I think the inhabitants of the British isles had better genetics for cognitive capabilities in 1700 than they did in 1200. Comparing across region, time and migration gets much trickier.
-
-
Replying to @arnolfson @CovfefeAnon and
Not something we can expect to determine accurately. I don't see it, though it's much easier for us to appreciate the 16th/17th century vernacular than Anglo-Saxon, Middle English, or Latin, along with the High Medieval worldview.
1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @RCownie @arnolfson and
Easier to grok this though, mostly from 1220-1258https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury_Cathedral#/media/File:SalisburyCathedral-wyrdlight-EastExt.jpg …
1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @RCownie @CovfefeAnon and
I think your problem is that you think that something like the cognitive ability of a population should be judged by a few buildings and texts. Which is idiotic.
1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @arnolfson @CovfefeAnon and
Not sure what else you can do for a historical population, in the absence of a time machine. And my default assumption is "probably about the same". Obviously you have a different viewpoint.
2 replies 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @RCownie @arnolfson and
Jumping back in on this because it's illustrative for the audience - your "default assumption" is "probably about the same" Since it's just a default assumption* - WHAT EVIDENCE WOULD YOU HAVE TO SEE TO DISPROVE THAT ASSUMPTION? * It's actually insane to have that assumption
2 replies 0 retweets 1 like -
Replying to @CovfefeAnon @arnolfson and
And what evidence would you need to believe that the people of classical Athens were as smart as those of England in 1700 ? You're all believers in IQ, while I think cognitive capabilities are multi-dimensional and hard to measure. Motes and beams here.
2 replies 0 retweets 0 likes -
-
Replying to @CovfefeAnon @arnolfson and
If I saw evidence of a population with sophisticated technologies losing that expertise, and adopting simpler but less effective technologies, then I'd look closely at what happened and why.
3 replies 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @RCownie @CovfefeAnon and
Or if I saw a population suddenly producing a lot of innovation or expanding its territory, then again, that's something to look at closely.
1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes
Oh, so if one continental population explored and conquered the world using a massive technological advantage that would disprove an assumption of inter-group mental homogeneity?
pic.twitter.com/Dif6r9Hfq8
-
-
Replying to @CovfefeAnon @arnolfson and
The big damage done in that case was by pathogens. There was a technological advantage over people in the Americas, but not so much, if any, of an advantage over China. And it wasn't until Lepanto 1571 that the Ottoman Empire was pushed back. Also the Mongols in 1241.
0 replies 0 retweets 0 likesThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.