What is intelligence?

We have heard our teachers calling some students as intelligent and some as dull- minded. We hear the term ‘intelligence’ used by many people in different sectors but, is the connotation of their use is sufficient can be a question that stands firmly?

To whom we call the intelligent? Is he the intelligent who scores the highest in the aptitude test or I.Q? People in general consider the same. Intelligence is measured by an academician by arranging questions by the academicians himself. I opine that the meaning of intelligence has not got scientific. A person can be intelligent in one subject and may not be intelligent in other subjects. Our teachers have built up their minds distinguishing their students as intelligent and unintelligent. A person intelligent in mathematics may not be intelligent in literature. Our teachers believe that those intelligent are smart in all the subjects equally which I firmly oppose.

I completely agree with great scholar Isaac Asimov that human beings cannot be placed on a one-dimensional intelligence scale, that they are all made up of a unique mixture of intelligence and stupidity. A man may be intelligent, highest scorer, but it does not mean that he can be intelligent in repairing of his car or doing farming or mending his doors. It is said that an intelligent person tries to be over smart and thus fails even to give an answer to a minor question.

Intelligence is not absolute rather it is relative and merely a function of the society in which he lives. Intelligent man many appear stupid in some occasions. My thought rests here that all cannot be placed on a one-dimensional scale. Traditional concept of ‘intelligence’ is that the person being tested knows all kind of subjects and can give answers to all kinds of people in different professions and can do all things by himself. But is this possible and are the intelligent ones are so many as we use the term to the large number of people?

Intelligence is a divine gift which is possessed by a small number of people. An intelligent person is quick-minded, clever and smart, quickly-grasping and quickly-rightly-responding person.

Most of the academicians including me categorize the people in three categories. First, intelligent ones, who are very few and are gifted naturally. Second, hard working ones. Most of the people fall under this category who labors hard and practice more. Thirdly, dull minded ones who are slow learners. I mean to say that we use the term intelligent in big scale, to many people. Hard working people are often heard calling as intelligent. What we have to internalize is that intelligent people are very few and rare and intelligence do not connote knowing of all the subjects and answering of all the questions. It is a relative term not an absolute and people should not be placed on one-dimensional intelligence scale.

Once I went to the principal of the school where I had studied myself, and requested for an admission of my small brother in class nine. The principal asked me- how is the student like? “Intelligent”, the word came out of my mouth, without considering the intention behind the question. He immediately presented the counterargument and said that there are three kinds of people- intelligent, hard working and dull-minded. I was bound to change my word because my brother was rather hardworking than intelligent.