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Post by Cwi555 on Jun 22, 2012 8:51:57 GMT -7
What do you consider 'Intelligence'? A good speller, good at math, logic test, a high Stanford Binet IQ, a person with a good memory, a person that can change a tire?
Don't look up the Merriam Webster definition, what is it in your own words? Give us your logic for your choice....
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Post by northernbc on Jun 22, 2012 8:56:51 GMT -7
for me it is the opposite of, repeating the same task over and over ,doing it the same way and expecting a different outcome.
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Post by wtrfwlr on Jun 22, 2012 9:52:04 GMT -7
The most intelligent men that I have ever met did not have much formal schooling. But they had unbelievable problem solving skills and operated with a extraordinary amount of common sense. They also had a unique ability to read folks and interact with them. They never bragged about any abilities or accomplishments but had more of a calm nature much like an Awe, Shucks Andy Griffith sort of demeanor. One of these men worked in the chemical dept. of Alcoa which had numerous Bauxite mines here in Arkansas. He only had a high school education but his daily job was to analyze complex chemical samples of the Bauxite ore being mined. Along with this was a enormous amount of mathematics that were required. He also had a nicely equipped garage at his small farm and he could design, fabricate or repair anything! I even saw him successfully perform surgery on one of his roosters one day! He used starting fluid spray (ether) and an anesthetic and opened the bird up and found a tumor in the craw. He cut that out, sewed it up and incision and that old rooster live for years. He was a truly amazing man and I credit him with much of my abilities from the time I spent with him.
I also must make mention of some of the men that I worked with in auto racing. I was able to work around some of the most talented mechanic/engineer types that had not a day of college of engineering training but nevertheless they could design some very high tech parts and systems on very sophisticated racing machines. I also met some of the absolutely DUMBEST men that have ever walk upon this planet and they had masters degrees in mechanical engineering! They could no doubt draw some cool stuff at their drafting table but I swear if someone had not showed them where the cafeteria was located they would literally starve to death.
Lastly I must say that ranking right up there as one of the most intelligent men I ever been around was my father. He had huge amounts of "brain power" and was qualified in his IQ to be a member of the MENSA Society. He could read and predict people like no one I have ever seen. He was a whiz at business and made impressive amounts of money with seemingly no effort at all. Very very smart. Unfortunately he was a Horrible father and through his abusive nature of manipulating everything around him our family suffered a quite miserable life for the years he was here, but he was dang smart!
There are a few more but I think you get the idea of what I consider to be "intelligence"
Ladies...My apologies for only making mention of men here as I know there are many very intelligent women out there, I just have not ever been provided the opportunity to interact with females in the way I have working with men.
*Great post cwi555! I should also disclose that I think of you as one of the most intelligent men I've interacted with and hope that someday our paths will cross so that I could meet you in real life.
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Post by heysmithy on Jun 22, 2012 9:57:55 GMT -7
I've always thought the most intelligent people have the ability to see into the future just a little bit. Like a chess game where you're trying to think a few moves ahead. The ability to extrapolate simple "cause and effect" to encompass the likelihood of actions and reactions of others, or to figure the likelihood of an event occurring. And actually extrapolate it both ways, so you're not just seeing the future, but the past as well. For example, if there is an action that seems strange, look at it as both the cause of a future effect, and the effect of a past cause, and figure out what the past cause is.
That was one of the abilities my dad always had, and I always admired. He could look at a situation and see the whole picture. He could solve problems before they even existed. Sadly, as he gets older, his mind is slipping. And with that I can see him becoming more reactionary.
But that form of intelligence is the rarest of all, in my opinion. By that standard I know philosophers and bookworms who know every fact in the world, but are as lost in this world as the rest of us.
LOL, now I've got this song in my head. May as well share it -
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Post by sirderrin on Jun 22, 2012 10:26:51 GMT -7
I have known quite a few "intelligent" folks.....Some had a formal educations, but many did not even have a high school education and in a couple case not even a grade school education. I consider common sense to be more important then the so called measurable intelligence that is tout as I.Q. Being smart is a skill that can be developed and honed to the limits of your "I.Q." Common Sense is an innate skill that does not have a truly measurable form other then that it is developed with life's experiences and the ability to see the true consequences of your actions and those around you.
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Post by angelhelp on Jun 22, 2012 12:48:14 GMT -7
Common sense, a healthy dose of intuition or spidey senses or whatever you want to call it, and a decent knowledge base contribute to an intelligent response to situations.
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Post by Cwi555 on Jun 22, 2012 16:08:25 GMT -7
Unless I've read this wrong, there seems to be a consensus developing regarding 'common sense' and 'demonstrated ability'.
If you agree with that, how would you propose to measure it?
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Post by wtrfwlr on Jun 22, 2012 16:19:45 GMT -7
I guess you could just ask a bunch of people you think have common sense if they can figure out a certain magic trick??? Heck! I really don't know but that is a durn good question!
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Post by swamprat1 on Jun 22, 2012 16:28:34 GMT -7
For me, creativity plays a large part as well. If you cannot take all of your knowledge and create something you are really nothing more than a human computer: data goes in and a certain response comes out. There is no room to create. People talk of how intelligen Einstein was, but he was also able to use the intelligence to create new ideas. Other than that I believe that intelligence is what many of the above have stated and also the ability to solve problems in an efficient manner
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Post by sirderrin on Jun 22, 2012 16:32:57 GMT -7
Hmm... are you considering the "spidery sense" and common sense as the same thing? They are two very different things to me. I am assuming I.Q. as the demonstrated ability. Unless I've read this wrong, there seems to be a consensus developing regarding 'common sense' and 'demonstrated ability'. If you agree with that, how would you propose to measure it?
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Post by angelhelp on Jun 22, 2012 16:41:45 GMT -7
In the "spidey sense", I was including inspiration. For some, that could include creativity. For me, common sense also encompasses a level of creativity.
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Post by sirderrin on Jun 22, 2012 17:10:42 GMT -7
Spidery sense, the hair on the back of your neck rising, deja vu, the just knowing something there is no way you should possibly know..... I would not have any good suggestions on how you could possibly measure such a thing....
Common Sense - the ability to access a situation and see the proper steps to correct a given situation. This ability does usually improves with life experiences and is usually defined by said experiences.
Probably not the best explanations but they do give the gist of my thoughts on these two different things.
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Post by geron on Jun 22, 2012 17:36:42 GMT -7
The ability to accurately discern, evaluate, understand a given situation and make an adequate, effective and appropriate response on at least the second or third attempt.
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Post by mud on Jun 22, 2012 18:24:15 GMT -7
The ability to accurately discern, evaluate, understand a given situation and make an adequate, effective and appropriate response on at least the second or third attempt. better said than I was thinking but about the same point.
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Post by spartan300 on Jun 22, 2012 18:29:11 GMT -7
To me intelligence has little to do with being "educated." It has more to do with being "balanced." I went to college myself, and there is nothing wrong with that whatsoever for those that choose to do so. However, my Grandfather with a 6th grade education:
Built their home with his own two hands from foundation to roof.
Raised cattle, pigs, chickens, tobacco, and a garden to die for.
Could play the banjo and guitar at will, and taught himself.
Could take a piece of wood and whittle out toys for his kids.
Made the best homemade wine you ever put to your lips.
*In my opinion, he was more intelligent than I am right now. We farm and raise animals, but his skills and raw intelligence still leaves me amazed to this day. Go figure.
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