Intelligence is one of those terms that causes quite the turmoil within society but
also within ourselves. From a very young age,
each person is raised to perceive intelligence as probably the most critical factor that will
determine his or her well-being. The truth, however, is that
the way intelligence is portrayed and eventually interpreted
leads to a myriad of issues that every generation needs to face.
Most of us tend to think of intelligence as this elusive skill that characterizes people who have
achieved a great deal of success in their lifetime or managed to solve seemingly insoluble problems.
Moreover, the overwhelming majority of social agents believe strongly that intelligence is an
innate trait that has no plasticity and that each individual needs to make peace with the idea that
their intelligence will remain unchanged throughout their lives.
This controversial belief always bugged me in that once one accepts his or her own limitations, he or
she agrees to a very limited and limiting version of reality. A version that not only reinforces
the unquestionable struggle that encompasses the human condition, but also, in some cases,
imposes a layer of misery upon one’s life that makes the struggle almost impossible to bear.
Despite my adherence to pragmatism, as one of the main tenets that characterize my worldview,
I couldn’t just charitably accept such a debatable truism.
Over the past five years, I have undergone a transformation with regards to the way
I view and, most importantly, understand the essence and applicability of intelligence.
I achieved that through a process of immersion in skills that require a lot of cognitive effort,
but also by being an astute observer of the underlying narratives within the
social ecosystems that I inhabited. This process allowed me to conduct
careful inquiries into the actual functions of intelligence and, thereby,
engineer an effective way to deal with the conundrums posed by its complicated nature.
This video constitutes an attempt from my side to illustrate my belief that intelligence is a very
malleable concept that, once properly construed, can change one’s life in monumental ways.
In one of my favorite "Making Sense" podcasts, titled "Complexity & Stupidity," Sam Harris invited
biologist David Krakauer to discuss information, complex systems, and the future of humanity.
At one point, Harris asks Krakauer to offer his own definition of intelligence. He does so in a
lengthy way, but I assure you this is one of the most potent definitions you will ever encounter:
If I sat down with an extraordinary mathematician and I said, “I can’t solve that equation,” and he
said, “Well, no, it’s easy. Here, this is what you do,” I’d look at it and I’d say, “Oh, yes,
it is easy. You made that look easy.” That’s what we mean when we say someone is smart. They make
things look easy. If, on the other hand, I sat down with someone who was incapable, and he just
kept dividing by two, for whatever reason, I would say, “What on earth are you doing? What a stupid
thing to do. You’ll never solve the problem that way.”
What a foolish thing to do. What an inefficient thing to do.
So that is what we mean by intelligence.
It’s the thing we do that ensures that the problem is efficiently solved and in a way that makes
it appear effortless. And stupidity is a set of rules that we use to ensure that the problem will
be solved in longer than chance or never and is nevertheless pursued with alacrity and enthusiasm.
In essence, what Krakauer suggests is that intelligence is the ability
of humans to innovate with regards to the way they approach problem solving.
One of the most important cognitive tools humans have come up with in order
to make problem solving more effectual is education and the transference of knowledge.
In a way, our intelligence is predicated upon our capacity to embrace novelty and change.
If you consider that most of the people
society portrays as intelligent, that is, usually, academics, scientists, and entrepreneurs, you will
notice that a certain pattern can be identified. Most of these people are high in traits openness
and conscientiousness, which is roughly translated as a proclivity towards new information and
the methodical adoption of this information. The substrate of our social edifice is formed
in accordance with our capacity to deal with new information and evolve ourselves to the
degree that we are capable of converting information into something valuable.
Evolution itself adheres to this fundamental principle and throughout
our history we have used it as a means to the betterment of our living conditions.
Evidently, intelligence can be summarized as the ability of humans to push the envelope of
conventional wisdom and push back against everything that impedes their progress.
Intelligent people are, in a sense, the pioneers of knowledge creation.
IQ is one of those subjects that can lead to quite heated debates, especially due to the recent
racial issues that emerged in modern America. My view on the topic has always been
open since I have not yet encountered an all-encompassing theory that can offer a
canonical interpretation of how IQ is related to achievement, well-being, and social impact.
Yes, IQ is an important factor when determining the aptitude of an individual
to process information fast and also engage in complex problems. But IQ can by no means
be used as a panacea whenever we try to have a fruitful dialogue about what constitutes
intelligence and intelligent behavior. In that nebulous landscape,
many contemporary thinkers have attempted to offer their own interpretation with regards to
how IQ is molding the fabric of society. Charles Murray for instance, after publishing
the infamous “Bell Curve,” argued that IQ is substantially influenced by both
inherited and environmental factors and that it is a better predictor of many personal dynamics,
including financial income, job performance, birth out of wedlock, and involvement in crime than an
individual’s parental socioeconomic status. This assertion has caused a hyperbolic
backlash from many progressive and liberal groups since it creates an uneven dichotomy
when it comes to evaluating the impact of IQ compared to that of the environment.
Although Murray was speaking in averages and his samples were taken in the 80s (and can’t under any
circumstances be characterized as exhaustive), he raises some interesting points, such as:
IQ is heritable, apparently no less than 40 percent and no more than 80 percent.
IQ scores are stable, although not perfectly so, over much of a person’s life.
There is such a difference as a general factor of cognitive ability on which human beings differ.
If you ever take an IQ test, you will realize that what it attempts to measure is, more or less,
your ability to process information quickly and understand certain patterns within a system.
Some IQ advocates suggest that IQ remains relatively stable over a person’s lifespan
and some others argue that, based on studies, researchers have noticed
major fluctuations in IQ points after tracking people for several years.
