Cattell said the psychology lecturer he was looking for was Thorndike, a former student of his.
Columbia University was also considered a university that was relatively friendly to Chinese students during the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.
Thorndike was still very young, only 30 years old. When he saw Cattell arriving with Li Yu, he immediately invited them to his office.
Thorndike's office is relatively small, about the size of a dormitory. If you are a professor, your office may be as big as a classroom. After all, professors are a rare commodity in this era, and there are not many in any university.
After listening to the two people's thoughts, Thorndike thought: "Intelligence testing is indeed a matter closely related to education, but all theories involving the human brain are the most elusive."
"That's why I want to look at this with you and brainstorm ideas, and the more good psychologists and educators that can get involved, the better," Cattell said.
Thorndike said: "That's the case, sir. Coincidentally, there happens to be an outstanding psychologist and educator who just came to Columbia University as an adjunct professor. I think he is much better than me."
Carter asked: "Which one?"
Thorndike said: "John Dewey."
Li Yu's eyes lit up when he heard the name. He was really a very good candidate.
John Dewey is not only well-known in the United States, but also in China he can be called the "spiritual mentor" of education during the Republic of China. Many educators came from his disciples or benefited a lot from him, such as Hu Shi, Feng Youlan, Tao Xingzhi, Zhang Boling, Jiang Menglin, etc.
Throughout the Republic of China, these domestic educators held Dewey in high esteem.
Dewey spent several years in China. After witnessing the "May 4th Movement", his attitude towards China greatly changed, which was also the reason that prompted him to stay in China for many years.
Dewey was a member of the American Psychological Association and had served as president for many years. Cattell naturally knew Dewey's abilities: "If I hadn't come here in person, I wouldn't have even known that Mr. Dewey had left Chicago for New York."
Dewey was previously the dean of the Departments of Philosophy, Psychology, and Education at the University of Chicago, and was the dean of the School of Education at the University of Chicago. In short, he was already famous.
But he had differences with the president of the University of Chicago over some issues, so he came to Columbia University to work as an adjunct professor.
But he was nominally a part-time professor, but Columbia took him very seriously, and he began the longest tenure in his life.
Soon, Li Yu met this pragmatic philosophy leader in a larger office.
"Hello, Mr. Dewey." Li Yu shook hands with him.
Dewey said: "Academician Li Yu is indeed as young as the rumors. I have always been very curious about you. I really want to know what is so different about your brain that you can make so many world-renowned achievements."
Li Yu smiled and said: "You don't want to learn anatomy, right? Do you want to dissect my brain?"
Dewey also laughed and said: "Psychologists don't understand medicine. I haven't even used an injection a few times."
Li Yu and others then talked to Dewey about the intelligence test. Dewey said: "I have learned about this aspect, and I have the impression that France had carried out intelligence tests many years ago. Entrusted by the French Ministry of Public Education, a man named Binet There was early work by a French psychologist, but his main task was to screen out some children with intellectual disabilities who needed special education."
Therefore, in fact, intelligence tests were originally used to screen out problem children, and were not used to show off "smartness" at all.
"What we want to do is test the intelligence of normal people," Cattell said.
Li Yu added: "Strictly speaking, intelligence tests need to be targeted at different age groups. For example, the quotient obtained by dividing intellectual age by actual age can be called IQ, which is more applicable to different age groups."
Dewey said: "Your idea is more complete and appropriate. However, there are some bad voices in the cultural circles now. I think Academician Li Yu knows it very well because I have read your article."
Li Yu said: "Sir, are you referring to pseudoscience and social Darwinism?"
Dewey sighed: "Yes. I am very worried that intelligence tests will be used by a few people to promote absurd 'eugenics'."
Dewey’s concerns were not unreasonable. Prior to this, some social Darwinists had advocated the sterilization of “inferior people” in order to achieve the so-called “evolution” of society.
Anyone with a little bit of sanity can understand the question: What are the standards for excellence and inferiority? And who has the right to divide this standard?
The current situation in Europe is that populism is beginning to rise. By then, it will not only be as simple as sterilizing a small number of people, but also genocide.
