What was the IQ of Jack?!

[dougie]

Im assuming the I.Q question implies that jack must have been pretty clever to commit these crimes AND get away with it.Would that neccessarilly have been the case? O r was it more a case of luck? And if he was a clever guy with a high I.Q what on earth would he be doing wasting his time in 1888 whitechapel?....apart from killing prostitutes of course
regards

[Robert]

One of the best kinds of "intelligence" question is the type that gives you a stream of unconnected data, and then asks "Who is the guard of the train?" or some such question. That tests reasoning ability.

Questions which require some form of knowledge should be excluded. Even everyday knowledge should be excluded, because some people with an interest in the subject will bring it to the fore of their brain faster than those with no interest, and that matters in a test against the clock. For example, I have no interest in fruit so any question involving fruit has me at a slight disadvantage.

Vegetables aren't much better either.

[j.r-ahde]

Hello you all!

To begin with, a tanka for Saucy Jacky:

Polly is dead now
After Annie The Meatball
Someone comes
Not Liz now, Katie later
Like I do, wait Mary!

Then; yes, IQ is a bit difficult to measure intelligence (at least alone!).

Besides, to us completely unmathematical persons, it's unfair, I think!

Yes, training brain is always good!

What it comes to score low in intelligence tests; I know some people, that focus on one field and do it damn good!

If I can get a high IQ by eating dougnuts and vegetables, I have to remember it, while going to my store for the next time!

Then one thing; Arthur Brown has a high IQ and his most memorable and only achievement we know of can be defined in the following word: "Fire!"

Well, there is probably the same range of people from different fields of life as with the rest!

All the best
Jukka

[Limehouse]

Hi Limehouse,

I'd have to ask when and where this was determined. In the UK today, for instance, it could be argued that it's intelligence that dictates whether we stuff our faces with crisps and doughnuts or spend the same money or less on a mountain of fresh veg. So I'm not sure how one would go about proving the reverse effect, ie that the crisps and doughnuts can adversely affect intelligence.

Love,

Caz
X

Hi Caz,

Good points. OK, it's believed that everyone has a potential IQ (even if you don't believe in IQ as such, any educational psychologist will do a test and give you a score so we'll go with that definition). Now, in terms of how you perform in applying your IQ, a poor diet will make you perform less well (or act less intelligently) than a diet rich in fruit, veg, fish, grains and so on.

Also, intelligence needs to be intellectually nurtured, so a person who has a relatively high IQ but is unaware of it, or whose intellects are not fully challenged, will tend to perfom less well and therefore appear less intelligent.It is perfectly possible to have a high IQ, but be relatively illiterate, due to poor education, no education, lack of access to reading material etc.

As for your point about the choices people make about their diet, well that can come down to common sense (a quality which is much more valuable than blind intelligence, and some would say that common sense is the application of every day intelligence) and also motivation. If you are 'locked into' a habit of placating yourself with foods rich in sugars and fats, it can be a very hard habit to break even though you know it's not doing you any good. As an analogy, my daughter works in the health profession and it has shocked her that many high ranking health professionals drink to excess and some of them even smoke as well even though they see the fall-out from such habits most days of their working lives.

However, as I previously wrote, the value of traditional intelligence tests in determining ability and potential is being questioned more and more every day. There are people who score low in intelligence tests (and indeed, their ability to function fully in every day life is impaired) and yet they can comose beautiful and complex pieces of music or draw beautiful cityscapes from memory. Other people score high in intelligence tests and cannot hold down a job or choose jobs in which they are called on to perform far below their ability - but they are happy.

Back to the main question - what was Jack's IQ - higher than average I'd say.

[caz]

Also, we have to remember that intelligence potential can be affected by things such as poor diet.

Hi Limehouse,

I'd have to ask when and where this was determined. In the UK today, for instance, it could be argued that it's intelligence that dictates whether we stuff our faces with crisps and doughnuts or spend the same money or less on a mountain of fresh veg. So I'm not sure how one would go about proving the reverse effect, ie that the crisps and doughnuts can adversely affect intelligence.

Love,

Caz
X

[Natalie Severn]

↑↑↑↑

...the "Ty-Phoo" of Jack

sheer genius!

[Sam Flynn]

Morris spills his tea

↑↑↑↑

...the "Ty-Phoo" of Jack

[Robert]

Silence fills her head
Horror strikes old Plod
Morris spills his tea

[Natalie Severn]

The assassin strikes
Blade dividing still-warm flesh;
Cold stones blush and weep.

(The haiku of Jack)

Bloody good Sam!

[Sam Flynn]

The assassin strikes
Blade dividing still-warm flesh;
Cold stones blush and weep.

(The haiku of Jack)

[Robert]

Nats, I just read your response, then noticed that you were online, then noticed that I was offline! How can I be offline if I'm online to notice it? Or do I have a low IQ?

Edit - I'm online now.

I must go in and out of existence somehow. Bit worrying for me.

[Natalie Severn]

I don't think I believe in IQs but I would guess that his IQ, if he had one, was higher than that of many of the country's MPs at that time - or now.

Right on Robert! Exactly what I was thinking myself.

[Robert]

I don't think I believe in IQs but I would guess that his IQ, if he had one, was higher than that of many of the country's MPs at that time - or now.

[c.d.]

The question is could he spell "canonical" and use it in a sentence.

c.d.

[Limehouse]

That's a lot higher than average. Average is around 100. I would say Jack's IQ would not have exceeded 120.

Also, we have to remember that intelligence potential can be affected by things such as poor diet.

Whilst I don't think that JtR would have needed a very high IQ, I don't think its likely that his/her IQ was low either, certainly not lower than say 90.