Become a good mathematician without the "threshold" IQ?

[Vanadium 50]

Well, if we're writing for "posterity"...

• The very notion of a threshold IQ is unserious. Does anyone really think that with a 150 IQ one can be a successful mathematician but with a 149 one cannot?
• Does anyone really doubt that with a constant level of effort being smarter helps?
• Does anyone really doubt that with a constant level of intelligence more effort helps?

 

[StoneTemplePython]

Edit:Well, until someone brings up research it is little more than hearsay or personal opinions so we are stuck with this and I don't see it moving forward

I tried a year and a half ago, but I don't think it had much effect
https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...stress-and-the-human-cost.943817/post-5987052
As I recall, that issue of The Economist had some adjacent articles on notions of intelligence and how to estimate it from IQ to G to some other things.

 

[WWGD]

I tried a year and a half ago, but I don't think it had much effect
https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...stress-and-the-human-cost.943817/post-5987052
As I recall, that issue of The Economist had some adjacent articles on notions of intelligence and how to estimate it from IQ to G to some other things.

Like a large amount of topics, it's gone the way of culture wars. A sad comment on our society today that we have trouble disagreeing constructively on so many different topics. Edit: Baby Boomers did an amazing job of pushing technology forward but went backwards in terms of engaging in political, general debate.

 

[hmmm27]

The academic or intellectual sphere is different from your example of singing because singing talent is at least in part on physical characteristics (i.e. quality of someone's vocal chords).

Not really : a pleasant-sounding voice is nice to have, but almost totally irrelevant for a professional vocalist.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Not really : a pleasant-sounding voice is nice to have, but almost totally irrelevant for a professional vocalist.

Ethel Merman, Britney Spears...

 

[gmax137]

Right, Leo Kottke described his own singing voice as "geese farts on a muggy day."

 

[gleem]

Getting back to the OP. There is more to attaining prominence in a field than some basic innate ability although I think the entertainment profession is not the best example for this discussion: there is no accounting for taste.

It is too bad that young people can be disheartened by some questionable standard instead of just trying to accomplish something dear to them. Feynman was a great proponent of doing that in which you are most interested or at least trying to do it. We all have a little voice in our heads that persistently eggs us on about something. @Rick77. what is that little voice telling you?

 

[hmmm27]

Follow your dreams : if you like math then do math. You can't lose, unless your aspiration is solely to have a math diploma to use as a prop.

An IQ test mostly measures the ability to do an IQ test. Most tall people suck at basketball.