Although, in general these days I polemicize against structuralism and other post-modernist critcisms of Marxism. have you heard of Levi-Strauss' _Les Pensees Sauvage_ ? The salutory aspect of that book is its argument for the rationality and intelligence of non-literate culture. It could probably eventually be reduced to pencil and paper like dancing etc., but the burden of the fact that it cannot be now should be borne by the measurers of intelligence.
Also, it occurs to me that pencil and paper are especially appropriate for measuring abstract thought. Levi-Strauss uses a term the "logic of the concrete." What say you about abstract and concrete intelligence ?
At any rate, most of us are familiar with the issues we are addressing. Don't you think we, as somewhat specialized predominantly abstract mental workers should be self-critical about reserving the word "intelligence" for ability to abstract ?
Charles
>>> Justin Schwartz <jschwart at freenet.columbus.oh.us> 05/29 3:29 PM >>>
Yes, Charles, there are lots of kinds of intelligence. Some may not be easily tesible for with pencil and paper. But if you are doind studies you need a way to operatinalize the measures and reduce them to written form so you can do the analysis. Moreoverm, if you are talking about what people normally think of as conceptual intelligence--verbal and mathematical skill, pencil and paper is the natural medium in which to test it.
--jks