factual

National IQ Has Increasing (Log-Linear) Returns

Returns to national IQ are log-linear, which looks crudely like increasing or exponential returns, because human capital relationships are generally multiplicative rather than additive—tied to Adam Smith's pin factory and better organization of the division of labor between people.

factualpending

Speaker

Garett Jones

Evidence Quote

There's something multiplicative... we have multiplicative not additive effects when we are increasing brain power. I suspect it does have something to do with a better organization of the division of labor between people, which ends up happening something close to exponential effects on productivity.

Source

Garett Jones — Immigration, national IQ, & less democracyDwarkesh Patel Podcast
Created: 6/13/2026, 3:31:19 AM

My Notes

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