cerebrate, and interesting article, but too general and vague. What is Intelligence? and What is Cleverness? What is the criteria? How do you measure it? For example:
QUOTE
Intelligence is a term that is difficult to define, and it can mean many different things to different people. In fact, it has divided the scientific community for decades and controversies still rage over its exact definition and form of measurement.
In the popular sense, intelligence is often defined as the general mental ability to learn and apply knowledge to manipulate your environment, as well as the ability to reason and have abstract thought. Other definitions of intelligence include adaptability to a new environment or to changes in the current environment, the ability to evaluate and judge, the ability to comprehend complex ideas, the capacity for original and productive thought, the ability to learn quickly and learn from experience and even the ability to comprehend relationships.
A superior ability to interact with the environment and overcome its challenges is often seen as a sign of intelligence. In this case, the environment does not just refer to the physical landscape (eg. mountains, forests) or the surroundings (eg. school, home, workplace) but also to a person’s social contacts, such as colleagues, friends and family – or even complete strangers.
Researchers asked about the aspects of intelligence felt that factors like problem-solving ability, mental speed, general knowledge, creativity, abstract thinking and memory all played important roles in the measure and standard of intelligence. Most agree that intelligence is an umbrella term which covers a variety of related mental abilities.
Measuring Intelligence
Like the definitions of intelligence, the measurement of intelligence is dogged by controversy and disagreement. While there are a number of different methods for measuring intelligence, the standard and most widely accepted method is by measuring a person’s ‘intelligence quotient’ or IQ.
Based on a series of tests which assess various types of abilities such a mathematical, spatial, verbal, logic and memory. The results from such tests done on a group that is representative of the wider popular shows the classic ‘bell-shape’ distribution, meaning that most people are of average intelligence with a few at the extreme ends of the scale. .......
Are You Intelligent? Or Just Clever?
In the educational context, a person’s intelligence is often equated with their academic performance but this is not necessarily correct. Certainly, a person’s ability to think analytically and use their knowledge and experience is often more important than their ability to command a large number of facts. Note also that the word intelligence comes from the Latin verb, “intellegere” which means “to understand” – however, the ability to understand could be considered different to being “smart” – the ability to adapt and “clever” – the ability to adapt creatively!
http://www.aboutintelligence.co.uk/what-intelligence.htmlSo without clear definitions of what we are talking about, some of these statistics can be misleading. For example, I believe true intelligence is a genetic quality, inherited from our genetics, our parents, our ancestors, and can alter only through the reproduction processes. While being clever is something that can be acquired from learning, or observing our peers and parents.
I believe that when the assessments of the IQ of S.E. Asians improved, is erroneous. Certainly, the S.E.Asians are today exposed to 1 million times more information through the media and the internet and they are soaking up such information as fast as it is out there. But their "basic intelligence" has not changed, they have only been provided with more exposure and thereby know more than their forefathers. While in the West, such information was always available, through the media and educational facilities like libraries and through their teachers and professors.
Yes, I agree the instant knowledge and information with this internet technology will change things and the balance of knowledge and make a big difference in this world. Whether the good will outweigh the bad is something that has to be watched closely. What I mean is that the internet is OPEN and not screened or monitored, so one can acquire good as well as bad information. This is an area educationalists should put their minds to.