My personal experience has shown that, over the years, and after taking many tests,
my average IQ has raised significantly and I can attribute that to many factors ranging from my
ability to focus better to my being able to feel accustomed with the general principles of an IQ
test and also my multidisciplinary approach to knowledge acquisition.
Whatever the case, I can’t say for sure how much of a critical factor IQ can be
in determining the intelligence of an individual. David Krakauer, in his interview with Sam Harris,
asserts that IQ is measuring mainly working memory and that if you subject individuals
to deliberate practice regimes, you can witness them acquiring skills that seem extraordinary.
So, evidence is gravitating towards the side of plasticity and not on that of innate aptitude.
Before I explain the relationship between memory and intelligence, let’s devote a couple of
sentences to explaining how memory actually works. Back in the day people used to think that memory
is like a filing cabinet full of individual memory folders in which information is stored away.
Today, scientific consensus suggests that memory is a far more complicated apparatus in that it is
located not in one particular place in the brain but is instead a brain-wide process.
The following image illustrates which areas in the brain are responsible for
the storage of different memories. As you can see, in order to recall
a specific memory, your brain needs to processes information in a way that different systems will
work synergistically to provide cohesive thought. The closest we have come to connect the terms
memory and intelligence is via the term crystallized intelligence, coined by
psychologist Raymond Bernard Cattell in the 70s. Crystallized intelligence, refers to cognitive
functions associated with previously acquired knowledge in long-term store. That is the
ability to use learned knowledge and experience. Despite the fact that there are inborn variations
in humans, when certain practices get applied, memory can be “hacked.”
Studies have shown that via learning techniques, like mnemonics, people can make use of elaborative
encoding, retrieval cues, and imagery as specific tools to encode any given information in a way
that allows for efficient storage and retrieval. During university, I used to employ a specific
technique I called “the rule of three” to allow me to remember ways to solve different
math problems. I used to write down the solution of a problem, after understanding its mechanics,
on a piece of paper slowly and deliberately. I did that three times in a row. This process,
almost magically, helped me recall the solution effortlessly during an exam.
My main point here is under no circumstances to degrade the notion and importance of memory, but
to question ubiquitous assumptions that memory is one of the holy grails of intelligence.
That is also a critique of the prevailing tactics of the current education system
that focuses mainly on the promotion of rote memorization instead of creative thinking.
If you come to think about it, smart people are perceived as smart because of their
ability to make difficult things look easy. The universe is a very elaborate and complex
system, and it is this complexity that requires us to be smarter. The smarter we become, the better
we will be able to identify and eventually exploit regularities in a random and complex environment.
Our history as species is a prescient story of survival, adversity, and prosperity that
hinges on how persistent we are in reinventing our strategy towards complexity.
Such a perennial struggle might seem intolerable for most of us, but the truth
is that if we don’t embrace it and eventually internalize it, it will persist and intensify.
As I mentioned earlier, the current status quo doesn’t really favor innovative approaches to
our current predicament. The modern education system is operating more like a worker factory
than it is as a knowledge cultivation hub. Contrarian approaches need to be nurtured
both on a personal, but also on a family and, eventually, community level if we ever want
to escape the maladies of modern education. Persistent reliance on erroneous practices
is a recipe for disaster that will only result in further stagnation.
It is imperative to create a pedagogical schema that helps people embrace uncertainty and provoke
conventional thinking. To the best of my knowledge,
such ambitious endeavors can’t be expected to come to fruition overnight.
They require systematic adherence to a certain knowledge framework that is
comprised of the following parameters: Artistic appreciation – That is the
realization that there is truth in art and that the capacity of the individual to explore and
understand the underlying truth in art reinforces their capacity to think in an intelligent way.
Multidisciplinary thinking – That is the immersion in various disciplines
in an attempt to formulate a more holistic interpretation of the world around us.
Innovative technologies – That is the ability to keep up with new trends in technology,
the rejection of technology as a tool for solely entertainment purposes and
the realization that technology will enact monumental changes in monolithic structures
within society that previously seemed impossible. Philosophical and psychological awareness – That
is the comprehension and eventual internalization of major philosophical and psychological concepts
that can aid the rise of self-awareness. Mind and body connection – That is the
realization that mind and body are interconnected systems that need to
operate synergistically and that the negligence of the one will impede the growth of the other.
Proper understanding of history and national identity – That is the adoption of the belief
that history is a place where multifarious lessons can be extracted and that these
lessons can offer important guidance to the way the individual understands his or her roots.
In closing, I am going to engage in a controversial comment:
Whenever you notice people exhibiting non-intelligent behavior, although IQ, memory,
and upbringing may play their role, I strongly believe that the non-intelligent behavior is,
primarily, a byproduct of the mental and physical space they decided to inhabit.
The disposition of humans to blend in in order to avoid ostracism can generate a contradiction
between what they actually believe and how they manifest what they believe into words and deeds,
leading to what we perceive as non-intelligent behavior.
Such a space generates parochial attitudes antithetical to the mere nature of intelligence,
thus recycling behaviors and mindsets
toxic for the flourishing of an individual. What keeps feeding my optimism, though, is that
the Internet has helped voices that were afraid to express contrarian viewpoints in the past,
to do so nowadays without fear, even if some of them are anonymous.
For me, this is the only cure for non-intelligent behavior; to empower the individual to such
a degree that they can understand that their intelligence can only flourish when they embrace
personal responsibility, pursue freedom and are contrarian whenever the situation demands it.
History is the greatest school and history has shown that only contrarians can turn the tide.