What defines intellect?

[Mr. Hamtastic]

The ability to do math? The ability to be creative? Is it something biological? Or is intellect, really, an idea for philosophers to figure out?

[Betrayer0fHope]

How quickly someone can figure something out.

[Baron Max]

The ability to do math? The ability to be creative? Is it something biological? Or is intellect, really, an idea for philosophers to figure out?

No, "intellect" is when you've memorized enough stuff that you can effectively look down your nose at others that you deem stupider than you!

Baron Max

[Mr. Hamtastic]

I thought that was "knowledge"?

[Mr. Hamtastic]

Betrayer-So reasoning is intellect, then?

[Dr Mabuse]

That recent study on the huge prefrontal cortex differences between the poor in the US and the middle class to affluent highlights what the nature of intellect has been throughout history.

The 'lower' class was actually lower compared ot the aristocracy of the old world, it's a part of history that many never realize or study.

Stimulation in that 'magic' first 1.5 years of life coupled with nutrition make all the difference in the world.

A decent definition, or maybe guiding principle of intellect would be:

A spontaneous comprehension of things on or about which there is no previous knowledge or experience.

[cosmictraveler]

I'd think it is the ability to be able to reason things out or understand them. Knowledge retained would then be a part of intellect.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

That recent study on the huge prefrontal cortex between the poor in the US and the middle class to affluent highlights what the nature of intellect has been throughout history.

The 'lower' class was actually lower compared ot the aristocracy of the old world, it's a part of history that many never realize or study.

Stimulation in that 'magic' first 1.5 years of life coupled with nutrition make all the difference in the world.

A decent definition, or maybe guiding principle of intellect would be:

A spontaneous comprehension of things on or about which there is no previous knowledge or experience.

sooo... Learning without reference is intellect? and nutrition affects this ability?

[Mr. Hamtastic]

I'd think it is the ability to be able to reason things out or understand them. Knowledge retained would then be a part of intellect.


So is the mathematician smarter than the MD? Or are you saying that the general reasoning ability decides the "intellect" while the data or "knowledge" decides the specialization? Is fast reasoning better than thorough reasoning, or vice versa? Are they equal? How can you measure this?

[CarpetDiem]

So is the mathematician smarter than the MD? Or are you saying that the general reasoning ability decides the "intellect" while the data or "knowledge" decides the specialization? Is fast reasoning better than thorough reasoning, or vice versa? Are they equal? How can you measure this?

Each is as smart in their own specialisation.

As a aside, Einstein was brilliant, but apparently couldn't remember his own phone number. When quizzed about it, he responded that it was written down and so he didn't need to know it. Great logic, alhough would our loved ones accept that if they wern't around a phone book?

Methinks an intelligent person reasons better (fast and thorough reasoning, as you say) to make better informed decisions compared to others.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

Perhaps a different example.

The man who steals for a living and the man who sells for a living. Can they be said to have different levels of intelligence by their life choices?

The hippy philospher, and the stringent rule-following police officer would be another good example.

[CarpetDiem]

Perhaps a different example.

The man who steals for a living and the man who sells for a living. Can they be said to have different levels of intelligence by their life choices?

The hippy philospher, and the stringent rule-following police officer would be another good example.

Ham, it depends who is observing.

Intellect, like art, is in the eye of the beholder.

The family of the thief might consider their father as quite intelligent working outside the law, while the drug lord laughs at the thief's dumbness,as he contends that there are better profits to be made selling drugs. Bot work outside the conventional sytem

[Mr. Hamtastic]

So intellect is like art appreciation-depends on the individual looking at it. Interesting. Is there a particular kind of intellect we look for in "successful" people? Something that could be measured somehow?

[CarpetDiem]

Good question Ham, although it is a leap of faith to assume that all intellects are 'successsul' and vice versa. George Bush Jr comes to mind.

I would assume that their longevity as being observed or regarded as smart is one factor.

[laladopi]

Intellect= insight on one's views of life and emotionally available.

[phandentium]

I would define it as the ability to reason and rationalize well.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

lala-that's introspection...

phan-what would be an example of doing so poorly?

[S.A.M.]

IMO, the ability to grasp a concept.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

Sam-any concept?

[S.A.M.]

Sure. Any concept. Patterns are what define understanding.

Also the ability to create concepts. Like equality, justice, tolerance. These are all abstract concepts that have no empirical basis in reality.

[Mr. Hamtastic]

So, all concepts are to be considered equal, then?

[S.A.M.]

Yeah, is there any reason why they should not?

[Mr. Hamtastic]

It just seems that an abstract concept would be different from a concept with some kind of detailed "evidence". I can understand meaning inside of poetry, but have trouble with higher math concepts. Are these things equal, or not?

[S.A.M.]

What if you understood the math, but not the poetry? What if you understood nothing but the math [like an autistic savant]?

[Mr. Hamtastic]

that's what I don't know... is there a difference?

[phandentium]

IMO, the ability to grasp a concept.

That actually makes quite a bit of sense when I think about it.