What is IQ, and in what ways is it important, if any?

This page is a stub, created on 2023-12-19. Its contents are notes on the issues and angles I want to address about this topic.

In General

• the sense in which it's an "absolute" attribute of cognitive abilities, representing the maximum potential of an individual's mind
  • analogy to height
• IQ testing and its changing over time
• individual relevance
  • one-on-one interactions
  • program admissions
• social relevance
  • trends among various genetic groups (ie, "races")
  • trends among cultural groups
• predictive power
  • success in life
  • happiness
  • lifestyle and health traits

Personally

• testing history
• why I don't like to share my IQ
  • awe
  • incredulity (including "But such-and-such genius from history had an IQ of only [blah]!")
    • being challenged on veracity of claim
  • looking out for confirmation/disproof in future interactions
  • weird interpersonal dynamics relating to insecurity
  • Who gives a shit? What's relevant is not some abstract number, but what you actually know about my demonstrated cognitive skills.