What defines intelligence to you?

[Zantos]

I have been wandering recently, what does one define as intelligence? I can't even put a solid answer on what would make someone intelligent. So I want some opinions. Would it be someone who is highly specialized and knows a lot, but only in 1 field like maths or science? Would it be someone who is well rounded with a general knowledge of everything rather then a lot on one thing? Is it someone who has forsaken the scholarly ways and has a wealth of knowledge of a more piratical kind such as survival skills or information on what to do in certain situations? Would someone with a lot of street smarts, but hardly any knowledge in much else be considered intelligent?

Each obviously has its pros and cons and could be considered intelligent depending on who you are talking to. So, what for your defines someone as being intelligent?

[Conspicuous Cultist]

A useful person is what I would consider the epitome of intelligence to be. I read all the Iliad at 9th grade but that means nothing because it'll never be applied to real life besides a clever quote here and there whereas the guy that made the internet could know fuck-all about philosophy and history and still would be regarded as a more intelligent person in my book.

[Wildtree]

I have been wandering recently, what does one define as intelligence? I can't even put a solid answer on what would make someone intelligent. So I want some opinions. Would it be someone who is highly specialized and knows a lot, but only in 1 field like maths or science? Would it be someone who is well rounded with a general knowledge of everything rather then a lot on one thing? Is it someone who has forsaken the scholarly ways and has a wealth of knowledge of a more piratical kind such as survival skills or information on what to do in certain situations? Would someone with a lot of street smarts, but hardly any knowledge in much else be considered intelligent?

Each obviously has its pros and cons and could be considered intelligent depending on who you are talking to. So, what for your defines someone as being intelligent?

Book knowledge alone does not define intelligence. Math & Science. Math is science...

[Zantos]

Book knowledge alone does not define intelligence. Math & Science. Math is science...

Sometimes those two are together like rocket science. But not all science has math and not all math is about science.

[zealo]

Level of ability of logical fact based thinking and being good at problem solving, although my idea of intelligence probably does not apply very well into creative fields such as art, writing or song writing etc.

[Wildtree]

Sometimes those two are together like rocket science. But not all science has math and not all math is about science.

No objection Math is a science field, I was a bit broad with my initial statement.

[Slant]

I always think of it like this. Knowledge = wisdom... Application of knowledge = intelligence. But then, I do tend to slip back into D&D definitions all the time irl, it's so much simpler to categorise people into those 9 boxes...

[Deleted]

Stuck on a desert island, are you able to survive?

Yes. You're intelligent.
No. You're an idiot, I don't care if you're a rocket scientist.

[Wildtree]

Level of ability of logical fact based thinking and being good at problem solving, although my idea of intelligence probably does not apply very well into creative fields such as art, writing or song writing etc.

The former is very much useful for the latter. Fact based thinking and problem solving skills help immense in the fields of arts. More than you might think now initially.

[Conspicuous Cultist]

Stuck on a desert island, are you able to survive?

Yes. You're intelligent.
No. You're an idiot, I don't care if you're a rocket scientist.

That was said so succinctly.

[Venaliter]

Problem solving, rationality, the ability to hold two contradictory thoughts at once.

[Deleted]

Knowing that putting something on the end of 'it' stops you getting pregnant. It is the small things in life... to many scrubs.

[Tzalix]

Level of ability of logical fact based thinking and being good at problem solving, although my idea of intelligence probably does not apply very well into creative fields such as art, writing or song writing etc.

What you describe is a type of intelligence, logical thinking.

Simply defining "intelligence" is very difficult and as far as I know there is no simple definition. If you think, you are using your intelligence, I suppose. But then, how do we define thinking?

[Arch0s]

People often confuse intelligence with knowledge when they're separate constructs.
Intelligence can be typically thought of as one's ability to think or cognate, this would include problem solving, spatial awareness, logic, creativity, emotional intelligence and critical thinking etc.

However, as many I.Q tests have found in the past, intelligence can also be culturally based (which made the earlier I.Q tests to be invalid and unreliable). For example a hunter-gatherer society would consider an individual to be intelligent if they could reason the direction that their prey has travelled in whereas this skill would be pointless in a westernised society (and therefore could be considered by some to be unintelligent) where we may value one's ability to problem solve which leads us to consider an individual to be more intelligent.

[Wildtree]

Stuck on a desert island, are you able to survive?

Yes. You're intelligent.
No. You're an idiot, I don't care if you're a rocket scientist.

That soooooo depends.. If you have no means to survive, then all the intelligence won't save your life. Can't catch a fish, cause there are none... have nothing to build any primitive tools with. Can't build a shelter that protects you somewhat from the weathers. lack of vegetation... You're screwed... Then you can use your intelligence to decide whether you stick it out for a week or two max, or simply go ahead and drown yourself to spare you from the painful slow death over time

[Endtime]

I would define intelligence as how quickly someone can comprehend a new concept. Good recall of memories and ability to articulate ideas would also qualify.

[Drsolders]

Knowledge = knowing things. You can teach a monkey 2+2 and 3+3
Intelligence = being able to apply knowledge appropriately.

[Treno]

To me, intelligence is the ability to learn and question, as well as to acknowledge when something is unknown.

[Wildtree]

For a change. wiki is actually a pretty good starting point on the matter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence

[Wildtree]

If she got a phat ass and slim waist who needs intelligence

German expression: Dumb fucks better