[INTP] What is the purpose of INTP's?

[great_bay]

What is the purpose of INTP as a type? What were they made for? It's quiet clear that some types like ESTJ's are made for mangers. However, I'm perplexed by INTP's and their purpose. I some people would say their purpose would to be smart. However, smart is a word that can't be quantified.

 

[Cygnus]

Seeing the potentiality within external objects (Ne), and manipulating it to serve the all-uniting inner agenda of logic and order (Ti).

 

[great_bay]

Seeing the potentiality within external objects (Ne), and manipulating it to serve the all-uniting inner agenda of logic and order (Ti).

Okay, how would that be useful in if I were in Paleolithic era?

 

[BadOctopus]

To be the objective voice of reason.

Unless they only recognize their own personal version of logic. Then they can be kind of annoying.

 

[violet_crown]

INTPs are actually pretty legit. They keep you honest when they can get out their own way. It's the ENTPs that are the ankle bitting, lap dogs of the typology world.

 

[Totenkindly]

What is the purpose of INTP as a type? What were they made for? It's quiet clear that some types like ESTJ's are made for mangers.

If ESTJs are mangers, INTPs are the ones who make oddly amusing jokes about the hay.

 

[spirilis]

The ones who likely invented new quirky ways of doing things that just happened to rock something awesome. Usually an ExTJ who spots what they're doing and says "OH yeah that's an awesome idea!!" and everyone follows suit.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

If ESTJs are mangers, INTPs are the ones who make oddly amusing jokes about the hay.

That's the last straw....I'll have to bale on this thread.

 

[Frosty]

The purpose of any individual is for them to use whatever personal strengths that they have to the best of their ability. For INTPs that means using their analytical Ti to dissect and attemp to understand ideas generated by their Ne.

I would assume that back in prehistoric times INTPs were even less common than they are today as their function order would be less likely to be suitable to the physical and practical lifestyle that the period demanded. Over time, as survival became less of a constant struggle, the INTPs were more likely to be able to adapt more solidly to the world and world of ideas around them, and were more likely to live long enough to reproduce.

I have no idea if any of this is is close to true.

 

[laurapants08]

To be the objective voice of reason.

Unless they only recognize their own personal version of logic. Then they can be kind of annoying.

We can even annoy ourselves with the personal version of logical which is logical all on its own. I may have just annoyed you

The purpose of any individual is for them to use whatever personal strengths that they have to the best of their ability. For INTPs that means using their analytical Ti to dissect and attemp to understand ideas generated by their Ne.

I would assume that back in prehistoric times INTPs were even less common than they are today as their function order would be less likely to be suitable to the physical and practical lifestyle that the period demanded. Over time, as survival became less of a constant struggle, the INTPs were more likely to be able to adapt more solidly to the world and world of ideas around them, and were more likely to live long enough to reproduce.

I have no idea if any of this is is close to true.

This post made me think a bit. On a time line what would the first type be. Was the first caveman to grunt the first extrovert, the after he stumped his toe did he sense pain and learn to feel. After the incident did he judge the scenario or perceive the turn of events in order to prevent it from happening again???

 

[Obsidius]

To be the objective voice of reason.

Unless they only recognize their own personal version of logic. Then they can be kind of annoying.

Seeing as it is "Ti", wouldn't it be a very subjective form of reasoning? I think Te is more "objective" (despite none of this actually being objective), "Ti" (I think) refers to a very person form of rationality, at least that's the way I see it.

 

[Frosty]

We can even annoy ourselves with the personal version of logical which is logical all on its own. I may have just annoyed you

This post made me think a bit. On a time line what would the first type be. Was the first caveman to grunt the first extrovert, the after he stumped his toe did he sense pain and learn to feel. After the incident did he judge the scenario or perceive the turn of events in order to prevent it from happening again???

Well, I suppose that it would be hard to say at which point in time people were able to differentiate themselves enough from each other to form what we would consider the distinct MBTI types today. I would guess that it would depend on human capability.

When a person is first able to conciously percieve themself as a entity seporate from the rest of the world, I would believe that this is were preferences would begin to start distinguishing themselves. I also suppose it would really depend on whether preferences are innate, or if they are in any way determined by our environment.

