What Is Intelligence?

In a previous post, we talked about "how are you intelligent?", going into the theory of multiple intelligences and why intelligence is unique to each individual. While this is important, there remains an even more important question, what is intelligence? From our early days on the playground to the boardrooms, we have all judged one another on something that we have called "intelligence". 

Without getting too philosophical, is there any real way to measure intelligence? I mean, we have all heard of the IQ test, but we also know that it isn't an effective way of measuring someones intelligence. SAT or ACT tests? No, they just measure your ability to take tests, from an analytical perspective. Measuring intelligence has been a task that been tried over and over again throughout the ages. And for the simple reason that we as humans still believe that intelligence is a single facet that can be measured, like height or weight.

This notion is very unsophisticated and has lead to the theory that there is not one, but multiple intelligences. We touched on this last time as well with Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. But remember, there are also other theories. So which intelligences do we measure? Is intelligence just a word that we use to represent our combination of genetics + environment?

This fascinating discussion is being continued over at Big Think, a fantastic video interview platform dedicated to intelligent, unique content. I highly recommend their article What Is Intelligence? to give you an idea of the history behind intelligence work. 

Defining intelligence, or rather, helping ourselves find our intelligences is the key to finding your passion in life. In order to enter the best career for your talents and passions, you need to define what intelligence means to you. Are you amazing at mathematics and hopeless at music? Are you a superb athlete but terrible at science? There are so many different forms of intelligence (no matter what theory you believe in) that the key is understanding where your strengths lie. Sounds obvious, right? It is, yet we still have the majority of the planet stuck in careers they are unsatisfied in, just because they haven't matched up their intelligence to a career yet. Defining what intelligence is will hopefully help them out.

I've also included descriptions from the videos on Bigthink and links to the talks in order to help you get a better idea of what intelligence is. Enjoy.

Dr. Gardner sat down with Big Think for a video interview and told us more about his Theory of Multiple Intelligences. He argues that these various forms of intelligence wouldn't have evolved if they hadn't been beneficial at some point in human history, but what was important in one time is not necessarily important in another. "As history unfolds, as cultures evolve, of course the intelligences which they value change," Gardner tells us. "Until a hundred years ago, if you wanted to have h igher education, linguistic intelligence was important. I teach at Harvard, and 150 years ago, the entrance exams were in Latin, Greek and Hebrew. If, for example, you were dyslexic, that would be very difficult because it would be hard for you to learn those languages, which are basically written languages." Now, mathematical and emotional intelligences are more important in society, Gardner says: "While your IQ, which is sort of language logic, will get you behind the desk, if you don’t know how to deal with people, if you don't know how to read yourself, you’re going to end up just staying at that desk forever or eventually being asked to make room for somebody who does have social or emotional intelligence."

Link -> http://bigthink.com/ideas/23098

Big Think also interviewed Dr. Daniel Goleman, author of the bestselling "Emotional Intelligence," and spoke with him about his theory of emotional intelligence, which comprises four major poles: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.