What is Intelligence: Definition and 202 Discussions

Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can be described as the ability to perceive or infer information, and to retain it as knowledge to be applied towards adaptive behaviors within an environment or context.
Intelligence is most often studied in humans but has also been observed in both non-human animals and in plants despite controversy as to whether some of these forms of life exhibit intelligence. Intelligence in computers or other machines is called artificial intelligence.

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  1. K

    Artificial intelligence : where to begin

    Hi I am completely new to the area of AI. Can someone direct me where to begin on the subject? Artificial Neural Networks also come under AI? What if I start with that? Can someone suggest some project that I can pursue in ANN, as a beginner...?
  2. P

    Why did James Watson make controversial remarks about race and intelligence?

    I've always wondered why James Watson said what he did a while back in the article below: I even went out to find some information on intelligence and race, reread my biology notes, and I've found nothing correlating the different races with a set-average intelligence meter. Why would an...
  3. F

    What is Intelligence? - 2 Points Explored

    I have two points I'm thinking about here... 1. What is intelligence? .. If a person is said to be more intelligent than another, does he have more gray matter? Are neurons organized in a different arrangement allowing for more efficient thinking; a more efficient pattern of application of...
  4. A

    Exploring Practical Areas of Artificial Intelligence

    Hi, I'm Ben. I was wondering if there are any practical, profitable areas where studying Artificial Intelligence would be appropriate. From what I've heard, AI is mainly grounded in theoretical computer science, which is the most interesting aspect of it. But in regards to what is in demand...
  5. B

    Artificial intelligence - the rise of machines

    Hi all, :smile: Technology has advanced phenomenally in the past few decades or so. A particular point of concern…….yeah that’s right!, ‘concern’ is the massive advent in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. Softwares so powerful that it will decide the fate of mankind! Maybe, the...
  6. L

    Is There a Correlation Between Ethnicity and Intelligence?

    I want to state first I think I am a complete Tabula Rasa on this matter, with no bias. This topic seems inevitably to be controversial but I am not looking to come at this from anything besides a scientific viewpoint. How is ethnicity correlate with intelligence and do those correlate have...
  7. M

    A question regarding a computers intelligence

    A question regarding a computers "intelligence" So I've been reading on Boolean logic and understand to a basic degree as to how the computer calculates it's binary but I would like to know how a computer knows where your icons are on a desktop.How does it know that when you click on save the...
  8. D

    Genetic Engineering Intelligence

    I came across this article a while ago http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/435816.stm which essentially says that a decade ago researchers in Princeton genetically engineered mice to be smarter (demonstrated by their ability to solve mazes faster and remember objects better)...
  9. G

    Can Intelligence Defy Entropy in a Closed System?

    I was sort of thinking of how intelligence fits in with entropy. I didn't fully read how the issue of Maxwell's Demon was resolved, so I'm not really sure of the whole picture. Also, I am not denying the second law of thermodynamics (just in case this assumption appears somewhere in the middle...
  10. G

    Leaning towards artificial intelligence?

    Lets say that a large number of computers, such as 100000000, were networked with as few barriers as possible. Will this system show signs leaning towards artificial intelligence?
  11. G

    Medical Relation between intelligence and sleep, immune system or inheritance?

    Does anyone know studies which link intelligence to a) sleep (duration) b) immune system (weak/strong) c) inheritance (how much inherited, from father/mother?) I vaguely remember hearing some results to each of these topics.
  12. A

    Schools Finding the Right College for MIS and Artificial Intelligence Degrees

    Hi, are there any colleges that offer rigorous programs for both MIS and Artificial Intelligence degrees? Also, will MIS/Computational Neuroscience/AI require similar core courses to take? Thanks.
  13. W

    Road to Robotics (Artificial Intelligence)

    Hello ppl, my name is Werner and I am new to the forums. Well, i am currently a freshman at Cal Poly Pomona and undecided on what degree to take. My main objective is to work on Robotics/Mechatronics fields, concentrating mainly on artificial intelligence. By AI, i mean developing the "mind" of...
  14. P

    News Palin pick an insult to our intelligence

    Unfortunately it seems to me that as much as the McCain campaign's VP pick was obviously aimed at attracting women, it has worked so far. It all started out the morning after Obama's acceptance speech, which most people found moving. McCain pronounced that his running mate would be Sarah...
  15. P

    Is hard work or natural intelligence more important for success in physics?

    ok so here is the deal I am taking my first physics class but I have noticed that I really like it. I am not very good at it so I have to study a lot but it does not bother me. I really enjoy it which is weird because I am a microbiology major and most people in my major hate it. Now I know that...
  16. A

    Intelligence Amplification and Society

    What will happen to society when those who have the capital are allowed to "amplify" their own intelligence? First of all, if anyone denies that this will happen within 50 years, please feel free to state a reason. But what will happen to people like the members of physicsforum.com, who are...
  17. F

    Debate: Can AI Intelligence be Measured?

