Google and the Internet have really changed our view on what is important to memorize. Interview questions today are more oriented towards behavioral quesitons and problem solving.<p><pre><code> 1. What countries bound France?
2. What city and country produce the finest china?
...
145. What is the heaviest kind of wood?
146. What is the lightest wood?
</code></pre>
Edit: incidentally, I think Edison's test is trying to measure curiosity. A curious person might have encountered a lot more trivia than a noncurious person. I've found curiosity trumps raw iq for creative problem solving, it drives a person to dig deeper into a problem.
Watching the recent PBS documentary on Edison was pretty amazing just how easy it is to connect to his mentality and astonishing challenges, and investors like SV today, calling him the original Jobs or Musk is really an understatement. Once you solve the 40yr problem of the incandescent light bulb, oh then you just need to knock out a power plant, grid, internal wiring and digging up the streets to get your product to market. Mean while JP Morgen him self is breathing down your neck the whole time. Amazing. ;)<p>Great documentary can be found here: ;)
<a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/edison/" rel="nofollow">http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/edison/</a>
As Einstein said after reading this same questionnaire:<p>"I do not think I can pass the interview and be hired and after seeing it, I don't think I want to."
In-depth article (with comments by Edison) from Scientific American November 1921. See page 16<p><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=rYQ3AQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA181&ots=Br0unaMiAL&dq=scientific%20american%20volume%20125&pg=RA1-PA16#v=onepage&q&f=false" rel="nofollow">https://books.google.com/books?id=rYQ3AQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA181&ots...</a>
...<p>147. Would you be OK with getting electrocuted with AC to show it's danger?<p>148. Would you be willing to hand over your inventions?<p>149. Would you be OK with verbal non-committing payment contracts?
It would be really nice if there is a Cave Johnson's interview for prospective employees. It will be like: "I'm Cave Johnson, I own the place. Your test assignment will vary, depending on the manner in which you have bent the world to your will."
I find it strange they're all WHAT, WHO & WHERE questions?<p>None of them are HOW and WHY questions.<p>Which, arguably, can give a better insight of a person's talent or intellect or his world view.
While technology and politics have rendered many of his answers obsolete, a few of his answers would be considered quite outrageous now:<p>134. Who discovered the Pacific Ocean?<p>Balboa.<p>And what of the people living by it for millennia?<p>(From <a href="http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/take-the-intelligence-test-that-thomas-edison-gave-to-j-1689489019" rel="nofollow">http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/take-the-intelligence-test-th...</a>)
Edison's response to the critics - <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9906E4D8133EEE3ABC4B51DFB667838A639EDE" rel="nofollow">http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9906E4D813...</a>
All the answers are here(Cheat if you must?):<p><a href="http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/take-the-intelligence-test-that-thomas-edison-gave-to-j-1689489019" rel="nofollow">http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/take-the-intelligence-test-th...</a>
I can't answer many of these. But it looks like they are supposed to be 'common knowledge' of the day. Little more than 'have you been paying attention' kind of questions.
I was hoping there would be something about medicine that is now completely inaccurate. The best I could find was lead as a critical ingredient in making the best white paint.
Why would you need to know these things to work for an electrical/technological company?<p>Scientific or technological questions would be more appropriate. Sure, there are a few, but knowing the name of who invented something doesn't mean you understand it...