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The Mismeasure of Man

In The Mismeasure of Man, Stephen Jay Gould elaborates on the fallacy of relying on intelligence statistics which have a dubious hypothetical basis. Within the context of the scientific testing of mental abilities, increasingly precise measurements do nothing to increase our understanding of the nature of human intelligence.

As Gould proves in his study, "Numbers and graphs do not gain authority from increasing precision of measurement, sample size, or complexity in manipulation . . . prior commitment to one among many potential conclusions often guarantees a serious flaw . . . in experimental design" (82).

Although the intelligence test has fallen into modern disfavor because of the many reasons Gould outlines, educators have historically labored under its misleading indications. At best, the intelligence test has been an imprecise diagnostic tool to objectify the teaching of students of varying abilities, while at worst, it has been used to further subjugate people presumed to be natively inferior.

The intelligence test has had tremendous potential for the production and reproduction of inequality in schools and society. Educators used the test to objectify their tasks at hand, while the military presumably used the test as a screening tool. It will later become apparent that the "white draft," or the conscription of white males suited for the army, produced an average mental age far lower than one should expect in a country dedicated to public education for all.

As De Castell contends in the study guide to her Social Issues in Education, "ideological factors, rather than scientific facts have played a central role in the origins, development, and current acceptance of the alleged 'science' of mental testing" (128). The predominant ideological factor is the meritocratic system which perpetuates the myth that in a society in which all receive the same educational opportunities, people will sort themselves out on the ...

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The Mismeasure of Man. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 20:03, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1690927.html