by Karen Lonsdale

Created on: January 11, 2009

Intelligence Verses Intuition.

Nature, Nurture What is it?

I feel it pertinent to start my discussion with a theory I have had since as far back as I can remember. How many times was it instilled in you that power is knowledge? How many times did your parents mention the importance of education ?

I wasn't born into a wealthy family with all the privileges that it brings to ones life and education. I had to watch and learn, I had to make my own decisions at a very early age. My education was hit and miss, with a combination of poor attendance and scant attention. It was simply a case of having different priorities at that time. Any way here is my own theory regarding Intelligence, I believe that the values and culture you are brought up with create an astounding impression on your view of the world, on your expectations and where you want to be as an adult. There are many adults who do not have ambitions because they are happy with their life.

How can we measure intelligence? I feel that all the intelligence tests in the world cannot establish the intellect of an individual, because we all have specific gifts and humans are too complex, the intelligent part is to work out how to use your gift to your advantage, and this may or may not happen during your life time. You can be the most educated person in the world, but that doesn't mean that you have common sense, or that you have a clear understanding of subjects unfamiliar to you. We have to be driven by motivation and goals to enable us to achieve. I have worked with young people who have been labelled with a low intellect or who have learning disabilities for many years, and have found that they all have some special gift, despite their disability.

If our survival is dictated by intuition then why can that not be considered a sign of intelligence, isn't flexibility, adaptation and leaning by our mistakes a sign of intelligence! Not going down the same path, taking another direction to get what we need is surely a form of intelligent thinking. Does a certificate of education make you better than someone who hasn't studied, it only proves that you had a goal and achieved it. Many wealthy people in this world are illiterate or uneducated. Surely they can be described as intelligent as they have achieved their goals.

I depict intelligence as continuing learning, continuing adapting to given situations, having a thirst for knowledge to improve ones status, having an understanding and compassion for humanity and caring about others in such a way that you can give them the benefit of your skills and they can do likewise.

So to summarise my thoughts, I feel that intelligence is too complex in nature to measure, as we are as humans, we need to give and take in equal amounts to keep an equilibrium, to develop, to contribute. Intuition is a human gift and very vital to intelligent thinking.

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