[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by MRM

Actually, I've read that Lincoln's IQ was estimated at 115 - bright normal. That probably underestimates his mental capabilities. In the last 20 years or so archivists have found old court records from cases he handled as a lawyer. They show unusually complex and successful legal arguments, often on behalf of railroad companies. Railroads were the big business of the day and could pay for the top legal talent. Rather than being a stumbling poor country lawyer, he was probably a very sharp and shrewd person. Now he was probably mentally ill, and his wife certainly was, but he was a smart guy.

Contrast him to FDR who even his advisors considered stupid. One of his people called him a second rate intellect with a first rate demeanor. Meaning that you can be great at what you do without a high IQ, as long as you have the social skills necessary to harness the horsepower you do have. Kind of like low-power/lightweight racecars being competitive with big horsepower brutes.

That's why I think IQ "studies" like this are useless at best and misleading at worst. Intelligence is three dimensional and IQ tests measure one dimension of intelligence. Besides, there is no long-term correlation between intelligence and genetics. Over time everyone's decedents regress to the mean. Smart people have dull children, geniuses are born in slums. Intelligence, like rain, falls on the just and unjust, rich and poor, equally.

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Abe Lincoln, hmm, not sure why you brought his name up, as he was considered very smart by many. Do you have any documentation to back up your claim?
I fould one site that estimates his IQ at 128, which is well above the retarded stage IIRC.
Famous People IQ

Here's another that suggests Age was "mentally gifted" and had an IQ as high as 150.
Abraham Lincoln - A Gifted Man



While you're digging that up let's look at some of hte stuff he was NOT remembered for, shall we? Kinda makes ya think, many folks would have given up after so many failures and bad luck but he stuck with it.

1832 Lost job
Defeated for state legislature

1833 Failed in business

1835 Girlfriend died of typhoid fever at age 22

1836 Had nervous breakdown

1838 Defeated for Speaker

1843 Defeated for nomination for Congress

1848 Lost renomination (Chose not to run for Congress, abiding by rule of rotation among Whigs.)

1849 Rejected for land officer
Declined appointment as secretary and then as governor of Oregon Territory

1850 Oldest son dies

1854 Defeated for U.S. Senate Elected to Illinois state legislature (but declined seat to run for U.S. Senate)

1856 Defeated for nomination for Vice President

1858 Again defeated for U.S. Senate

1862 second son dies

1871 fourth son dies

have you guys ever seen a real IQ test? they are filled with cultural references, basic knowledge, all sorts of things that we easily and quickly understand today, but in 1860, no one would understand.

the point is the metric is based on todays culture, education, and background, whenever you then try to use such a test outside of that area, it will fail to achieve an accurate result.

this is why IQ tests arn't really testing ones intelligence.