Hi everybody, the first edition of the week is on intelligence and I want to air by views on the topic.
The question is, does having good grades determine if you're intelligent? Do when need to go to school to be intelligent?
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines intelligence as the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations.
Having good grades doesn't necessarily mean one is intelligent. I could have good grades without even putting in much effort. I don't mean me precisely but people can have good grades. Grades come about due to different reasons, assignments, examinations, extra curricular activities. I could have good grades just by making sure I submit all assignments on time, I read enough for exam and I engage in different activities for extra credit, doesn't mean I am intelligent.
Don't get me wrong, you could also have good grades because you're intelligent but because there are so many ways to get good grades, it shouldn't be a measure of intelligence.
My department is full of people who don't have good grades but are very intelligent, you'd know from the way they talk and handle certain situations. You ever see someone and go, "this dude is smart!". That's what I mean but it doesn't show in their grades.
It's the same in some situations when we have non intelligent people with good grades (no offense to anyone). What should measure one's intelligence is the ability to adapt to situations and apply knowledge where necessary.
Do we have to go to school to be intelligent.
I think we do, school basically taught us how to read and write. Learning from home is still considered schooling. There are some people born with the natural gift of being intelligent. I see some kids who are extremely smart and they didn't have to go to school to be that that level but intelligence goes beyond being good at school work.
I for one would not know how to do a lot of things I can do now without going to school because school didn't just teach me one plus one is two, it taught me how to apply reasoning to some situations.
It wasn't just what was taught in class but the lessons my friends taught, the experiences I had and a bunch of other things. To be educated plays a major role in helping develop one's intelligence even if we keep saying school is a scam.
Even if we're intelligent from birth, school helps to amplify that.