The Intelligence Paradox: Why the Intelligent Choice Isn’t Always the Smart One

266 Pages·2012·0.93 MB·English

by  Satoshi Kanazawa

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the
intelligence
paradox
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t h e
i n t e l l i g e n c e
p a r a d o x
why the intelligent choice
isn’t always the smart one
Satoshi Kanazawa
JohnWiley&Sons,Inc.
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Copyright © 2012 by Satoshi Kanazawa. All rights reserved
Credit, page 40: Sample item similar to those found in the Raven’s Progressive Matrices
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Kanazawa,Satoshi.
Theintelligenceparadox:whytheintelligentchoiceisn’talwaysthesmartone/
SatoshiKanazawa.
p.cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-470-58695-2(hardback);ISBN978-1-118-13764-2(ebk);
ISBN978-1-118-13765-9(ebk);ISBN978-1-118-13766-6(ebk)
1.Intellect. 2.Evolutionarypsychology. I.Title.
BF431.K3662012
153.9—dc23
2011042289
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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For Kaja Perina,
who makes all great things happen in my career
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Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
What Do People Want? 3
A Brief Word on the Data 8
1 What Is Evolutionary Psychology? 13
Four Core Principles of Evolutionary Psychology 15
Two Logical Fallacies That We Must Avoid 19
2 The Nature and Limitations of the Human Brain 23
The Savanna Principle 23
3 What Is Intelligence? 37
Common Misconceptions about Intelligence 38
How Did General Intelligence Evolve? 49
Cognitive Classes 54
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Contents
4 When Intelligence Matters
(and When It Doesn’t) 55
The Savanna-IQ Interaction Hypothesis 55
From the Hypothesis to the Paradox:
The Intelligence Paradox on Individual
Preferences and Values 71
5 Why Liberals Are More Intelligent than
Conservatives 73
What Is Liberalism? 73
Are Liberals More Intelligent than Conservatives? 76
If Liberals Are More Intelligent than Conservatives,
Why Are Liberals So Stupid? 78
IQ and the Values of Nations 84
6 Why Atheists Are More Intelligent than the
Religious 87
Where Does Religion Come From? 87
Is It Natural to Believe in God? 92
Societal Implications 95
7 Why More Intelligent Men (but Not More
Intelligent Women) Value Sexual Exclusivity 97
Humans Are Naturally Polygynous, Not
Monogamous 97
Are More Intelligent Men More Likely
to Be Faithful? 101
Intelligence and Marriage Institutions 110
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Contents
8 Why Night Owls Are More Intelligent than
Morning Larks 113
Choice within Genetic Predisposition 114
Night Life Is Evolutionarily Novel 115
So Are Asians Really More Nocturnal
than Others? 122
9 Why Homosexuals Are More Intelligent than
Heterosexuals 127
What Does It Mean to Be Homosexual? 128
Evolutionary Novelty of Homosexual
Identity and Behavior 130
Intelligence and Homosexuality 133
10 Why More Intelligent People Like
Classical Music 141
Evolutionary Origins of Music 144
Intelligence and Tastes for Music 148
Evolutionary Novelty or Cognitive
Complexity? 152
11 Why Intelligent People Drink and
Smoke More 157
Brief Histories of Alcohol, Tobacco,
and Drugs 158
Intelligence and Substance Use 160
Intelligence and Criminality 173
ix