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WHAT IS INTELLIGENCE, ANYWAY?

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Isaac Asimov, USA (1920-1992)

  • In this argumentative essay the writer makes an argument that intelligence is not absolute but is a function of the society.
  • Often we define intelligence with respect to human qualities. Thus, as we tend to consider ourselves as the most intelligent species, we compare other species to ourselves. Yet, is this really possible? 
  • "We willingly accept the idea of intelligence in a life form only if the intelligence displayed is on the same evolutionary wavelength as our own. Technology automatically indicates intelligence. An absence of technology translates into an absence of intelligence."
  • Truly, intelligence seems to be relative, in that it evolves to fulfill the needs of the particular species. How, then, can we truly compare the intelligence of a crocodile with that of a whale or that of a human? Evolutionary speaking, scientists agree that organisms seem to have become more complex behaviorally. Some argue that this is correlated with increased brain size. Changes to the brain have occurred at specific structures.
“What is intelligence anyway?” 

Intelligence is the subjective matter. A person intelligent in one field may be a loggerhead (a stupid person) in another field. It may be possible that a person is intelligent in two or more field but he/she will still be lagging behind the another field. Hence, we can’t term the persons as intelligent in general. For example a good teacher might be a bad student and vice-versa. A good administrator may be a bad father. Hence a person is intelligent in administration but bad with family.

Asimov also focuses on the fact that intelligent is the outcome to experience and knowledge. Asimov is intelligent in study and literature but he is not intelligent to maintain his car. His automobile repairman is far intelligent in this field than him. But on the other hand Asimov is far more intelligent in study and literature than his automobile repair man. Hence, we understood that the intelligent is the subjective matter. Any person cannot be intelligent in general. It depends on the particular field of concerned.

Summary:

“What Is Intelligence, Anyway?” is an article that is written by Isaac Asimov. He is a Russian who grew up in America. With being well educated, he received his PhD in chemistry from Columbia University. He is known as the writer for all types of readers from specialized to non specialized. Base on his article, Dr. Asimov is considered to be the most intelligent. Isaac Asimov writes about how he has always scored high in academic tests. How he scored 160 when an average score was 100 and that there were people that made a big fuss (Worry unnecessarily or excessively) over that. And that the auto repair man who didn't seem as intelligent as he was but would always fix his car. Then he says that if the auto repair guy make questions for an intelligent test upon him which he would fail it and would look like a moron (idiot/A person of subnormal intelligence). 

When Asimov was in the army, he took part in IQ tests and recorded 160 much above the normal. Looking at such achievement , he used to think that he was very intelligent. But he was less intelligent in other fields like in mechanism and domestic work. For example, when his car got broken, he could not repair it by his own and had to take help from the mechanics. According to the writer, intelligence can never be determined by only one dimensional. Even the great scholars as academicians can be proved to be foolish in the fields where their academic training does not work. He thinks that one's intelligence is not absolute or universal one, rather it is designed by the function of the society. 

As we are reading through his introduction about how intelligent he is, we think that this man is too proud. But as we continue reading the article, we find that he slowly recognizes his intelligence does not apply on every aspect of his life. Dr. Asimov talks about his auto repairman, who would never pass the score of 80 on this intelligence test if he takes it. However, the car is always fixed every time Dr. Asimov brings to the auto repairman. In the middle of the article, Dr. Asimov says that he is an intelligent man wherever he could use his academic training and his verbal talents, but when it comes to do something intricate (complex) or hard, working with his hands then he would be a “moron.”

One thing that we like the most about Dr. Asimov is that he is not embarrassing to tell people how he got tricked by an auto repairman who cannot even pass the score of 80 in the intelligence test. 
(INCLUDE LAST 2 PARAGRAPHS OF THE BOOK Page: 238)
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