As a time traveler, Li Yu must understand this kind of thing.
He also sincerely admired Dewey's intuition. As expected, psychologists cannot take it lightly.
I remember that Leonard's mother in "The Big Bang Theory" was a psychologist. She was one of the very few people who the genius protagonist Sheldon did not dare to despise.
Thorndike said: "I think this problem can be understood from another angle, because according to my many years of observation and research, morality is more easily affected by the environment than intelligence. I am not denying the impact of acquired learning on intelligence, but morality itself is more They are easily swayed by social links. Therefore, education should play a greater role in imparting moral knowledge and cultivating moral habits, so there is no need to worry too much about intelligence."
Li Yu said: "Yes! But the situation in different regions is very different. The current situation in China is that it is urgent to build national self-confidence and fundamentally deny the theory of racial differences. Moreover, China's traditional culture, especially Confucianism, has always had extremely high moral requirements. , there is no need to worry too much about Chinese people with ulterior motives using IQ tests to make a fuss."
Historically, Germany and the United States were the countries that carried out the most serious sterilization of "low IQ" people.
In the United States, 12 states have legislation to implement sterilization surgery for people with intellectual disabilities, and 27 states have implemented compulsory sterilization programs.
Germany is even more ruthless... They even directly euthanize people with intellectual disabilities, and they take a whole truck to do it.
Dewey nodded: "Education must naturally serve society. The situation in your country is different from that in Europe and the United States. I even had pessimism earlier, but seeing your deeds in the news in the past two years has really boosted my confidence. , at least it shows that the theory of race has no basis.”
Li Yu said: "The development of the world is a very complicated situation. There is an old saying in China, thirty years in Hedong and thirty years in Hexi, one will decline and the other will grow. Don't think that if you are weak, you will always be weak."
Dewey said: "I have been thinking about this for a long time. Historically, China's culture once led the world for thousands of years, but in the past one or two hundred years, it has fallen behind others, but many Europeans and Americans have begun to be arrogant. Although in society It’s understandable from a scientific point of view, but from a long-term historical perspective, it’s very naive.”
Li Yu became more and more surprised. He had wisdom that was more than a hundred years ahead of everyone else. But in fact, many talents of this period had already begun to glimpse some secrets of the future through thinking and analysis.
But unfortunately, they are not the mainstream and cannot change the status quo. In other words, if you are too advanced, you will be rejected by the current society.
Li Yu said: "Intelligence is the most significant difference between humans and animals. If it is exploited, the harm will definitely be the greatest."
“What you say strikes a chord with me,” Dewey said. “I have always feared that future control over human intelligence would make people no longer human.”
Let’s talk about the field of philosophy.
In addition to being an educator, Dewey was also the master of pragmatism, the national philosophy of the United States.
In fact, in the final analysis, in Chinese logic, pragmatism is the foundation of foundations, because China does not have widespread religious beliefs at all, but it needs more "pragmatism" than the Americans.
It's just that it's so deeply ingrained that the Chinese don't take it seriously.
Li Yu said: "In fact, there has been a phenomenon of controlling intelligence throughout the ages. There is a word called 'brainwashing', which sums it up very vividly."
John Dewey was surprised: "Brainwashing? This is a new word with profound meaning!"
Dewey thought about it for a while, and then a thought came to him: "Mr. Academician's conversational skills are extraordinary. One word alone is enough for me to write several papers for in-depth discussion."
Li Yu smiled and said: "That's something for later. Sir, don't forget to do research on IQ testing first."
Dewey agreed: "Since it is Mr. Academician's request, I will naturally not refuse it. I will work with the members of the Psychological Society to conduct a fair intelligence test."
Li Yu thought about it and said, "By the way, if you have time, sir, you can also go to China to have a look."
Dewey said: "I have always been interested in the mysterious East and will regard it as one of my projects."
After all, education is a relatively complicated thing, and being able to teach is completely different.
Zhang Boling and Yan Fansun are naturally the pioneers of education, but at present, after all, new schools in China have just been opened up, and having the guidance of professionals like Dewey will naturally bring many benefits.
