For those of you following recent breakthroughs in cognitive science, this is not exactly news, but it does usher in a new paradigm for measuring intelligence. Yes, just as we guessed, intelligence is a function of how well we remember things, how well we put those things into words, and how quickly we can move those abstract concepts around in relation to each other. This is multi-threaded multi-object network intelligence (human intelligence), as demonstrated by what is now being called the Parieto-Frontal Integration Theory (or P-FIT) which uses brain scanning techniques to identify the core brain networks used in intelligent functioning. From the release at Physorg.com:
The data suggest that some of the brain areas related to intelligence are the same areas related to attention and memory and to more complex functions like language. Haier and Jung say this possible integration of cognitive functions suggests that intelligence levels might be based on how efficient the frontal-parietal networks process information.
Some scary extrapolations of this story may be that specific intelligence "traits" -- such as memory or linguistic or relational or analytical skills -- are all targeted to specific brain areas, areas that can be genetically marked, passed on, manipulated, and/or nurtured to create more intelligent people. Bandwidth between all these areas is also a key, and there are even (gasp) differences between men and women. Although it has taken a few years for science to reach consensus on this issue, it looks like there will be more to come on this soon. A team of 19 independent researchers all agreeing on something as big as this can't be too far off the mark...
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