How do you define an intelligent individual?

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NateRiver
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20 Mar 2013, 5:08 pm

I believe somebody to be intelligent if they are a deep thinker, creative and curious about the world around them. For example, let's take Newton. I believe him to be intelligent because he thought about the world deeply around him e.g. watching apples fall from the tree and wonder why they behaved this way. This shows deep thinking and curiosity. His creativity within shines through what he conceptualized, gravity.

Now, can you explain to me how this is comparable to somebody who studies or revises very hard for an exam. Consequently doing very well on it?

This seems to be the mind-set of many people and I'm not sure why.

So, my question to you is how would you define an intelligent individual and do you agree with my input?

Thank you.



Callista
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20 Mar 2013, 5:18 pm

I don't think "intelligence" is a meaningful word. My psychology textbooks tend to describe it as "Ability to adapt to one's environment", while acknowledging that this would mean that the most intelligent creatures on the planet are bacteria.

There are too many cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities, and we are too varied in our skill levels in all of them, for "intelligence" to be definable as a single concept.

I think that if you wanted to talk about someone who is creative and curious, you might be better off just saying "creative and curious", because "intelligent" is such a vague word, defined in so many ways by so many different people, that it is functionally useless.

In terms of the "book smarts" definition of intelligence, I often use the phrase "academic ability" or, if not related to school, "abstract thinking ability". The study of how people think and learn is the study of "learning" or "cognition", and both terms are adequate to describe many processes that are common to humans and many (or even most) animals, without ever having to try to define "intelligence".


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NateRiver
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20 Mar 2013, 5:20 pm

Callista wrote:
I don't think "intelligence" is a meaningful word. My psychology textbooks tend to describe it as "Ability to adapt to one's environment", while acknowledging that this would mean that the most intelligent creatures on the planet are bacteria.

There are too many cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities, and we are too varied in our skill levels in all of them, for "intelligence" to be definable as a single concept.

I think that if you wanted to talk about someone who is creative and curious, you might be better off just saying "creative and curious", because "intelligent" is such a vague word, defined in so many ways by so many different people, that it is functionally useless.

In terms of the "book smarts" definition of intelligence, I often use the phrase "academic ability" or, if not related to school, "abstract thinking ability".


I've noticed this. I'm looking into fluid and crystallized intelligence right now.



Nonperson
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20 Mar 2013, 5:33 pm

I actually dislike that term. It's too general and there isn't much association between the various things we call "intelligence". I mean, I do use it to mean that someone's depth of knowledge, understanding and logical thought has impressed me but I have seen every one of these people do incredibly stupid things as well.



goldfish21
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20 Mar 2013, 5:53 pm

I don't. I personify it. :P :lol:


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dajand8
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20 Mar 2013, 6:32 pm

I see intelligent people as those who can think abstractly, and see subtleties that most others cannot. Also, the ability to see connections between things (subtle and not), and think creatively using this additional information to make art or solve problems, etc.



SouffleGirl
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20 Mar 2013, 6:35 pm

A curious person.


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Tyri0n
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20 Mar 2013, 10:35 pm

1. Intelligent = Verbal IQ

2. Clever = Performance IQ or Social IQ

3. Smart = Quantitative IQ + Verbal IQ

4. Genius/Brilliant = original insight or else, colloquially, a synonym for #2.



deltafunction
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20 Mar 2013, 10:41 pm

Nonperson wrote:
I actually dislike that term. It's too general and there isn't much association between the various things we call "intelligence". I mean, I do use it to mean that someone's depth of knowledge, understanding and logical thought has impressed me but I have seen every one of these people do incredibly stupid things as well.


Image


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auntblabby
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21 Mar 2013, 3:14 am

IMHO a truly intelligent person knows what he doesn't know.



b9
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21 Mar 2013, 3:38 am

auntblabby wrote:
IMHO a truly intelligent person knows what he doesn't know.


makes no sense to me.
if he knew what he didn't know, then he wouldn't not know it.



auntblabby
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21 Mar 2013, 3:42 am

IOW the wise person is aware of just what knowledge he lacks. people who think they know it all can get the rest of us in big trouble, like what has been happening in american gov't for way too long.



goldfish21
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21 Mar 2013, 3:48 am

auntblabby wrote:
IOW the wise person is aware of just what knowledge he lacks. people who think they know it all can get the rest of us in big trouble, like what has been happening in american gov't for way too long.


"And any man who knows a thing knows
He knows not a damn, damn thing at all"

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APw9ES0JpZo[/youtube]


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nessa238
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21 Mar 2013, 6:41 am

To me intelligence is demonstrated by how well a person is able to adapt to their environment so that their needs are met

If a person is getting what they want and need, they are more likely have the intelligence to problem-solve and overcome difficulties in my opinion

A person who goes on and on about not getting what they need is not intelligent in my opinion as they are evidently not
wanting to use their brain to solve their problems

People who think it is other peoples' responsibility to solve their problems - not intelligent

You are responsible for your life and what happens in it, no one else

Newton would be more in the category of genius to me and that's a different category to general intelligence

Also, he might not have been very good on the practicalities of life so would lose intelligence points there by my assessment of intelligence

You can be a mathematical genius but if you don't have the intelligence to look after yourself in a practical manner you can easily end up dead or living in squalor, which is what can easily happen to genius types

Wasn't it Newton who used to give lectures to an empty room?

I think there's 'academic intelligence' and 'common sense intelligence' - two very different things



b9
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21 Mar 2013, 6:48 am

Callista wrote:
I don't think "intelligence" is a meaningful word. My psychology textbooks tend to describe it as "Ability to adapt to one's environment", while acknowledging that this would mean that the most intelligent creatures on the planet are bacteria.

There are too many cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities, and we are too varied in our skill levels in all of them, for "intelligence" to be definable as a single concept.

I think that if you wanted to talk about someone who is creative and curious, you might be better off just saying "creative and curious", because "intelligent" is such a vague word, defined in so many ways by so many different people, that it is functionally useless.

In terms of the "book smarts" definition of intelligence, I often use the phrase "academic ability" or, if not related to school, "abstract thinking ability". The study of how people think and learn is the study of "learning" or "cognition", and both terms are adequate to describe many processes that are common to humans and many (or even most) animals, without ever having to try to define "intelligence".


intelligence is problem solving capacity.



nessa238
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21 Mar 2013, 6:50 am

b9 wrote:
Callista wrote:
I don't think "intelligence" is a meaningful word. My psychology textbooks tend to describe it as "Ability to adapt to one's environment", while acknowledging that this would mean that the most intelligent creatures on the planet are bacteria.

There are too many cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities, and we are too varied in our skill levels in all of them, for "intelligence" to be definable as a single concept.

I think that if you wanted to talk about someone who is creative and curious, you might be better off just saying "creative and curious", because "intelligent" is such a vague word, defined in so many ways by so many different people, that it is functionally useless.

In terms of the "book smarts" definition of intelligence, I often use the phrase "academic ability" or, if not related to school, "abstract thinking ability". The study of how people think and learn is the study of "learning" or "cognition", and both terms are adequate to describe many processes that are common to humans and many (or even most) animals, without ever having to try to define "intelligence".


intelligence is problem solving capacity.


I'd agree with that