Good batch this month, Scott! The one that jumped out to me the most was the one about solving logic puzzles without language. As an evolutionary philosopher, this makes total sense since we see non-human animals rationally solving difficulties all the time. Those aren’t verbal logic puzzles, but it makes sense there’s a continuum of faculties built deep into our minds for problem solving.
What stands out to me is how easily we can interpret something as an inherent trait when environment and opportunity may have played a much larger role than we realize. That distinction has implications far beyond intelligence.
Good batch this month, Scott! The one that jumped out to me the most was the one about solving logic puzzles without language. As an evolutionary philosopher, this makes total sense since we see non-human animals rationally solving difficulties all the time. Those aren’t verbal logic puzzles, but it makes sense there’s a continuum of faculties built deep into our minds for problem solving.
What stands out to me is how easily we can interpret something as an inherent trait when environment and opportunity may have played a much larger role than we realize. That distinction has implications far beyond intelligence.
The brain “signature” of intelligence turns out to be heavily tangled up with socioeconomic status.
Thanks for this summary. Informative.
Based in SA and running a non profit ( African Men Care - www.africanmencare.com, for low income learners. I agree that poverty and brain penalty is real. https://mzamomasito.com/2026/09/22/intlupheko-poverty-is-not-a-virtue/
Thanks as always