At the end of the day though I suppose the outcome would be similar, those who were best able to adapt to the expectations of their environment were more likely to survive and produce offspring more similar to themselves.

 

[Obsidius]

I think the INTP's mind is best suited to the scientist/philosopher, or even programmer, which kind of just sums up there purpose nicely, they do mentally laborious work that most people either find no interest in whatsoever, and see things in ways that very few people see them. In fact, as an INTP, I feel almost disabled in some modes of thinking, but strangely talented in others, which is probably something anyone can relate to, just so happens to be that the way INTPs are talented in is stark rationale and reasoning.

 

[Frosty]

That isn't to say though that INTPs are some sort of superiorly evolved form of human, just that as life became less and less about the tangible and absolute aspects needed to survive, INTPs were more able to evolve divergently from other types as much as the circumstances around them allowed.

 

[Luke O]

For all you know, in ages past, the INTP could have been looking on at an ESTJ ordering his men to move a lump of stone over ground (slowly), and thought "What if we put cut-up tree trunks underneath the stone to help it move faster?"

 

[Frosty]

For all you know, in ages past, the INTP could have been looking on at an ESTJ ordering his men to move a lump of stone over ground (slowly), and thought "What if we put cut-up tree trunks underneath the stone to help it move faster?"

INTPs definately trickled in to being throughout history. It would be quite odd to me if they were not represented at all in any point in time. But I would think that by in large the further you go back in time, the more homogeneous the population would be. As the years grew larger and the world got bigger different mental subsets of the populations began to be more able to embrace their differences and utilize them more efficiently. The world became less of a one size fits all sort of deal, so more and more tolerance was given to those being of a different mindset. People began to specialize more and more, borrow methods from others. I would just say that while there have always been INTPs, their proportions have grown exponentially and will continue to do so as long as the changes of future events allow. It may very well be the INTP who would see new possible ways of doing things, ways to theoretically improve things, but ingenuity does not always equate to sometimes unfortunately needed here and now practicality. I could see the lifestyle of the INTP being carried (not that they theoretically could not hold their own) by sensors until determined that his ideas were not worth burden that they had to constantly deal with. Only the strongest survive, and way way back in time this most likely meant the most physically present.

 

[Jet Stream]

Being ridicule fodder for sensing types

 

[indra]

That isn't to say though that INTPs are some sort of superiorly evolved form of human, just that as life became less and less about the tangible and absolute aspects needed to survive, INTPs were more able to evolve divergently from other types as much as the circumstances around them allowed.

Jung thought intuitive types were impulsively heedless.

Like an animal.

Get it? Intuitive - without thought.

 

[ObnoXious]

INTP is a very important type to exist in our current civilization, more so than in the past. The further we advanced in our knowledge and technology, the more we need NT types in general. Of them, INTP stands out the most for its many talents. INTPs are superior thinkers who can get very philosophical in the technical area of study and very technical in the philosophical area of study. They are independent thinkers and supreme problem solvers. Where information and knowledge are top priorities, INTPs will be racing at the front of others, competing mostly with their NT counterparts. INTPs can be found in all sorts of professional pursuits, but wherever they end up they will stand out as the more logician or architect in their area. Their prominence began with philosophy and is now mainly seen in the digital world which progressively dominates the real world. They have come the long but well-deserved way to be at the front of our evolution. So, even though there will be less examples of INTPs in the previous times, it is becoming harder to ignore their prominence and presence in nowadays.

 

[Frosty]

Oh no INTPs are definately important, it is just that likely they were not always the best suited to their environment. Its like putting a freshwater fish in a saltwater tank, some might be able to hold on but they would not be as able to thrive as those born with the tendency to tolerate that salinity, and most would not make it. As intuitive types place more emphasis on their thoughts and ideas, they might very well appear heedless externally to others. But since they are less comfortable with leaving the confines of their minds, it is an unintentional impulsivity, and as such is less likely to reflect the actuality of what is needed for a certain situation. Anyways, now a days INTPs are able to achieve and create and discover many great things, that almost goes without saying. Some of the worlds greatest minds are of those wired in the INTP way.