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[SP] SPs and Intelligence

Elfboy

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it seems to me that SPs tend to either be extremely stupid, or brilliantly intelligent but that few fall in the middle. would you (especially SPs) agree that this is the general trend, or does it just appear this way?
 

/DG/

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I don't think intelligence and personality are related at all.

If SP's tend to be seen as generally less intelligent, it may be due to the nature of Se. Se is impulsive, indulgent, and wants to live in the moment... which means SP's are less likely to pursue things like school as much as other types.
 

Elfboy

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I don't think intelligence and personality are related at all.

If SP's tend to be seen as generally less intelligent, it may be due to the nature of Se. Se is impulsive, indulgent, and wants to live in the moment... which means SP's are less likely to pursue things like school as much as other types.

interesting. I do believet there is a correlation between type and intelligence, but I can't say for certain what it is (MBTI does deal with the prominence of various cognitive functions and preferences. it seems to me that that would be hard to seperate from intelligence)
PS: thankyou for not turning this into a "oh! you hate SPs!" thread.
 

Rail Tracer

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Think of it this way.
People see intelligence in different ways.
There are multiple intelligences.
While a person may not be particularly intelligent to you in one way, that person could very well be smarter than you in another.

Take the role of the construction engineer, the technicians, and the laymen (aka builders of every form whether it be carpentry, brick, etc) as an example. You may very well think the engineer is smarter, but when it comes to the use of the tools to get the job done, the technicians and laymen would very well have more experience in handling the tools than the engineers do. Wouldn't it be fun to see the engineer do the work of a technician or the laymen for a change?

Or an even greater example. Compare a doctor/medical specialist of any kind and compare that person to a mechanic of any kind. It would be hard to compare their intelligences when their field is different.

Either way you see it, there is bound to be someone smarter than you in a different area.
 

Orangey

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I don't think intelligence and personality are related at all.

Agreed.

If SP's tend to be seen as generally less intelligent

I think that's only true on these personality forums (meaning it's as a result of most people here being generally less intelligent.)

it may be due to the nature of Se. Se is impulsive, indulgent, and wants to live in the moment... which means SP's are less likely to pursue things like school as much as other types.

Or perhaps pursue multiple unrelated degrees when the urge takes them? I mean, wouldn't an SP be an SP in any domain? It's not the domains that are different for types; types just behave differently in domains.

(MBTI does deal with the prominence of various cognitive functions and preferences. it seems to me that that would be hard to seperate from intelligence)

Um, why?
 

King sns

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Based on whatever definition of intelligence you've made up, you are probably right. SP's probably are really brilliant or really stupid within that definition.
 

chickpea

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intellectual =/= intelligent
 

King sns

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Think of it this way.
People see intelligence in different ways.
There are multiple intelligences.
While a person may not be particularly intelligent to you in one way, that person could very well be smarter than you in another.

Take the role of the construction engineer, the technicians, and the laymen (aka builders of every form whether it be carpentry, brick, etc) as an example. You may very well think the engineer is smarter, but when it comes to the use of the tools to get the job done, the technicians and laymen would very well have more experience in handling the tools than the engineers do. Wouldn't it be fun to see the engineer do the work of a technician or the laymen for a change?

Or an even greater example. Compare a doctor/medical specialist of any kind and compare that person to a mechanic of any kind. It would be hard to compare their intelligences when their field is different.

Either way you see it, there is bound to be someone smarter than you in a different area.

Yea, so true. I once was talking to a couple of friends about this. I asked why we all got along so well and were able to relate on so many levels, when on the surface, we are all so different. We were all in different fields, (actually fields representative of our respective MBTI types), and one mentioned that people of similar intelligence along together, and we all thought that we probably had similar intelligence. (Our definition seeming to run along the lines of IQ/ reasoning/ problems solving/ learning ability.) We figured that though we all have knowledge and more smarts in our given trades, our conversations all stayed similar in topic and interest.

(Sorry for the off topic!)
 

miss fortune

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there's a lot of dumbasses and geniuses of every type out there... AND people who fall inbetween. It's not type related in the least :yes:

one of the smartest people I know is an SP as is one of the dumbest... and quite a few of the people who fall inbetween as well...
 

