Intelligence (trait)

Intelligence is usually said to involve mental capabilities such as the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn. Although nonscientists generally regard the concept of intelligence as having much broader scope, in psychology, the study of intelligence generally regards this behavioral trait as distinct from creativity, personality, character, or wisdom.

Collective and non-human intelligence

Some thinkers have explored the idea of collective intelligence, arising from the coordination of many people. A battleship, for instance, cannot be operated by a single person's knowledge, actions and intelligence, it takes a coordinated and interacting crew. Similarly, the interesting behaviors of a bee colony are not exhibited in the intelligence and actions of any single bee, but rather manifested in the behavior of the hive. These ideas are explored as a basis for human thought, with applications for artificial intelligence (AI), by MIT AI pioneers Norbert Wiener and Marvin Minsky. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged from Computer science as a specialty which seeks to make computers act in increasingly intelligent ways, and provides insights into human thought processes.

Related Topics:
Collective intelligence - Norbert Wiener - Marvin Minsky - Artificial intelligence - Computer science

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When considering animal intelligence, a more general definition of intelligence might be applied: the "ability to adapt effectively to the environment, either by making a change in oneself or by changing the environment or finding a new one" (Encyclopædia Britannica). Many people have also speculated about the possibility of extraterrestrial intelligence.

Related Topics:
Animal intelligence - Encyclopædia Britannica - Extraterrestrial intelligence

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