Intelligence and Communication

I just want to start out by saying "yes, I know this is really late." Anyways, the past few classes on my schedule in general have really questioned my views on the relationship between communication and intelligence. We are all smart in our own way, but in the past two or three weeks, I realize that many intelligent people seem to overlook the whole communication thing in general. I know I've done it too many times, but I try to limit it. For instance, in Human Geography the other day we had our first test, but the professor told us the test would include non-specific questions that would not as for hard facts. Well, the test was everything but non-specific and included questions like what is the exact population density of this certain district that was in remote Bangladesh. Miscommunication I assume was the issue there between intelligent minds. I guess the issue is whether intelligence ignores the communication gap between them and the unintelligent. However, failure to communicate one's ideas doesn't necesarily make the one they are trying to convey their message to unintelligent. For example, I try and fail all th time to tell my overweight basset hound that every time she eats it doesn't help the matter, but that doesn't stop her from wanting to eat. Bad example, so going back to the Human Geo example, the professor argued that we should have studied better and more in depth, and should not have only taken his word. Dabateable but maybe his intelligence on the matter made him think that the question as well as others were no brainers taken from the text. The fact of the matter is that we as humans need to maybe use our intelligence when are trying to convey our message.

Plato Part 1

Socrates and Gorgias are taking sides on the meaning and importance of Rhetoric in ones' life as well as the .

Since I am not really understanding the correlation between a shoe maker and a doctor, I will argue initially on the side of Gorgias because he isn't quite as secretive of his ideas as Socrates.

Polus is logical with his thinking when it comes to rhetoric. For instance, at the beginning, Chaerephon mentions that if a doctor's son becomes a painter, what does that make him, an Polus' answer was, "a painter, obviously," (Polus 5, C). However, Polus eventually grew tired of Socrates’ arguments.

Finally, Polus believes in a strong government with no regard to the citizen because the citizen doesn’t have the power and command that the politician has. Gorgias believes similarly, but puts more emphasis on divine right and duty of those who are not elected.
Honestly, I don’t think that Gorgias or Polus could have bettered their argument since they already had flawed ideas because Socrates spotted them and went after them.

"To be of use"

At first when I started reading the poem, it sounded somewhat hopeful with references to the people around you. The author seems to like the work ethic of those around her, because she goes into great description by using metaphors. She then elaborates on what she considers to be a great models of work ethic and what she believes to be usefulness in life. I agree with her that work ethic is a factor that goes into the measure of usefulness, but I don’t think it is the main factor that goes into play when figuring one’s use in the world. Sure, someone may not have the most important job in the world, but does that necessarily mean that they are any less useful than the person with the most important job in the world? I don’t believe so, since I’m only a student right now, but I am just as adept at completing tasks as others who are older than I am. Also, Piercy talks at the beginning about those around her and how she feels that they are important no matter the usefulness they possess. However, she does appear to be a little bias, by saying at the end how others are less important because they have no apparent value

Homework 9-11-2008

I think that the decision to go to college is being made more often than ever before due to a larger demand from skilled professions. However, that still doesn't stop the average high school senior from only wanting to go to college for the parties or fat paced life, but for the most part, its for a college degree.

I hope that my time here at Drake is filled with exciting challenges tha will better prepare me for life outside of college. Also, I'd like to have enough knwledge to start out well for my first job.

I think the people here at Drake have a certain charisma that radiates a level of excellence that is not seen in other educational facilities.

Homework 9-9-2008

A way that we could learn more would be through you giving us two topics instead of one, and we had to choose whice one was the better choice/argument, and back it up.

This style of learning would bring a better understanding because the students would have to have prepared arguments and counterarguments for class. Also, by creating a more active learning envirnment, the student would be able to interact on a higher level instead of just coasting. Another reason is that by guaranteeing both sides to the argument, a certain level of learning goals would come out of the class.

"Teachers"

What powers do teachers have over students, and how do they use them to better facilitate learning?

First of all, teachers are anyone who gives help in any form to a another person. But, regarding powers, they control the amount you learn at at what rate you learn it at. They facilitate this better learning by bringing in new teaching styles to motivate students to do well. Not every new style is as motivating as the next, they help students to have a higher level of focus that otherwise would be unattainable.I think teaches are an integral part of the learning experience for humans because they lend their expertise and usually have a hands on way of teaching.

Paragraph 9-2-2008

In the opening chapters of Dweck’s research, she makes points that are apparently backed up or proven through various observations. After a while, many of her points seem redundant, but her overlying claim refutes her knowledge of the matter. Dweck states that the school systems are more in tuned to IQ rather than to better achievement goals. On page 32, she states, “…not giving students the leeway to acclimate to new challenges, by not letting them put…” which is apparent today with the vast multiplication of knowledge (Dweck 32). Earlier on page 21, she hypothesizes, “an incremental theory, with its idea of malleable intelligence, should make students concerned with getting smarter and so should promote learning goals,” (Dweck 21).
1. Intelligence takes the front seat in all decisions. For example, Lawyers have to go through law school to get certified, while a common person can go to the local library and get the same knowledge out of books, but is looked down upon.
2. Similar to Dweck’s experience in her 6th grade class with seating by IQ, my 5th grade class was always split up during math time because some scored high on placement exams.

Homework 9-2-2008

I have tended to believe intelligence is formulated knowledge that is something each one of us processes. I say it this way because knowledge is knowledge, and so with that statement, whether you know what π is or know how to make a pie is irrelevant. Some of my teachers always insisted when we did group projects, that they select our groups. “Randomly assigned” was the term they used. Another instance would be, my parents always have me figure the tip at restraints and not my older sister. These are possible instances where people size your intelligence of the matter against others. In retrospect, I was more interested in the knowledge and didn’t really think about applying the concepts. For tests and quizzes, I already had planned out what I would write about so that I didn’t waste time trying to think of a topic.