Is intellegence something we learn,or inhereted?

Answer 1

Not this old dilemma again. It's a mixture of both sociably learnt and innate instinctive, or in other words, 50% Nature 50% Nurture, is probably the best way to resolve such an issue.

Answer 2

I believe that everyone (without a mental disability) has the same capacity for intelligence. The Brain however is a muscle and gets better the more it is used.
Clouding the issue is certain inherited traits, some of which are called learning disabilities in today's society. Certain people have inherited a way of thinking which has helped their particular family in the past. The obvious one is men and women, but others possess slightly different interpretations of problems and events. These in my opinion in no way hinder intelligence in the long-term. Though some learning differences exist in the young, and the thinking pattern may continue into adulthood. This is purely due to the singular way we are forced to teach all children.
Of more concern to me, is the definition of intelligence itself.
Less merit should possibly be given to theoretical physicists who spend their lives in one pursuit, then believe as fact unproven hypothesis. And more to skilled labourers who produce technically proficient works of art.
To me the difference isn't intelligence, it's environment.
I have known welders who fully understood and corrected my engineering designs whilst conversing about socio-economic world policies. Yet are considered low on the intelligence scale when stood alongside university professors who have explained Milton and Dostoevsky to me, but couldn't work out how much tax they owed.

(Amazing, spellchecker says I got Dostoevsky right)

Answer 3

Well the question ought to be how do you define intelligence? I disagree with the answer that says intelligence is knowledge. I know people with a lot of knowledge who are far from intelligent and I know highly intelligent people whose knowledge is fairly limited. Intelligence is enhanced by education, but being well educated does not necessarily guarantee intelligence. As with all the other answers, I believe it is a combination of both.

Answer 4

We can be born extremely bright and fast, enabling us to pick up and develop intellectually beyond many of our peers, but then many so called slower people, can develop just as well, across a broader time.

It's a bit like this daft class thing really, people assuming that to be born to money, affords class, when it patently is not true.

I've learned in my 61 years of life, that class is in us at the outset, which area that we are most comfortable developing, that is.

You can have a person worth millions who has no idea how to behave with others, treats everybody with disdain, has no idea how to conduct themself in relation to others, and who gets away with things no one else would, just because they carry titles, or achieve academically and have power over others, or can throw money at every situation they create, and crafty, aspiring people in the wings who covet it, will make capital on their weaknesses, to achieve their own ambitions.

So it is with intelligence, since it's feasible to have a vagrant who by dint of life experience and no failing of their own, has no home, or education, yet, has the inate ability to master all life's lessons and grow inwardly, in ways that others can't.

Just an hour in their company can leave you stretched beyond anything you ever knew was possible, inside your mind, where, hours, months and years, with so called professionals in your life, those with qualifications up to their armpits, leaves you seriously pulling your hair out in frustration that such crass stupidy, makes laws, and rules, and decisions on our behalf.

Answer 5

Recent studies have shown that most of what we commonly call "intellect" is learnt rather than inherited. Furthermore the focus on providing more resources and time for those who do well leads to considerable neglect of people who could be just as capable if given the time to be taught properly.

Answer 6

A bit of both, although I think the inheirited part is stronger, and has to be nurtured. Someone born with high intelligence, if not prompted and allowed to learn, will never get anywhere.

Answer 7

In my opinion intelligence is the ability of the brain to process information and data and varies accordinly in individuals. It is distinctly different from wisdom, which is acquired.

Im not sure intelligence is inhertied but rather a result of the cultural enviornment one is brought up in and educated in. Hence the succession of "intelligent" middle and upper class people is solely due to their upbrining in the right conditions.

Answer 8

Definitely both, my 3 yr. old daughter's dads family are very High IQ people and she seems to have inherited their smarts, as she is a very sharp, well versed 3 yr. old. She has been that way since she was 6 months old. She can remember stuff when she was 6 months old. And never forgets a thing!!! God love her.

Answer 9

It depends on how you define intelligence, if you are speaking of IQ, then it would be inherited, if you are speaking of knowledge then it is something learned. In my opinion you could have one with out the other, but both would make life easier.

Answer 10

It is inhereted, your personality is what you learn and get form your enviroment. I taught it!