Some notes on current approaches to intelligence and contributions to the nature versus nurture debate – plus an insight into the twisted world of IQ-tests. Please click on the link to open the PDF: Notes on Intelligence, Joana S. Kompa
3 thoughts on “Notes on Intelligence”
Joana Stella Kompa 
Intelligence, what is it? I offer this; Intelligence is the capacity to recognize suffering, the cause of suffering, and the way to free oneself from suffering. An esoteric sounding viewpoint at first, but I suggest, on deeper reflection, this simple definition encompasses all of the criteria discussed in this blog.
Hallo Michael,
there is indeed a great debate on what constitutes intelligence and people may have different notions about it across cultures. Your concept sounds like a Buddhist perspective, please correct me if I should be wrong, so intelligence may extend to mindfulness. There also appears some obsession in Western cultures about individual intelligence whereby emotional, social and pragmatic intelligence (Gardner, Sternberg) might be equally -if nor more- relevant to human well-being.
My Kindest Regards!
Joana
Dear Joana,
A Buddhist concept? Yes, but also applicable to Vedic, Sufi, and even esoteric Christian, teachings when viewed form the perceptive that all phenomena of creation is subject to the same three currents of birth, life, and death, i.e. creation, preservation, and dissolution; or, if you will, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva; or Afridgar, Parvardigar, and Fanakar. A necessary outcome of the action of these three forces is suffering, and yes, intelligence, is the ability to recognize these three forces everywhere and in everything, in the whole and in its parts, and ultimately, to free oneself from these three forces which precipitates the end of suffering. Deep subject, perhaps enjoyed with friends and wine…
Best!
Michael