Reading: Think Smart: By Richard Restak pages 78-116

    In the second section of Part 3, Richard describes the Intelligence Conundrum. It is now believed that we can improve our intelligence based on our own efforts. Before, people believed that no matter how hard you try, you have a certain boundary for intelligence, but in recent times, it is now believed that intelligence can increase with hard work. Estimating a person's intelligence is usually done by their performance on an IQ test. However, we have been conditioned to believe that intelligence is based on IQ tests, IQ is genetically determined, and minor gains can be made to increase IQ. Yet none of these assumptions are true, according to James R. Flynn.
    The author at first disagreed with his findings at first because he knows of people and like himself who excell in class while putting minimal effort into it. He then told the story of a person in his medical class who surpassed the works of all his peers, but claimed to not do anything to prepare. But in reality, he spent hours studying at his girl friends house. The author then goes into the details of how twins provide a complex sense to test intelligence. Identical twins tend to have fairly similar IQ's. The basis of Flynn's research explains that the environment will always be the principle determinant of whether or not a particular genetic predisposition gets fully expressed. This concept applies to all concepts of the brain.
    Intelligence is composed of many compartments. Mental Acuity is our fluid intelligence which occurs when we are given problems or circumstances in which we have no prior knowledge to, but preform what we can. Knowledge and information or crystallized intelligence is the form in which we respond by recalling what we have already learned or practiced. Memory helps for new information isn't helpful unless it can be recalled later. Curiosity is important because the more curious we are the more we learn.  A big factor is our speed of information processing, the time it takes for one to process information. Finally, the ability to think abstract. A chair and a table are not related because they have four legs, but because they are both pieces of furniture. However, once again the environment plays a key role in success, for even though one may be intelligent, their hard work and opportunities may provide them with the assets to be more successful. Also, the failure of memory can be attributed with the principles of distraction and failure to register what is going on during the original experience.
Response:
    I found this section to be the most informational than all the other sections. Not only was it informative, but it was also entertaining. I agree with a lot of the things Restak is saying, such as the environment playing a factor in how intelligent a person develops. Those who are sheltered or in harmful conditions can not prosper as much as those that are provided with their learning necessities. Furthermore, I have always wanted to take an intelligence test so this section was perfect for me.