One of the 16 smartest people on earth went to London Metropolitan University

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-16-smartest-people-on-earth-24252591.html

13. Mick Dempsey has an IQ of 171

Nationality: British

Dempsey has a degree in forensic psychology from London Metropolitan University. He is a youth support worker at Hertfordshire County Council, according to his LinkedIn profile.

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And?

"He is a youth support worker at Hertfordshire County Council"

Case in point

Reply 3

Psyk

A few of the people in that list seem to just be good at IQ tests because they've practiced them a lot. I guess that's not cheating as such, but it does defeat the point a bit doesn't it?

Reply 4

Manitude

As above, at least some only have scores that high because they do a lot of IQ tests. I've done three in my life and each time my score has increased, so I'm currently sitting on 148, which supposedly would put me in the "genius" category. Let me tell you now - I am no genius!!! Rather, I'm just quite good at doing IQ tests, as IQ tests can only measure your ability to do IQ tests.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 5

bananaterracottapie

none of those people scream "genius" to me....highlighting the complete uselessness of iq tests as they don't allow for the measurement of creativity behind genius. this is why i think the use of the term intelligence becomes a bit redundant, as in reality the only thing you can measure is peoples' performance in different things, itself telling nothing of the persons "natural intelligence" if there is such a thing or a persons' limitless potential in the limitless things you could measure , as well as the fact people value different talents differently. i really don't know whyy people bother with iq tests lol. also i just noticed, isn't it weird they're all men lol?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 6

pol pot noodles

Original post by Psyk

A few of the people in that list seem to just be good at IQ tests because they've practiced them a lot. I guess that's not cheating as such, but it does defeat the point a bit doesn't it?

How much practice would it take to 'artificially' inflate an IQ score?

Reply 7

Manitude

Original post by pol pot noodles

How much practice would it take to 'artificially' inflate an IQ score?

In my experience, not much. After just a handful of tests you'd get used to the style of questions and the problem solving methods, so you'd solve the questions quicker and more accurately, which would increase your score considerably.

Reply 8

Dandyflower

And some of the most stupid people went to Oxbridge.

School results mean absolutely nothing in life.

And IQ is flawed.

Reply 9

Mr. Tizzy XII

What is the point of this thread?

Reply 10

Octohedral

Original post by Dandyflower

And some of the most stupid people went to Oxbridge.

School results mean absolutely nothing in life.

Untrue

Reply 11

Lord of the Flies

IQ is not a perfect indicator of intelligence, at all. That's exactly why this article is a flaming piece of trash, for instance.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 12

username975836

Original post by Octohedral

Untrue

*Partly untrue

Reply 13

Dandyflower

Original post by Octohedral

Untrue

You support the BNP? :s-smilie:

Reply 14

Octohedral

Original post by Dandyflower

You support the BNP? :s-smilie:

I don't agree with Nick Griffin, no (and you have to admit he's quite a unique case), but being deluded and fascist doesn't make you unintelligent. He's still a fairly effective leader for his strange little racist group. Much like Hitler.

In general, school results are strongly correlated with intelligence, and pretty much everyone at Oxbridge is intelligent.

Reply 15

Dandyflower

Original post by Octohedral

He thinks the Holocaust didn't happen. Clever people say clever things, stupid people say stupid things.

School results are most strongly correlated to how rich and pushy your parents are.

Laurie Penny. Sally Bercow. Jacqui Smith. :eek:

Reply 16

Octohedral

Original post by Dandyflower

School results are most strongly correlated to how rich and pushy your parents are.

Actually, I can't argue with that :tongue:

I'm not saying Oxbridge students are infallible, but I stand by the fact that academic results are generally correlated with some form of intelligence. Sally Bercow dropped out of Oxford, Jacqui Smith hasn't exactly had a low profile career, and I don't know who Laurie Penny is (my fault).