What is intelligence?

[FordPrefect]

In this&nbsp;thread, XmagickaX&nbsp;states that "Right...this is called <I>adaptation </I>and can be seen in most animals. But even as you pointed out, they forget quickly, so they have not actually LEARNED anything!"&nbsp;

Which causes me to ask is intelligence related to long-term memory retention? Am I&nbsp;intelligent because I can remember what I learn (most of the time), or am I intelligent because I can learn? Or am I intelligent for another reason?

XmagickaX&nbsp;also states "I hope you didn't seriously mean that. Dolphins cannot create buildings, design cars etc...what gives man this intelligence but not animals?"

My only response is for XmagickaX to read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 

[Sky]

Good question. How do we know WE are intelligent?

What is intelligence?

 

[Smilin]

What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult.

Sigmund Freud

 

[npetreley]

Originally posted by FordPrefect
Which causes me to ask is intelligence related to long-term memory retention? Am I&nbsp;intelligent because I can remember what I learn (most of the time), or am I intelligent because I can learn? Or am I intelligent for another reason?

What makes you think you're intelligent?

 

[FordPrefect]

I am assuming, npetreley, you mean that philosophically, rather than insultorally

And that is how i will answer that question... Which is important because it requires a definition of what intelligence is.
I think there can be many levels/degrees/facets of intelligence, for instance; I think the ability to learn is very important, as is understanding cause and effect. Although one does not have to realize what the abstract term "cause and effect" mean, but only to be aware, like a dog, that if it chews up its master's shoe, it will get a swat.

I also think that that higher forms of intelligence require self-awareness, the ability to think abstractly (in mature and healthy specimens of a species).

There are many more attributes that I attach to intelligence, and I think I fit the bill for all of them, to one degree or another. But is intelligence related to memory?

And right back at ya, why do you think you are intelligent?

 

[npetreley]

If I were intelligent, I wouldn't be wasting my time here.

 

[FordPrefect]

Smilin,

that is an interesting take on intelligence... Can you explain Freud's position?

 

[LadyShea]

Um....42!

Oh sorry wrong question...I think intelligence is the ability to learn and to pass knowledge on (teach I guess), so language or communication is important.

Dolphins have an incredibly rich language and social structure...if they had opposable thumbs I think they'd kick out behinds

 

[Late_Cretaceous]

LadyShea, I think you might get a kick out of this site:
http://www.theonion.com/onion3630/dolphins_evolve_thumbs.html

*Language warning*

 

[LightBearer]

What is&nbsp;intelligence.&nbsp; Inferior to wisdom.

 

[FordPrefect]

Then what is wisdom?
And what makes it superior to intelligence?

 

[David Gould]

I read a book recently that suggested that maybe it is time we became homo sapiens ("wise man") ...

I think intelligence is difficult to define. That is why SETI is such a difficult project - they have to make huge assuptions about the nature of what might be out there. These huge assumptions could well cause us to miss&nbsp;an intelligent species. Unfortunately, the assumptions have to made or we would never get past searching the first planet we have come across - Earth.

Memory and the ability to learn are the two crucial ones. This is helped tremendously by language, art, music and so forth.

 

[Hewitt]

Well, in my thinking, intelligence is based upon the standards of the society in which it applies. While we may think all dogs are "unintelligent" there are probably some out there who are dog geniuses and we just don't know it. For humans we generally tend to look at the quantity, quality, and ability to retain information when measuring intelligence. I am currently in high school and many consider me "intelligent" just because I can memorize a few things quite easily but in my mind there is more to it than that.

Like mentioned before, I feel that there are many other factors to intelligence than the basic knowledge.

 

[LadyShea]

LOL Late_Cretaceous. Gotta love the Onion!!

 

[LightBearer]

Originally posted by FordPrefect
Then what is wisdom?
And what makes it superior to intelligence?

The Biblical sense of wisdom lays emphasis on sound judgment, based on knowledge and understanding; the ability to use knowledge and understanding successfully to solve problems, avoid or avert dangers, attain certain goals, or counsel others in doing so. It is the opposite of foolishness, stupidity, and madness, with which it is often contrasted.—De 32:6; Pr 11:29; Ec 6:8.

Firstly I have nothing against intellect. Man has used his intellect to do amazing things for mans wellbeing but, he has also used it to make things like weapons of mass destruction. These are all products of intellegent men or women but not all are wise. The application of true wisdom may have prevented the mistakes.

 

[FordPrefect]

Sooo, what you are saying is that wisdom is higher intellect guided by societal and moral restraint, to solve problems and bring about a positive change?

But we are not dealing with the question I asked. "Intelligence" does not equal "book smarts", or "wisdom", or "whatever." Intellect does, but intelligence, not IQ, does not.

For instance, dogs can learn tricks, they understand cause and effect, they remember, they have a primitive (as far as we know) language, they can set up small "tribal" social structures, etc. These abilities indicate some level of intelligence, however they do not possess the ability to create art, nor do they build structures, nor do they subjegate smaller species, etc. Does this mean they do not have intelligence? No, it doesn't.

That onion article is great. My favourite line concerning dolphins comes from HHGttG, where it says
< paraphrasing badly >
Humanity thought it was the most intelligent species on the planet because of cities, cars, factories, war, etc. Dolphins always thought they were the most intelligent species on the planet for exactly the same reason.
</paraphrasing badly>

 

[LightBearer]

We could equate intelligence with insight, the ability to look into a situation with understanding. That does mean that an intelligent person would act on what we see in a correct manner. A wise person would.

Animals are not intelligent, they act on instinct.

 

[foolsparade]

LightBearer: animals ARE intelligent. Do animals have a memory, are they able to learn, are they able to communicate with themselves and us humans?? Yes.&nbsp; Do they have emotions? Yes! you don't know this?

 

[LadyShea]

Dolphins have been found to have the ability to anticipate (which cannot be instinctual by definition) and have an extremely complex language...how is this not intelligence?

 

[Hank]

Originally posted by LadyShea
Dolphins have been found to have the ability to anticipate (which cannot be instinctual by definition) and have an extremely complex language...how is this not intelligence?

intelligence

Cambridge Dictionary gives as definition
'the ability to understand and learn and make judgments or have opinions that are based on reason'

Sure anticipation is not acting on instinct, what exactly has been shown that dolphins anticipated?

I think animals are intelligent to a certain extend, where our intelligence is unlimited, well if you use your brain that is.