    In one of our laboratory's coffee breaks, a debate arose but no one was able to give concrete answers. One of the questions was the following: What defines a better and a worse AI? Is it simply the speed in which the problems are solved? Or is there a maximum intelligence unrelated to speed...
  18. F

    Exploring Artificial Intelligence: Team-Up To Create the Next Step

    In terms of Computers and Technology, Artificial Intelligence is the next step. Now A friend of mine and I are forming a team, to say the least, to create an AI that will perform the functions and tasks requested of it. For specifics or if you are interested Private Message me. I am also...
  19. A

    Has anyone rebutted E. Lester Smith's Intelligence Came First theory?

    Hey guys .. I would like to know if anyone has gone through, "Intelligence Came First" by E. Lester Smith. He make some nice points. Have their been any rebuttals to His conclusions ? `a
  20. D

    Where do you stand on intelligence enhancing drugs?

    First of all, I know the rules about discussions of drugs, but I am not talking about illegal drugs here. I've read some articles about intelligence enhancing drugs, and it got me thinking. I had very strong opinions on either side of this case, and that surprised me. Let's say that the...
  21. L

    Debunking the Myth of True Artificial Intelligence: A Logical Analysis

    I would like someone to tell me if the logic behind my theory is valid or if it isn't. My theory is this: True Artifical Intelligence is impossible. Because: Ok let's talk about programming at the most basic level. Let's use java. If i want to create a being from programming that...
  22. C

    Computer Intelligence and Processing

    I know this may seem like a simple question to some of you experts out there, but I was thinking today about how much computers have advanced and how they allow us to make substantial progress in design and simulations and stuff. Actually, what got me thinking about it was in my propulsion book...
  23. H

    Can an advanced civilization overcome the limitations of cosmology?

    Is it possible that a sufficiently intelligent and technologically advanced civilization, at some point in the future, could colonize the entire universe and control it? I mean, could it stop the accelerating expansion of the universe, entropy, proton decay, black holes, etc? Could it create...
  24. H

    Hostile Artificial Intelligence

    When (if at all) artificial intelligence reaches and surpasses human intelligence, how likely is it that they will be hostile to humans, or possibly enslave them? I mean, what need would they have for us obsolete bags of salty water? Do you think there would be any way for us to control them?
  25. larkspur

    Intelligence Test - Quick & Easy - See if You Missed One

    Check it out. It is a quick and easy one. I missed one... http://www.mikescomputerinfo.com/inteltest.htm"
  26. E

    Medical Help with info on Brain function vs intelligence

    I am working on a paper about dyslexia. It is interesting to me that, on the one hand, dyslexia is labeled as a disability or deficit, or a glitch in the brain. But on the other hand, data shows that these same kids have above average IQ. How can the brain be both - disabled and above...
  27. C

    How Can I Improve My Intelligence and Speed of Thought?

    Hi I am a in bit of a trouble. I do not know how serious it is yet but it feels like it could be of tremendous signifiance. I graduated recently from a degree in elec eng and CS from Aus. In my first job with research organsation, I have come to a startling realisation that most people...
  28. T

    Does intelligence have a point of diminishing returns in evolution?

    Are intelligent people really happier than less intelligent people? Some people are less aware and more oblivious to what goes on around them and seem quite content with it and living happy lives even though they don't seem to realize or care who or what they perhaps unintentionally hurt. Would...
  29. D

    News The morality of gathering intelligence

    iv been reading this book called Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying by the former chief of CIA counterintelligence. in this book the author says the CIA (or any foreign intelligence agency in a free democracy) needs to adopt a firm set of moral guidelines for its conduct because quite often...
  30. C

    The best intelligence agency in the world?

    the best intelligence agency in the world?? WHich intelligence agency do you think is the best in the world? And why? Mossad ( Israel ) CIA ( U.S ) MI6 ( British ) KGB KSB ( Russia )
  31. Loren Booda

    Commonalities of intelligence in the cosmos

    What do you believe to be the most shared philosophy of intelligent civilizations throughout the universe?
  32. K

    Intelligence, creativity and race

    Do you think that intelligence and creativity are based on race? If so, why? If not, why not?
  33. R

    Very rough test of intelligence

    Is your brain big and brilliant, and full of mature, sophisticated thoughts? Would you like to take a short online quiz to find out? Highlight the text below to take yet another short IQ test. Brag about the results to your friends! Go ahead, highlight here: If you are not reading this...
  34. G

    Could Dinosaurs Have Evolved Higher Intelligence If They Survived Extinction?

