Intelligence is the ability to predict the future. -Peter
On 16/11/2007, Ron Kulp <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Well, you knew a wiki definition would pop up at some point, so here it > is. > > > Intelligence is a property of mind that encompasses many related > abilities, such as the capacities to reason, to plan, to solve problems, > to think abstractly, to comprehend ideas, to use language, and to learn. > There are several ways to define intelligence. In some cases, > intelligence may include traits such as: creativity, personality, > character, knowledge, or wisdom. However, some psychologists prefer not > to include these traits in the definition of intelligence. > > " Intelligence is what you use when you don't know what to do. " > -Jean Piaget > > > > > Definitions > The definition of intelligence has long been a matter of controversy. > > Intelligence comes from the Latin verb "intellegere", which means "to > understand". By this rationale, intelligence (as understanding) is > arguably different from being "smart" (able to adapt to one's > environment), or being "clever" (able to creatively adapt). By the Latin > definition, intelligence arguably has to do with a deeper understanding > of the relationships of all things around us; and with a capability for > metaphysical manipulation of such objects once such understanding is > mastered. > > At least two major "consensus" definitions of intelligence have been > proposed. First, from Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns, a report of a > task force convened by the American Psychological Association in 1995: > > Individuals differ from one another in their ability to understand > complex ideas, to adapt effectively to the environment, to learn from > experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning, to overcome > obstacles by taking thought. Although these individual differences can > be substantial, they are never entirely consistent: a given person's > intellectual performance will vary on different occasions, in different > domains, as judged by different criteria. Concepts of "intelligence" are > attempts to clarify and organize this complex set of phenomena. Although > considerable clarity has been achieved in some areas, no such > conceptualization has yet answered all the important questions and none > commands universal assent. Indeed, when two dozen prominent theorists > were recently asked to define intelligence, they gave two dozen somewhat > different definitions.[1] > A second definition of intelligence comes from "Mainstream Science on > Intelligence", which was signed by 52 intelligence researchers in 1994: > > a very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the > ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend > complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience. It is not merely > book learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather, > it reflects a broader and deeper capability for comprehending our > surroundings-"catching on", "making sense" of things, or "figuring out" > what to do.[2] > > Other definitions > Additionally, many prominent researchers have offered their own > definitions of intelligence: > > Carolus Slovinec: "Intelligence is the ability to recognize > connections." > Alfred Binet: "...judgment, otherwise called good sense, practical > sense, initiative, the faculty of adapting one's self to > circumstances...auto-critique." > David Wechsler: "... the aggregate or global capacity of the individual > to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with > his environment." > Cyril Burt: "...innate general cognitive ability." > Howard Gardner: "To my mind, a human intellectual competence must entail > a set of skills of problem solving-enabling the individual to resolve > genuine problems or difficulties that he or she encounters and, when > appropriate, to create an effective product-and must also entail the > potential for finding or creating problems-and thereby laying the > groundwork for the acquisition of new knowledge." > Linda Gottfredson: "... the ability to deal with cognitive complexity." > Herrnstein and Murray: "...cognitive ability." > Sternberg and Salter: "...goal-directed adaptive behavior." > John Kotter on Leadership Intelligence: A "keen mind" i.e., strong > analytical ability, good judgement, and the capacity to think > strategically and multi-dimensionally. > D. Samuel Nuessle: "A mind's ability to apply knowledge to a > problem-solving situation." > Additionally, many less prominent researchers in this field of > intelligence that is dominated by Psychologists and Educationalists, > have offered their own definitions of intelligence. They are in the > fields of Mathematics and Engineering but had offered to define > "Intelligence": > > Alan Turing: "To respond like a human being" > G.N. Saridis: "The entropy of control responses"[3] > In an educational context, one's intelligence should not be equated with > one's academic performance, or with the volume of knowledge one has > acquired through through formal education. A person's ability to think > critically and analytically about his or her knowledge and experience is > more important than command of a large number of facts. Intelligence is > not confined to thinking either. Purposeful actions demonstrating > appropriate responses to the situation and reasoned application of one's > knowledge are evidence of intelligence. It is also important to note > that analytic skills only constitute one part of intelligence -- > mimesis, synthesis, creative and the ability to find innovative > solutions to unfamiliar problems are also important. > Moq_Discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ > Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
