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    Thread: How intelligent do you think you are?

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      Member Photolysis's Avatar
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      How intelligent do you think you are?

      I'd like to try and avoid this turning into a discussion on exactly what it means to be intelligent, so for the purposes of this thread I'd like to use this definition of intelligence as given by Mainstream Science on Intelligence:

      A very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience.
      So, how intelligent would you rate yourself, and on what basis do you believe this? This can be anything you wish, whether it's an IQ score, the level of education you've attained, personal observation, or even just gut feelings.

      Answers can be as vague or specific as you like. For example "I believe I'm reasonably intelligent" or "I think I'm in the top 5 percent".

      I think it could also be interesting to discuss how you perceive a person's intelligence and how that differs from the author of the post in question, but only if they give permission.


      A few links of relevance:
      Dunning–Kruger effect
      Illusory superiority
      Intelligence
      IQ Scores and their percentile

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      Ninetieth percentile.

      That's what all of the professional IQ tests said.

      I am more "intelligent" than ninety percent of all people... or something like that.

      I think it's way more fluid and complicated than that, though.
      I'm terrible at math.
      I'm bad at geography.

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      i spent 3 min tryn to think of something clever to say

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      WAY more intellegent that i act

      All my teacher say I can comprehend complex ideas and write EXTREMELY WELL! I am good at math and I am VERY GOOD at science. I am AWESOME at Arts and I suck at geo, dance, algebra, and chemistry.

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      khh
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      Well, I know my intelligence exceeds my social skills. Though I probably shouldn't venture into a discussion on exactly what that might imply.
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    6. #6
      Xei
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      I'd say top 2%... you're always going to sound exceedingly arrogant when you put yourself so high, but based on my academic performance that seems pretty fair. I went to a school that only takes the top quartile of the population (based on a test taken at age 11), and I got the highest grades by quite a margin in my year of about 150 people. I need to take a proper IQ test some time, all the online ones seem to be bunk. People are allowed to discuss me if they want. ;V

      I'd very tentatively suggest that IQ and similar tests do measure something objective and crucial; namely your ability to recognise patterns, and create and manipulate several symbols for those patterns, which is what I think intelligence fundamentally is. There's a lot of politically correct dilly dallying about these days, always insisting that intelligence is multi-faceted and people who appear less intelligent are actually just 'gifted in different ways'. In my opinion that's a bit patronising really; at any rate it isn't borne out by studies, which show that people with higher IQs actually tend to be good at pretty much everything, not just more logical subjects. I was just as good at English, and I'm also artistic and musical; I just didn't pursue those career paths because I thought I could do something more altruistic and utilitarian with my allotted time via science. If intelligence is what I suggest it is, you can see why this is the case: recognising patterns and forming symbols are clearly indispensable to mathematics; in fact, that basically is mathematics. However, when reading a work of literature, this ability is just as central, even if not so ostensibly obvious; understanding metaphor for example, basically means identifying some kind of symbol for a pattern that you've recognised across the text. Manipulating these symbols well means understanding deeper and more complex meaning.

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      I have just changed my IQ. I am now in the top 103%.
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      Well, I mastered tying my shoes before I was 12, but I still have to look into my wallet and find my I.D. to know who I am most of the time. So, I would say, I am neither here nor there. But, if I were to pretend a bit, I would imagine that the sole characteristic called intelligence would have to comply with the definition of the human mind, that definition hidden in the puzzle of the name of the Beast 666. "To regulate one's behavior so as to turn the past into the future and to bring the future to pass." In that regard, I don't think there are any of us who fit the bill with any remarkable brilliiance.
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      Quote Originally Posted by Xei View Post
      Manipulating these symbols well means understanding deeper and more complex meaning.
      Indeed

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      I don't think I'm above average intelligence in most ways.

      ... I'm just different. That's all

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      I think my intelligence might be slightly above average. I'm not sure though. I've never taken a real IQ test, just online ones, which I don't trust too much. I base this on the intelligence of the people I know, judging from their behaviour and conversations I have with them. Most seem like they don't have many deep thoughts or contemplate their lives on a larger scale. They have different interests and don't seem to care very much about the things that matter to me. Sometimes when I mention something interesting I read that sounds a bit complicated, they look at me like I'm Einstein or something. I don't think they're stupid, I just think they're too busy living their every day lives to care about things like science or philosophy. I'm not sure if they represent the general public everywhere though.

