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An Unfiltered Conversation with Jordan Peterson

The Iced Coffee Hour

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Intelligence Reflects Ancestral Heritage

Intelligence, defined as general cognitive ability, is a multi-dimensional trait, but it is notably stable at the upper end. Its variability poses a challenge to egalitarian ideals, as it reveals that cognitive ability is a significant predictor of success in complex occupations. The distribution of intelligence is heavily influenced by genetics, with descendants of intelligent parents generally proving to be less intelligent than their ancestors. This phenomenon, known as regression toward the mean, implies that intelligence is not solely dictated by parental attributes, but is instead shaped by a broader ancestral lineage, suggesting that intelligence tends to revert to the average of a population over generations.

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