Though I don’t agree with the argument, one could argue that richer people are more likely to be intelligent. And richer people today are undoubtedly having fewer kids. So one could draw the conclusion that natural selection on intelligence is dying.
On Monday night, I had dinner with friends Andy Choy and Fabrice Grinda and we got into a long discussion on natural selection, population trends, etc. Another interesting point: the more religious you are, the more likely you will have a bigger family. So one could say that the country is becoming more religious but more likely is that those who are more religious are contributing to a larger part of the new population.
Eh?
If the kids are more intelligent, then their likelihood of living (avoiding the Darwin Award) is higher . . .
And, of course, they might inherit some money, which might help as well.
intelligence seems on the decline, yes…. especially if religious are contributing more to the population as there is a slight inverse relationship between intelligence and religiosity-but this is mainly just so in first world countries. Fortunately, this is only part of where the numbers are coming from- IN nations where huge populations are repressed and not in the information loop, therefore without better opportunity for education, they still may be very religious (as this is a big part of the hope) yet not less intelligence.
Still, overall survival seems not bent on IQ rather, polital rule and lifestyle so it may be in decline