What Is Intelligence?

[Obelix]

On 26/10/2019 at 20:49, DeZeus said:

Some People are good Academically, Some Are Practical, some have good memory, but

imho, from experience,  people who have a Degree or studied for a degree prior to having a Job, tend to lack any common sense or practical skills.

 

So I guess it depends on How? you measure people's intelligence, like IQ, exams, practical skills, mental skill, arithmetic, few people manage all of these skills!

Really? Hows that work then or is this just the usual anti-intellectulism that tends to pervade this place?

1 hour ago, L00b said:

Best definition on the thread so far, IMHO.

 

Whenever this topic comes up, I sometimes define intelligence as "knowing what one doesn't know". As in, given a situation, being self-aware of one's limitations in knowledge, experience and practice for addressing that situation adequately (dilligence, is what would make the person improve their knowledge, experience and practice then, for achieving the requisite connecting of dots).

 

On the subtopic of academic achievement, I've been working 2 decades in a legal profession, wherein entrants to the profession are STEM PhD (-these days, used to be more BSc/MSc in years gone by). By conventional standards, all would be deemed 'highly intelligent'...and yet, the first-time pass rate for professional exams after 3 years of training (minimum) is under 15%, consistently (anecdotally, I've had PhD'd trainees in floods of tears on exam results days: first exam failure they'd ever experienced).

I know that I am wise for I know that I know almost nothing - to abuse the quotes of a rather famous Grecian.

[DT Ralge]

9 hours ago, Annie Bynnol said:

It's more to the inability of drivers to recognise how poor their skills and judgement is.

All car drivers will say they are better than average at driving. In reality they are just plain average car drivers and have below average skills when it comes to all road users.

Couldn’t agree more.   When asked they (pretty much) all say “7” on a scale of 0 to 10 (when 0 = rubbish and 10 is expert) - they can’t all be right, can they?

Most, however, when challenged can drive decently.  My job is to give them an alternative view and to nudge them to “decent plus” and I don’t get too much resistance.  Whether any improvement is sustained over time is down to their personality, work, life pressures etc etc and level of commitment to change.