King sns

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there's a lot of dumbasses and geniuses of every type out there... AND people who fall inbetween. It's not type related in the least :yes:

one of the smartest people I know is an SP as is one of the dumbest... and quite a few of the people who fall inbetween as well...

:yes:

I have people of all varying types in my list of smartest/ most respected for intelligence people that I know, as well. (Not that my experience and definition is gospel), but in the same breath, no one else's is, either.

For another off topic. I probably would find more fascination with smart non-SP's however, because their thought processes are so different. My best friend is an ESFP, we are both about the same when it comes to intelligence (in my mind.) I don't get that much from her though, It's like we're in the same head.
 

ChocolateMoose123

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it seems to me that SPs tend to either be extremely stupid, or brilliantly intelligent but that few fall in the middle. would you (especially SPs) agree that this is the general trend, or does it just appear this way?

SP's generally don't feel the need to prove their intellect to others. We don't often engage in debates or other areas that push intellectualism into public view. Their intelligence isn't always easy to see because SP's generally don't talk about what they know. Believe me, you say something incorrect in front of any SP I know, you'll get a correction but you're not going to get a lot of back-story explanations. So you won't see their thought process.
 

wolfy

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SP's generally don't feel the need to prove their intellect to others. We don't often engage in debates or other areas that push intellectualism into public view. Their intelligence isn't always easy to see because SP's generally don't talk about what they know. Believe me, you say something incorrect in front of any SP I know, you'll get a correction but you're not going to get a lot of back-story explanations. So you won't see their thought process.

Yeah.

SP thought system is to go with what works. That's a different thought system than soaking in the stagnant waters of intellectualism.
 

Randomnity

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it seems to me that SPs tend to either be extremely stupid, or brilliantly intelligent but that few fall in the middle. would you (especially SPs) agree that this is the general trend, or does it just appear this way?

So what does it say about you, that you make this conclusion from your available data? Go ahead, practice that dominant Ne of yours.
 

King sns

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Yeah.

SP thought system is to go with what works. That's a different thought system than soaking in the stagnant waters of intellectualism.

Well I think if we used the word "intellectual" instead than the OP may be correct, which is why defining intelligence is the most important thing when starting these threads. In my mind, being intellectual is fun and interesting at best, but also completely useless in many areas. (Unless you are a professor or something...)
 

wolfy

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Well I think if we used the word "intellectual" instead than the OP may be correct, which is why defining intelligence is the most important thing when starting these threads. In my mind, being intellectual is fun and interesting at best, but also completely useless in many areas. (Unless you are a professor or something...)

That tends to be the case with these threads. People looking for signs of pedantic intellectualism rather than capacities of the mind. * Capacities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving.

* I ripped the last part from wikipidea.
 

King sns

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That tends to be the case with these threads. People looking for signs of pedantic intellectualism rather than capacities of the mind. * Capacities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving.

* I ripped the last part from wikipidea.

it seems to me that SPs tend to either be extremely stupid, or brilliantly intelligent but that few fall in the middle. would you (especially SPs) agree that this is the general trend, or does it just appear this way?

Well, they look for something. In this case for a bunch of SP's to agree or disagree that all SP's are either brilliant or idiots with only a few in between. This is quite an interesting basis for a discussion in learning more about SP's and how they think.
 

wolfy

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Well, they look for something. In this case for a bunch of SP's to agree or disagree that all SP's are either brilliant or idiots with only a few in between. This is quite an interesting basis for a discussion in learning more about SP's and how they think.

Well... at least I am brilliant. Not like you other dummies! ... You're right though, not a very intelligent angle.
 

King sns

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Well... at least I am brilliant. Not like you other dummies!


:D... hahahaha. Okay, Wolfy. If I had to give one of the prized "brilliant" spots away to anyone but myself, it would be you. I will be one of the idiots.

Well now what's supposed to happen? A bunch of SP's actually answering the question? "Ah, yes. We are either brilliant or idiots. Fantastic observation. You really understand us on a deeper level. Let's discuss."
 

King sns

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Where is Jeffster when we need him? I miss him.
 
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