    Do you think that if they weren't killed off and survived the extinction events, some of the dino's would have gotten more intelligent to the point where its just an intelligence arms race? I guess the main word here is potential, did they have the potential to do it?Is it true before they died...
  35. N

    A way to increase intelligence?

    Well the author claims you can vastly increase your intelligence by simply swimming underwater for a couple of weeks. I want to know what you guys think, and if it would even be safe to try: http://www.geniusbydesign.com/other/windocs/guarante/guaran3.shtml My own opinion right now is a...
  36. O

    How can I accurately measure my own intelligence?

    So, I've done extensive IQ tests and other tests regarding logical and spatial puzzles, picture puzzles, language tests, and other tests I can't remember. It was done some months ago by a psychologist, took about 7 hours to do, but I'm not really happy with the result. While the results...
  37. R

    Medical Jeff Hawkins' "On Intelligence": A Fascinating Read

    Has anybody read Jeff Hawkins „On intelligence“? I found it a fascinating read and his proposed ideas very plausible. Unfortunately there is not much more further reading since literature and research in artificial intelligence is mostly crap (since it is not or no more aiming at...
  38. Astronuc

    Medical What is Appreciative Intelligence and how does it lead to success?

    Along the lines of multidimensional thinking. Perhaps the keys are analytical skills and memory (know-how and knowledge), which involves information processing. http://www.odemagazine.com/article.php?aID=4313 Tojo Thatchenkery en Carol Metzker This article appeared in Ode issue: 34
  39. O

    Medical Is intelligence equal to knowledge?

    Intelligence is the mental capacity to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn. I had a little thought experiment the other day, and I thought I'd share it here. If we define knowledge as knowing something, as in, a piece of information, no...
  40. P

    What is the simplest form of intelligence and when does it become unintelligent?

    I know its tricky to define intelligence, but the issue* came up in another topic and i want to know what intelligence is in its most simple and abstract form. At what point does something intelligent become unintelligent, or vice versa. *the issue in the other topic was about whether...
  41. P

    Is natural selection driven by intelligence?

    First of all I want to make clear that this topic isn't about ID. On wikipedia I read this definition of NS: Not too long ago I saw this story about intelligent bacteria: Further down the article u can read how bacteria behave and 'help' each other out in different situations, some...
  42. K

    My attempt at making a Artificial Intelligence Program

    My attempt at making an Artificial Intelligence Program Hi. I would like some comments on my artificial "logician". So far it is limited to syllogisms, where you type in a phrases such as "No dogs are cats" and "All cats are animals" and then the program prints out phrases such as "Some...
  43. cronxeh

    News Dangers of consolidating intelligence

    Before 9/11 we've had CIA, FBI, NSA, DIA, etc; but now they've been consolidated into DHS under premise that it would be easier/better/more efficient to collect and share information, even though it was efficient enough to warn the right people before...
  44. P

    Medical Uncovering the Physiology of Intelligence: Exploring IQ's Molecular Correlates

    I realize that IQ has been discussed on this forum to the nth but I also noticed that most everyone in those threads simply dismissed IQ as some triviality. But neuroscience (Not to be confused with Cognitive science, which is Behavioural Psychology of the mind) and other fields for that matter...
  45. L

    Medical Underestimation of animal intelligence?

    I'm not really sure that this fits under Biology, but oh well... I was wondering how animals, such as dogs, learn to speak their own language. One would think there would be two possible explanations of how they do this: one being that they are born with an innate understanding of the...
  46. B

    DNA Screening: Personality & Intelligence Impact

    How much would a DNA screen reveal about someone's personality and intelligence? :confused:
  47. N

    What is the Concept of Swarm Intelligence?

    ddidn't know if thsi topic should be under software or mind/brain sciences. Its about ALife. Was wondering if anyone knew the definition of this topic? I was reading a profs website and one of their interest was swarm intelligence. Not really sure what it entails and if anyone could help...
  48. Iacchus32

    Is Intelligence Merely a Complex Form of Universal Structure?

    What is the difference between intelligence and structure? Obviously you can't have intelligence without structure can you? In fact that's all intelligence is -- or, let's say derived from -- a highly advanced form of structure. Indeed, without the stucture of the human brain, the most advanced...
  49. S

    Can Artificial Intelligence ever reach Human Intelligence?

    1st time post here... thought i'd post up something that causes much debate over... but a good topic. ;-) (please keep it level-minded and not a heated argument) Question: Can Artificial Intelligence ever reach Human Intelligence? please give your thoughts... i vote no.
  50. wolram

    The Intelligence of a Spacetime Mind: A Reflection

    What is your iq, 120, 130, 140, huh ,well that's nothing, i am so intelligent my mind fills all of spacetime, is it any wonder then that i seem a little dim locally with a mind spread so thin.
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