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      I have no idea, I haven't take an IQ test and I am just in highschool...
      I do believe out of my peer group I am more intellectually capable, but I don't act that way around them because they are a lot more immature then me and I'm not like them.
      I do excell in science, I always get the best grades on my tests, I usually ace them all, and I don't think I have had below a 90 this or last year in science (any science class for that matter)
      my favorite thing to do is have long, drawn out conversations about complexities, while all my other friends would rather go to the mall. They don't understand a lot of the things I talk about...
      all in all I would say I'm a bit more intelligent than most people my age (though I don't show it very outwardly, I am more of an introvert. I like solitude more than being with people.)I just need to apply myself more Dx that's my problem
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      Quote Originally Posted by khh View Post
      Well, I know my intelligence exceeds my social skills. Though I probably shouldn't venture into a discussion on exactly what that might imply.
      wouldn't extreme social skills still imply a form of intelligence? if you're good with people, that's some form of intelligence, at least.

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      khh
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      Quote Originally Posted by no-Name View Post
      wouldn't extreme social skills still imply a form of intelligence? if you're good with people, that's some form of intelligence, at least.
      It certainly would. What I meant to say by that, however, is that my intelligence is higher than my "social intelligence". It was meant as a funny shout-out to the common notion that intelligence is inversely proportional to social skills.
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      Quote Originally Posted by khh View Post
      It certainly would. What I meant to say by that, however, is that my intelligence is higher than my "social intelligence". It was meant as a funny shout-out to the common notion that intelligence is inversely proportional to social skills.
      I laughed heartily at your witty joke. You are welcome any time in my house, as a gentleman.
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      I don't have very many people to compare myself to in terms of intelligence, and I have a habit of being lazy, but most of the time I find concepts people seem to struggle with easy to pick up. So I have no idea how intelligent I actually am, generally speaking. It doesn't seem to matter a whole lot anyway.

      Quote Originally Posted by erible View Post
      I have no idea, I haven't take an IQ test and I am just in highschool...
      I do believe out of my peer group I am more intellectually capable, but I don't act that way around them because they are a lot more immature then me and I'm not like them.
      I do excell in science, I always get the best grades on my tests, I usually ace them all, and I don't think I have had below a 90 this or last year in science (any science class for that matter)
      my favorite thing to do is have long, drawn out conversations about complexities, while all my other friends would rather go to the mall. They don't understand a lot of the things I talk about...
      all in all I would say I'm a bit more intelligent than most people my age (though I don't show it very outwardly, I am more of an introvert. I like solitude more than being with people.)I just need to apply myself more Dx that's my problem
      Well in that case I hope This Post was like a joke or something.



      Being lonely and incoherent isn't the same thing as being intelligent.

    17. #17
      Member Photolysis's Avatar
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      Time for my answer I guess.

      I believe I'm in the top percentile, though I've never taken a formal IQ test to my knowledge. I'm basing this off my education (one of the most intelligent students in what I believe was one of the top 25% schools in the country), getting into one of the top 10 universities in the country (studying for a masters degree in Chemistry) with very little effort (and completing a year's work in a fraction of the time), and generally being able to comprehend stuff quicker and at a deeper level than most of the people I've come into contact with.

      I'm also extremely lazy.

      I'd say top 2%... you're always going to sound exceedingly arrogant when you put yourself so high, but based on my academic performance that seems pretty fair.
      I personally would rate you higher than the top 2%; at the very least in the top 1%. And yes, it does sound very arrogant when one rates their intellect so highly, in a way that doesn't seem to be the case for almost every other characteristic.


      Edit: Anyone's welcome to comment on my beliefs by the way, and tell me that I suffer from delusions of grandeur.
      Last edited by Photolysis; 04-11-2011 at 03:33 PM.
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      Two tests I've taken say top 0.5% and top 2% so perhaps top 1-2%. I agree it does sound arrogant to say such a thing, seeing as so many people here have said top 2% already. You have to really observe a person for a long period of time to get a full picture but IQ tests do a pretty good job of an estimate. I was moved ahead a year in science and 3 years in maths, I also tend to get good grades in the related subjects (poor grades in art but very high in maths/science based subjects) so academically I'm above average. I'll say above average is a pretty safe bet to make, but how far above I don't know.

