What Is Your Definition of 'Intelligence'?

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 8:29pm

I'm doing a Language Arts project on the word and am required to interview people.

Thank youu!!!
Updated On: 1/15/09 at 08:29 PM

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 6:41am

I have a shirt that says 'PANTS' on it.

If people can't correctly name the article of clothing that it is, then they've failed the IQ test.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 11:09am

There's intelligence which to me is cerebral. The ability to arrive at concepts and to discuss them.

Then there's smart which is good instincts and being savvy. This has nothing to do with education for instance

I suppose they both fall under the heading of intelligence, but I like and respect smart people.

[Weez]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 3:03pm

I've thought about this and it boils down to a simple concept: intelligence is being able to think for yourself and draw a logical conclusion as a result.

I used to have rats, and they were hyper-intelligent little critters; there was a door in the side of their cage that I used to take them out and put them back in. Sometimes, when the little brats stunk up their bedding too badly to wait for cleaning-out day, they'd drag it all out of their little house and deposit it next to the door in the side of the cage. It was adorably cute, and very smart of them!

Human intelligence is a lot more complicated, but essentially the same thing. If you've thought about something and drawn your own logical conclusions, as opposed to trusting blindly in what others say or coming to a stupid conclusion that makes no sense whatsoever, then you're displaying intelligence. :)

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 7:16pm

oooh man. I'm currently doing a unit on this in my AP Psych class.

My definition of intelligence is taking what you've learned and using that information to go a step further. I know a ton of kids my age who get very good grades, but all they're doing is regurgitating what they read in the textbook, but if you ask them to come up with an original idea they can't doit. That's not intelligence.

Also, intelligence doesn't only apply to acedemia. You can be a intelligent at art or sports or cooking. Any number of things.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 8:17pm

"Intelligence" is anything which isn't artificial.

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 7:28am

"I know a ton of kids my age who get very good grades, but all they're doing is regurgitating what they read in the textbook, but if you ask them to come up with an original idea they can't doit. That's not intelligence."

I'd disagree with that - it is a form of intelligence, even if it's not a creative intelligence. That type of learned, rote intelligence is fundamental to many fields, including law and medicine (and it's really not much different than memorizing scripts).

Updated On: 1/17/09 at 07:28 AM

[Elphaba]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 11:18am

add to the definition Weez stated the following "using critical thinking skills"

Posted: 1/17/09 at 12:58pm

Intelligence is being able to recognize that Kathy Griffin is a no-talent whore.

[Prisoner 24601]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 1:04pm

Intelligence is a measure of a person's capacity for learning and applying knowledge rather than a capacity to absorb information.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 2:11pm

Read OUTLIERS by Malcolm Gladwell. He has a great bit comparing I.Q. and "practical intelligence" (Spoiler: The latter may be more important)

[ILoveMyDictionary]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 4:52pm

"(and it's really not much different than memorizing scripts)."

But memorizing a script isn't what makes someone an intelligent actor. An intelligent actor is someone who takes a script and can bring life to a fictional character, and make that character seem real and truthful. If all the person can do is memorize a script and nothing else, that's not very intelligent.

I agree that having good memory skills is a type of intelligence, but if I met someone who could memorize every textbook ever given to them, but couldn't apply that to an out of classroom situation I wouldn't say they were intelligent. For example, I wouldn't call people with Savant Syndrome intelligent, but some people would. (However, I would call people with Savant Syndrome extreamly talented.)


Updated On: 1/17/09 at 04:52 PM

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 6:39pm

Would you call a performance genius who had no social or business skills intelligent? Would you call a writer who can't balance a checkbook intelligent?

OP, you do realize that what people consider intelligence will depend highly upon who you're asking, right?

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 7:00pm

That's the point, Yawper. Diverse answers!

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 7:17pm

Are you asking on a multitude of boards?

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 8:08pm

what?

[Yawper]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 8:17pm

This board skews toward theater interested people. If you want diverse opinions you should post on many different boards that target different interests, beliefs, or politics.

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 1/17/09 at 8:23pm

Hah! I am actually my people include the guy at Starbucks, the first person I saw after my teacher announced the assignment, and my theatre teacher.