Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[RedRose]

Today I watched the TV series Sherlock Holmes in which Dr. Watson asked Holmes:"Hahaha! how do you deduce that man is intellectual?"

"It's a question of cubic capacity, Watson." said Holmes.
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Teachers, what does A question of cubic capacity mean?

Thanks

[CP]

Holmes is referring to brain size. People have large brains compared to, say, chimpanzees, so are more intellectual, as far as Holmes is concerned.

A line has only one dimension, and can be measured linearly.

A planar surface has two dimensions, and can be measured in square units, such as square inches or square cm.

An object, such as the brain, has three dimensions, and is measured in cubic units, such as cubic inches or cubic cm. Bigger (human) brains have greater cubic capacity than smaller (chimp) brains.

Holmes has a big brain, and he believes that big brains mean great intelligence.

While generally the more advanced mammals have larger brains than the less advanced (hence Holmes is right), it is not true that the smartest people have the biggest brains (hence Holmes is wrong).

Anatole France had a tiny head but was a very bright guy. Lots of other people with big heads are nincompoops. I won't name them, but you know who they are.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[RedRose]

Thanks Mr.CP for your detailed explanation. Now I got it.

Speaking of big brains and intelligence, I don't see any connection between them. Holmes is certainly stereotyping big brains. And yes, I agree with CP about the theory that not smart people have big brains. My sister has tiny head and I have a big one, but she is a lot smarter than me.

Sometimes I believe that busty women are ditzy and silly. but there are still some exceptions, such as me.

[CP]

It's a common mistake to take two unusual traits found together by chance and conclude that they go together generally.

Some busty women act silly because that gets them attention and love and so on. So do some smaller-busted women. Men are easily fooled by coquettishness.

But an ample bosom gets attention from everyone, in part because it is rare by definition, and when we see the bosom's owner acting silly, we might connect the two and conclude that busty women are silly.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[pugachevV]

also I read that Einstein had a smaller than average brain. I guess it's what you do with it that counts.

[RedRose]

[CP]

[RedRose]

[CP]

Well, to quote the recently deceased William F. Buckley, we all have our lacunae [blanks or gaps in knowledge].
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb