The other day, I was discussing the relation between information and intelligence with one of my closest friends. I will present his thoughts on the topic as impartially as I can. Then, I'll add mine and try to draw a conclusion in the attempt to settle the matter, at least for the time being.
My friend stated that the intelligence is the ability someone has to solve a determined problem. Then, he added that when you get more information, your chances of solving any given problem get higher. Therefore, the more information you have, the more intelligent you are. I'll take the liberty to summarize his thoughts on a simple equation:
Information + 1 = Intelligence + 1
Information +1 -1 = Intelligence
Information is Intelligence.
As the equation above shows, if you think having more information makes you smarter, then you think information is intelligence. While I agree that having more information definitively helps you find a solution to an issue, I know for a fact that having more information doesn't make you cleverer.
Here is where my friend and I part ways, for I know that information and intelligence, even though always used together, are very different concepts: The information is raw, unprocessed data; the intelligence is the ability to use this data in many ways and for various purposes. This is very similar to what my friend said, but it does not mean the same thing. The resolution of problems, what you do with intelligence, is not intelligence, but a mere consequence of it. The intelligence is the means, the problem solving is the end.
Or at least that's what I think. What do you, reader, think?
EDIT: After talking a while (a couple hours?) with my friend Chris Wright, we finally agreed on a single definition of intelligence: "The intelligence is the ability to transform data into knowledge, to use it and retain it as knowledge. The faster you transform the data, the longer you retain it as knowledge and the better you use it for something, the smarter you are."
Cheers on our first agreement, Chris!
5 comments:
Mmm, in the way you present the first definition on intelligence and information i was thinking the same. On the topic, it is sure to believe that the more information you have the more smart you become, but smartness don't necessarily make you clever and it doesn't assure you an awareness for solving problems easily.
In fact, i agree with you that intelligence is the ability to pick the right pieces from the raw amount of information to compose valid, useful and most important, viable answers and solutions for any purpose.
Solving not as a consequence -cause its not gratuitous- but as a result of the process through intelligence and another skills.
Just the humble opinion of a usual reader of yours.
Thank you for taking the time to read it and for such an insightful and well thought answer! I wrote this assuming the words "smart" and "clever" were synonyms. What do you mean when you say being smart doesn't make you clever?
You are right about solutions not being a direct consequence of intelligence; let's just say being intelligent gives you the tools to be able to come up with solutions through pure effort and concentration.
yo opino ke tener mas info puede (como no) darte más posibilidades para resolver un determinado problema pero eso no necesariamente te hace mas inteligente..no creo ke la ecuacion sea tan valida...mmm..a mas informacion mas inteligencia..esto podríiia ser cierto para algunas personas pero no es completamente cierto xq no podemos decir que todas las personas al tener mas informacion se vuelven mas inteligentes. Tiene que ver mas con la capacidad de disernir y escoger entre la poca o mucha información relevante que puedas tener me parece...de hecho la info es fundamental pero no determina la inteligencia de una persona...ahhh a lo ke iba!! casi lo olvido tambien opino ke eres un alienadazo pero aun asi tu blog ta chevere ja
Google me debería mandar notificaciones cuando la gente comenta. Recién hoy veo tu comment nando!! Ante todo, mil gracias por el interés!!
Te dejo un par de aclaraciones sobre lo que comentaste:
La ecuación y todo lo que involucra es lo que mi amigo piensa. El objetivo del post es precisamente refutar su opinión, no respaldarla, lo que quiere decir que tu y yo estamos de acuerdo. Las últimas líneas del penúltimo párrafo muestran mi opinión: la inteligencia es lo que haces con la información.
Gracias de nuevo!! :D
Y sí, soy recontra alienado. Lo admito!!! jajajajajaja :/
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