Basic Question: What is intelligence?

Here are three definitions:

• From Cambridge Dictionaries Online: the ability to learn, understand and make judgments or have opinions that are based on reason
  
  
• From Merriam-Webster Online:
  1. a. the ability to learn or understand or to deal with new or trying situations: REASON ...
     b. Christian Science: the basic eternal quality of divine Mind
     c. mental acuteness: SHREWDNESS
  2. a. an "intelligent" entity; especially: ANGEL ...
     b. intelligent minds or mind ...
  3. the act of understanding: COMPREHENSION
  4. a. INFORMATION, NEWS ...
  5. the ability to perform computer functions
     
     
• From Dictionary.com:
  1. capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc.
  2. manifestation of a high mental capacity
  3. the faculty of understanding.
     ...

Considerable commonality, but must be careful

• Intelligence involves the ability to learn, reason, understand
• Ability to "understand" requires further definition – what does it mean to understand something?
• Could resolve question of whether or not computers are intelligent by tailoring the definition:
  • Positively: the ability to perform computer functions
  • Negatively: the ability to think like humans
• Terms, such as "understand", similarly can have slanted definitions

created 7 January 2007 last revised 9 January 2007

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