[ExI] What if humans were twice as intelligent?

BillK pharos at gmail.com
Mon Oct 14 12:19:47 UTC 2013


On Mon, Oct 14, 2013 at 12:19 PM, Anders Sandberg  wrote:
> The effect is fairly weak. While the image of Idiocracy is vivid, when you
> actually sit down and simulate genetic equilibria of numerous small
> IQ-related genes you will find that the anti-intelligence selection effect
> is not doing much.
>


Hmmnnn. Not simulations, but real world studies have found a correlation.

The most significant factor is child mortality. When nations stop high
child mortality, then women stop having so many children.
When you add in female education / empowerment and higher incomes as
well, that explains the fall in first world birth rates.

But in the US some surveys have shown that college graduates have
fewer children.
Quote:
One study investigating fertility and education carried out in 1991
found that high school dropouts in America had the most children (2.5
on average), with high school graduates having fewer children, and
college graduates having the fewest children (1.56 on average).
--------

See: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertility_and_intelligence>

However, it is difficult to prove as education and IQ effects are mixed up.

BillK



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