Coming in late to the thread.
I'd be more interested in nailing down both the 5w4 vs 5w6 wing stuff, as I long thought I had both (with 5w4 dominant); but I always associated the 4 wing with a private habituation to melancholy than just "knowledge for knowledge's sake". Another way to pin down the "knowledge for knowledge's sake" is whether the OP has a mind like a sponge, with lots of information ferreted away in various corners that they don't remember learning, but they can recall at a moment's notice if it is relevant to the conversation.
I also haven't seen any discussion of the OPs instinctual variant: if they are sx/sp I'd expect them to be mainly aloof, but when finding compatibility with a friend or romantic interest, to zoom in for the kill like a supersonic vulture (bad analogy, I know, as vultures eat dead flesh...but I haven't had enough coffee this morning.)
Oh, and the sx-dom will tend to go a bit overboard at first on new interests or hobbies, once they are excited enough to pursue them.
Comments, spinoffs, welcome.
I'll probably ignore argumentation for its own sake, though, as I am seeking more information, or trying to spur the sharing of that information, rather than pronounce a considered opinion...
Ok, so let's back up a minute. The core difference between 5w4 and 5w6 is not "knowledge for its own sake" as all 5s are knowledge seeking. Theoretically, a core 5 seeks knowledge as a means to control their world. The more information they acquire and the better mastery they have over that information, the more secure they feel and the less they feel dependent on external resources. The wing will both a) add some additional shade and nuance to their motivation for knowledge acquisition, and therefore b) the type of knowledge and intellectual experiences they feel to be most relevant.
So let's talk about wings.
Riso-Hudson distinguishes the 5w4 as "seeking Knowledge and Identity":
Description of 5w4s said:
The difference between the 4 wing and the 6 wing in Fives is like the difference between Art and Science. 4 wing brings an abstract, intuitive cast of thought, as though the Five were thinking in geometric shapes instead of words or realistic images. May be talented artistically and inhabit moods like Fours do. Combine intellectual and emotional imagination. Enjoy the realm of philosophy and beautiful constructs of thought. The marriage of mental perspective and aesthetics is the best of life for them. When more defensive may seem a little ghostly, have a whisper in their voice. Fluctuate between impersonal withdrawal and bursts of friendly caring. Can get floaty and abstract. Act like they're inside a bubble, sometimes with an air of implicit superiority. Cliché of the "absentminded professor" applies especially to Fives with this wing. Environmentally sensitive and subject at times to total overwhelm. Touchy about criticism. Can be slow to recover from traumatic events. Melancholy isolation and bleak existential depression are possible pitfalls.
...while 5w6s are "seeking Knowledge and Security":
Description of 5w6s said:
The 6 wing brings an orientation to detail and technical knowledge, along with the tendency to think in logical sequence. Especially intellectual, far more analytical than Fives with a 4 wing. Can be loyal friends, offering strong behind-the-scenes support. Kind, patient teachers, skillful experts. May have a sense of mission and work hard. Sometimes project an aura of sensitive nerdiness and have clumsy social skills. When defensive, they can be unnerved by the expectations of others. May like people more but avoid them more. Especially sensitive to social indebtedness. Could have trouble saying "thank you." Fear of taking action, develop "information addiction" instead. Ask lots of questions but don't get around to the decision at hand. When more entranced, they develop a suspicious scrutiny of other people's motives but can also be blind followers. Misanthropic and Scrooge-like when defensive. More able to keep their feelings cut off in a constant way. Can be cold, skeptical, ironic, and disassociated. A Five's 6 wing can be phobic or counterphobic. Counterphobic 6 wing brings courage and antiauthoritarian attitudes. When defensive they may mock authority, or angrily tell others off. Tend to "push the envelope," experiment, find what the limits are.
The distinctions that we can gleam from these descriptions are important. In the case of the 5w4, the quest for knowledge is implicitly one of self-discovery as well. They seek the knowledge that they need to create themselves in their own image, free from the constraints of any countervailing external influence. Hence the moniker "Iconoclast". Relevant questions for the 5w4 are more likely to pertain to what is essential to leading a life that is authentic and self-actualizing, and what are the relevant resources to make that life a reality.
The 5w6, on the other hand, collects information as something of a bulwark against the rest of the world. The distrust of external systems imbued by the w6 prompts them to seek out impeccable internal ones. The mindset is more of the survivalist,
"If all else fails, I'll still have me." The mentality is equally insular, but of a more pragmatic and reality-oriented mindset. If the 5w4 is building a castle in the sky, the 5w6 has got a fortress in the backyard.
Hopefully, this will provide you and [MENTION=25594]CognitiveLiberty[/MENTION] some food for thought. I feel the types are pretty easy to distinguish, so maybe this will bring some clarity for you two as well.
I will now return to my regularly scheduled flirtatious banter with [MENTION=4347]Virtual ghost[/MENTION]. Excuse me.
