Intelligence: A New Look

Published posthumously, this volume gives the reader an opportunity to listen to Eysenck’s integration of developments in several areas - heredity of aspects of intelligence, the role of DNA in behavioural influences which implicate the nature of intelligence, contributions from study of elementary cognitive tasks (reaction time and inspection time when speed of execution is measured, plus varied special abilities) and, particularly, one which interested him most: creativity and intuition and the production of works of arts and science by the geniuses of this world . Conspicuously omitted are the politics of IQ since this topic does not concern facts. His stated focus is that intelligence is a meaningful concept, can be scientifically measured, and has a respectable theory to contain it . Eysenck’s pursuit is typically Eysenckian - a large variety is put into the mix, stirred by his cuttingly focused criticism, and seasoned with much humour. Readers will gulp mouthfuls of statistical data, be guided by simple logic and close the book with a much clearer understanding of what we know, what we have yet to learn, and which questions may be especially interesting.