What constitutes an intelligent person?

Question

I really want to know because my uncle seems to think that the simple fact that he attended university and became a medical doctor makes him somehow better than those who had lesser learning. I know it's not true but don't know how to explain it to him...

Answer 1

You may not be able to explain this concept to hm. Part of his training and education is based upon only allowing those who believe that they are somehow "Better" can enter and then complete this line of school work through residency.

Intelligence has little or nothing to do with higher education, except the most people who complete some form of higher education tend to be more intelligent.

While it is true that those humans from the "very bottom" of the intelligence ranking can ever make it through med school, some of the most intelligent humans alive today have never had any formal education.

As for "what constitutes an intelligent person?" I would have to say the ability to solve problems using logical methods.

Answer 2

IQ can measure book-smart intelligence.Realistically, Wisdom is best for real life situations, even moreso than knowledge is. You can know everything in the world and if you don't know the proper reasoning and experience to deliver it, it's worthless. Wisdom cannot be measured, as though an intellect could be by an IQ test. Wisdom uses experience and rational judgementation to help one make the best decision. Intelligence is defined as the capacity to acquire and apply knowledge and / or the faculty of thought and reason. Wisdom is The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight./ Common sense; good judgment / The sum of learning through the ages or knowledge. There is a slight overlap between knowledge and wisdom which shows that there's more to intelligence than booksmarts rather what one learns and how they apply it. Whether it's from books or otherwise is irrelevant. There are a lot of different musicians and musical artists who have very little schooling but now make greater incomes than a lot of others who studied and went to college. Likewise with Sports leagues and such. It's not what they knew or how they learned it, but how they applied what they knew. I wouldn't say that intelligence makes anyone better or worse than anyone else, but it certainly helps on occassion. All in all, we're equal in possessing life and being of matter. Anything much more than that is an ego trip. Don't be mad at your uncle for being how he is. Embrace him, and perphaps he'll wish to change his ways when he sees your patience and acceptance. I wish you the best.

Answer 3

Your uncle may be a Dr. and thinks he better then people with lesser learning. Ask him what he does if he has a pluming or an electrial problem. Does he look for a person with a collage degree.
O by the way plumers and electricans make very good money and there harder to get then a Dr.

Answer 4

There's a difference between intelligence and education. Many people with high intelligence choose not to pursue higher education and to spend their lives in positions that require less "book learning."

As measured by intelligenct (IQ) tests, a person with average intelligence has an IQ of about 100.

Some studies have shown a correlation between IQ and education level -- for example, the lower one's IQ, the more likely one will drop out of school.

Research also has shown that general intelligence plays a role in many valued life outcomes. In addition to academic success, IQ correlates with job performance and socioeconomic advancement (for example, level of education, occupation, and income).

People with lower IQs are generally more prone to adult criminality, poverty, unemployment, dependence on welfare, and children outside of marriage.

Becoming a medical doctor doesn't give a person more intelligence (just more education), but having a higher IQ makes is more likely that someone will attend medical school and become a successful physician.

Answer 5

Intelligence is not what you know or how much of it you know.

Intelligence is the ability to pick up and sort through new information. The faster you can do this (accurately), the more intelligent you are.

You could always tell him straight up that he comes off as arrogant, he probably doesn't even realize it. This quote is good too, "The true measure of a man is not how he treats his superiors or equals, but how he treats his subordinates."

Answer 6

To me, the definition of intelligence is how you choose to use and deal with the information you´ve accumulated throughout the years. I think its important to have an open mind, cuz we never really stop learnin, do we? So if we´re already closed off to certain kinds of information simply by choice, we are limiting our own intellectual growth. The things we learn at college, university, they help you by givin you more information, and the information category is academics, but there are lotsa of other categories too. Life-smarts for example....if you dont how to socialize or how to get around in the world..then education wont help you much, cuz its a completely different subject. You cant study..or prepare yourself whats gonna happen to you in life in any specific way, cuz u just dont know whats gonna happen. So..cuzza the i really do think, that in the end...its about how we choose to apply this information that defines how smart we are. I dunno if that made any sense..lol. But i hope it helps. :)

Answer 7

An intelligent person is one who knows that he still has much to learn, and doesn't look down on those with less accomplishments than he/she has.
Well, the simplest way to explain it would be to say, Uncle, you're a moron.

Answer 8

An intelligent person must have the insight to know false confidence or arrogance is just stagnated ignorance personified one hundred fold..
You keep learning the whole of your lifetime, otherwise you may as well be the living dead inside.

(Most of all intelligence is nothing without kindness..)

Answer 9

I believe that intelligence should be broken down into academic intelligence(book learning) reasoning intelligence (ability to work stuff out) emotional intelligence (maturity) just because you have one doesnt mean that you are any good at any others. it sounds like your uncle has plenty of academic intelligence but maybe lacking in other areas. I went to college with lots of people who were good academically because they wrote everything down but could work things out for themselves.

Answer 10

i think an intelligent person is someone willing to recognize and admit that they do not know everthing and they are willing to learn new things, even if they are doctors.