter?
GRAMMAR
I. Analyse the following: Perseus ground his teeth with rage, for he saw that he had fallen into a trap.
II. Make a list of all the verbs in the sentence above, and give the principal parts of each of them.
III. Parse for, had fallen, that, saw
IV. Give two uses of the hyphen.
V. Write a sentence containing a noun used as an attribute, a verb in the perfect tense potential mood, and a proper adjective.
VI. Correct
{a} It is only me.
{b} Who did she invite?
VII. Write the declension of
VIII. Write four lines of poetry, giving particular attention to the use of capitals, and to punctuation.
IX. Make three sentences, using the plural of sheep
U.S. HISTORY
I. What people settled Massachusetts?
Where did they land, and what was their character?
II. Name four Spanish explorers and state what induced them to come to America.
III. What event do you connect with 1565, 1607, 1620, 1664, 1775?
IV. Name the thirteen colonies that declared their independence in 1776.
V. Name three events of 1777. Which was the most important and why?
VI. What caused the war of 1812?
Who was president during that war?
What was the result of it?
VII. What form of government was established in 1789?
Into what three branches was the government divided?
What do the Senate and House of Representatives constitute?
VIII. What caused the Mexican war?
What was the result?
Dumber as in more ignorant as a society, yes. That trend will continue as the public schools continue to purge content in favor of attitude training.
Nor is logic it’s like many want others to think for them a sure sign of lazy.
Yep, that is why he was able to live for more than 900 years. If you look at genealogy in Genesis you will notice that the lifespan decreased with every generation after the great flood.
Vastly more dumb and vastly more degenerate.
Want an eye-opener? Go to the public library and read some of the old newspapers on microfilm. Thirty years ago, fifty years ago, a hundred years ago. You really get a full picture of how far we have fallen, as a society and as a country.
Who is we?
If we is the average then it’s probably true - look who is reproducing the fastest.
That a hard truth.. but it is a truth.. if you subsidized the stupid you get more of the stupid....
A change in morals and cultural values is different than a loss of IQ. I think there are some problems with thier measurements. Note that the smallest unit of measure of IQ is 1 point which is how much they say it has decreased. There is also a lot of variability inherent in IQ measurements not to mention changes in the test itself. This doesnt mean people arent getting dumber just that the measurement of it is problematic. These days stupid people DO seem to have more kids than smart people which could lower the intelligence of the population over time.
Idiocracy was already made several years ago.
Wow I am pretty downed syndrome if you go off your test. Wow. Ok now ask some every day questions? What’s more important current history and events or Math and Algebra? How bout lets test on American history and Geography rather then the axis of the earth and that.. I feel really stupid that I could not answer hardly any. Thanks! Jerk! LOL
Commie Core will insure that the nation’s IQ will deteriorate even more rapidly.
Yes.
If there are more stupid people procreating than intelligent people, then yes, we’re getting dumber. And yes, there are more stupid people procreating than intelligent people. In fact, many so-called intelligent people are making a point of not having children. While the idiots pop out kids like rabbits.
Maybe the tests are getting harder.
The problem with IQ is public schools imo. More specifically, the informal priority of public schools in the USA is to babysit the children of working parents who are too tired at the end of the day to ask their children what they learned in school.
And little do parents know that public schools are indoctrinating their children about federal government entitlement programs as opposed to being taught reading, writing, arithmetic and the federal government’s constitutionally limited powers.
To take instruction from another is to tacitly acknowledge that the other may know something one does not know. This once hopefully temporary acceptance of "inferiority", inexorably led to a loss of "Self Esteem," especially when combined with authority, method, or discipline.
We absolutely cannot have loss of "Self Esteem." Thus, we cannot transmit factual knowledge to someone who doesn't have it because the ignorant must be equal to those who may not be ignorant. And the ignorant vote to decide their own fate and yours.
When you are told how smart you are without actually having to achieve anything - why would you believe that you need to study anything. Obviously anyone who doesn’t think like you do should thereafter be called short sighted and ignorant. Thus, progressives proliferate.
There is no place for intellect in groupthink and political correctness.
Critical thinking is a lost art.
“demographic seismic shift”
The average American IQ is 100. The average Mexican IQ is 90. Central America - didn’t bother to check; it is probably lower. But according to Boehner and Obama, they are our future.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.