Two dozen brief essays by the foremost experts in the field are presented in this volume. Each researcher comments on the nature of intelligence, its measurement, and the future of research in the field, bringing his or her own perspective to bear on the issues. Truly diverse viewpoints are represented: cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, psychometrics, artifical intelligence, cross-cultural psychology, educational psychology, and differential psychology. An introduction that sets an historical and philosophical context, and two essays that interrelate the contributions, complete the volume.

The debate over nature versus nurture in relation to intelligence is not as clearly drawn as it was ten years ago, when geneticists claimed that intelligence is innate, while environmentalists claimed that culture is the major determining factor. Although the debate has not been resolved, it has been significantly refined. Robert Sternberg and Elena Grigorenko address the roles and interaction of nature and nurture in Intelligence, Heredity and Environment. This book provides a comprehensive, balanced, current survey of theory and research on the origins and transmission of human intelligence. The book is unique in the diversity of viewpoints it presents, and its inclusion of the very most recent theories and findings. It highlights the search for genes associated with specific cognitive abilities, interactionist theories, cultural relativism, educational strategies, developmental perspectives, and fallacies of previous intelligence research.

I strongly recommend this book to people working in the area of intellectual disabilities...It may open new vistas that are not always available in the traditional disability literature. It will especially challenge psychologists working in this field."-- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities For years, Robert Sternberg has produced renowned, groundbreaking work, and now some of it is captured in one volume: The Essential Sternberg ...Established scholars and novices to the field will find this book a useful addition to their libraries."-- Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts [Sternberg] approaches the definition of intelligence from a very pragmatic perspective...Sternberg's focus on success in the real world is refreshing."-- Teacher's College Record Any follower of Sternberg and theories of intelligence will need this collection on their bookshelf. Robert J. Sternberg has argued that the conventional idea of intelligence is, at best, incomplete. Therefore, he has redefined the core concept of intelligence: Sternberg's groundbreaking, triarchic theory proposes that intelligence is measured not just by factual knowledge or "book smarts," but also by the integration of creative ability, practical know-how, and analytic reasoning. As the former President of the American Psychological Association, current Dean of Tufts University, and one of the top 100 psychologists of the 20th century, according to the APA Monitor on Psychology, Sternberg is listed as one of ISI's most highly cited authors (top .5%) in psychology. Sternberg has authored over 1,000 journal articles, book chapters, and books. This comprehensive collection compiles the best of Sternberg-his most influential, career-defining articles culled from over 30 years of research. Serving as an introduction to and summary of his most critical contributions to the field, this book: Presents articles that track the development and progression of Sternberg's theory of successful intelligence Includes his most influential articles, such as "The nature of creativity" and "The Rainbow Project: Enhancing the SAT" Features articles on educational policy and how Sternberg's intelligence models can be used to improve student performance and supplement traditional exams Contains new articles on Sternberg's most recent theory, the Wisdom, Intelligence, Creativity, Synthesized (WICS) model

The concept of potential plays a prominent role in the thinking of parents, educators and planners the world over. Although this concept accurately reflects central features of human nature, its current use perpetuates traditional myths of fixity, harmony and value, calculated to cause untold mischief in social and educational practice. First published in 1985, Israel Scheffler's book aims to demythologise the concept of potential. He shows its roots in genuine aspects of human nature, but at the same time frees it from outworn philosophical myths by means of analytical reconstruction - thereby improving both its theoretical and its practical applicability. The book concludes with an interpretation of policy-making in education, and reflections on the ideal education of a policy-maker. It emphasises human symbolism, choice, temporal continuity, and self-determination as indispensible elements of any adequate philosophy of education. Of Human Potential will be of interest to a broad range of philosophers, educators and social scientists.

. . . Mr. Itzkoff places most of the blame for America's alleged intellectual decline on what he sees as an economically and intellectually elite cast of misguided liberals. They have isolated themselves from American society, he says, by their paternalistic treatment of the underclass, by discounting the importance of traditional family values and by failing to raise enough bright children to sustain national competence. The New York Times Book Review Few doubt that the United States has slipped from its longstanding eminence as the world's wealthiest and most productive nation. The problem for the past 30 years has been the diagnosis of both the decline and then the cure. Literally trillions of dollars have been expended in futile programs to stanch the hemorrhaging of our economic wealth, jobs, educational achievement, and cultural elan. Itzkoff argues that we will never stop the fall until we understand our real national dilemma. This is the decline in our national intelligence profile: fewer citizens of high intelligence, educational potential, and economic productivity. These ideas are taboo. Itzkoff, however, insists that these are the facts, and they must be examined. In this book, he lays out the available evidence for our social disintegration and suggests a rational program of policy initiatives that would begin to restore us to what we were as recently as 1955--the great hope of the world.