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      Top 99.17% (of Coders).

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      So everyone thinks they're intelligent. How quaint.

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      surprising*

    22. #22
      khh
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      Quote Originally Posted by cmind View Post
      So everyone thinks they're intelligent. How quaint.
      I'd rather say "Everyone who posts in this thread thinks they're intelligent". Which isn't all that strange, cause if you don't believe you're smart why would you stick your neck out?
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      This is from an old thread:
      "... My [IQ] results showed I'm slightly "retarded" when it comes to things spatial and mathmatical. But my overall score was "average/slightly above average"...
      I just bought an online IQ test which gives me a similar overall score (111)
      My weakest score was geometric at 94/111. My spelling rules at 132/111.

      ... [I play a game on my iPod] like the electronic game of Simon Says where 4 designs light up and play a tune at different times and you have to remember the sequence. Unless it's a simple and slow sequence (top, right, bottom, left for instance) I usually can't remember anything above 4 moves."

      SO, academically, I think I'm borderline stupid. When it comes to creativity, I think I'm average. When it comes to emotional maturity, and mediating/interacting with others etc, I don't care what tests say, I think I'm in the ruling percentile though I'm by no means charismatic

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      It's hard to just give one answer because I seem a lot more intelligent than others in some areas, but am mentally deficient in others. I seem to be able to come up with ideas and solve problems and be creative better than most people, so in that way it seems I'm in the top 5%. But I'm much below average in speed of thought, below 50%. It's difficult for me to follow along for 2 hours with what a teacher is explaining. If I get lost once, I'll be lost for the rest of the class. I'm also terrible at multitasking. If a professor makes us write down notes, and explains the material simultaneously, I can't do it. I can't concentrate on writing down the notes, comprehending the notes, and listening to the teacher at the same time. I have to choose one. Other students don't seem to have as much of a problem with this (although I'm not sure, since I haven't talked to anyone about this before). But again, I'm generally good at solving problems, and at thinking generally, given enough time. I'm also pretty rational and good at thinking critically. I think the evaluation needs to be kept at that, and not averaged out.

    25. #25
      Xei
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      Quote Originally Posted by Dianeva View Post
      I can't concentrate on writing down the notes, comprehending the notes, and listening to the teacher at the same time. I have to choose one. Other students don't seem to have as much of a problem with this (although I'm not sure, since I haven't talked to anyone about this before).
      Bear in mind that most people are full of shit.

      There were some guys in my sixth form who always made sure to copy down exactly what was on the board word for word and line for line, listen to the teacher attentively, etcetera, and always tried to project academic confidence. But whenever I talked to these people about whatever we were learning about, they literally had no clue. They could refer to words in their notes and recite the sentences, but really they had no conceptual grasp of what the teacher was talking about, or really any thorough understanding of anything in the subject.

      I never took notes because we had textbooks that covered exactly what we covered in lessons, so it was utterly pointless. I just sat and listened and tried to understand, and whenever something came up where it conflicted with something else or anything, I'd ask about it. The annoying thing was my teachers would get pissy at me for not taking notes (so I ended up just doodling on some paper to look busy; I never worked out why they spent so much money buying the textbooks in the first place), and my school reports would usually say something about my being lackluster or whatever, basically for not asking dumbass, obvious questions every five minutes so as to appear knowledgeable. Irritatingly no matter how many exams I aced, especially in biology, I'd still be the lackluster guy, whilst the loudmouth projectors were still the future dazzling doctors who'd just had a bad day on that test (and every other).

      Unfortunately now I'm at uni you kinda have to take notes because there isn't a single book, and photocopying your friends' notes afterwards just makes you look like a bit of a jerk somehow. Every now and then you'll get a pro lecturer who hands out printed lecture notes, but you're right, the rest of the time it is a distraction.
      Last edited by Xei; 04-11-2011 at 02:46 AM.
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