Tribute to a special alien intelligence right here on Earth

[TPoptarts]

a. Secret information, especially about an actual or potential enemy.
b. An agency, staff, or office employed in gathering such information.
c. Espionage agents, organizations, and activities considered as a group

[evcake]

a. The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.
b. The faculty of thought and reason.

[CX]

In animals they like to use the mirror test, which basically consists of sticking a mirror in front of one and seeing how they react - do they recognize what they see as their own reflection, or do they only see it as another animal?

[blacknblue]

a. The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.
b. The faculty of thought and reason.

But that is a circular definition. Thought and reason are almost, not quite maybe but almost, synonymous with intelligence. It is like saying "I run fast because I am quick".

[evcake]

online dictionary.

[Bether6074]

Define intelligence, huh? I suppose that would depend on how you look at things. There are many ways to be intelligent. There would be the booksmart intelligence, where one has a vast and specific knowledge of a great many topics. Also, one would have the ability to understand and retain any new information that might be presented. One would be able to look deeper into this information and gain insight from one's own mind to expand on what they have been taught.

Then there might be what I'd call peoplesmart. This would be an ability to keep things running smoothly, an ability to work effectively with others, an ability to get the most out of yourself. It would be about squeezing every last drop of all that is positive from yourself and applying it to life and those around you.

And then there might be animalsmart. That would be the ability to be completely nonjudgmental with those around you. It would be the ability to understand when your owner needs a warm furry ball to cuddle up with or a soft rub against the hand. It would be about somehow finding the capacity to purr through life even when someone's putting a needle in you to end it. That's what my kitty did. He was a smart little guy.

[blacknblue]

Reason I ask, i keep finding myself in occasional debates about IQ testing. I maintain that it is inherently impossible to "test" intelligence until and unless we have a sceintifically definable and verifiable definaition of what intelligence IS.

And we don't. What an IQ test does it test one's ability to access memory and regurgitate data on command. It also tests one's ability to recall rote memorized formula and follow memorized instructions on how to apply those formula in specifically standardized circumstances.

A true intelligence test would have to involved randomized problem solving, with no two tests alike, and it would have to involve real world situations. and even then, we wouldn't really know what we were testing until and unless we can DEFINE it.

[Bether6074]

I'm not sure how you could accurately define a person's "intelligence" by a simple test score. It's difficult to concretely define anything intangible. That's why I took that question and ran with it. Don't mind me. Just being myself. That's like beauty, though. What defines beauty? Everyone has their own personal view on what that is. It's all in how you look at things, what you're willing to see and how you interpret it.

[TPoptarts]

As someone who's taken like plenty IQ tests I think IQ tests don't really measure intelligence they measure like the person's ability to adapt to other people's thought patterns (namely the test writers)

[Linda]

Well, intelligence USED to be defined as creatures who make tools (Humans of course). Then we found out that chimps make tools (adapt sticks to collect insects in holes), birds make tools (use sticks to collect insects in holes and they also fish with bait). Lets see, then we said intelligence is defined as creatures who use language. Of course now we have chimps and gorillas using sign language (learning OUR languages for crying out loud!), dolphins, perhaps whales, and there are parrots whose accent varies according to location in the rainforest...they have dialects!

I am not sure what the latest definition of intelligence is that Humans have come up with to try to isolate themselves from the 'lower animals'. But I am sure it will also be breached.

[Linda]

As long as photobucket is cooperating, I thought I would post a photo of another smart bird. At least I think he is, even though he doesn't talk like Alex. This is Hercule Parrot and he has been living with me for 20 years.