HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS > How to BE(come) INTELLIGENT

INTELLIGENCE : the right way to use knowledge

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PiJo:
                         INTELLIGENCE


 


Albert Einstein : "The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."

Socrates : "I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing".


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Note from NEEEEEXT : intelligence is the way we use our knowledge, not the accumulation of knowledge itself, and a good memory is necessary to accumulate this knowledge, as well as a good teacher (who knows how to transfer his knowledge to his students for the best scores).
Use your knowledge through analysis to solve problems, think, act and behave properly, thus becoming more relaxed (intelligent people are usually very calm).
Intelligent people don't speak about their knowledge but are humble.
You may use your intuition (feelings, hunch) which is a part of intelligence.


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Wikipedia : Intelligence has been defined in many different ways including as one's capacity for logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, planning, creativity and problem solving. It can be more generally described as the ability to perceive information, and to retain it as knowledge to be applied towards adaptive behaviors within an environment or context.

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Author's page : How to Be Intelligent (wikiHow)
How to Be Intelligent

Two Methods :
Deepening Your Intellect in a Meaningful Way
Appearing More Intelligent

Do you wish you were smarter? Do you wish other people believed you were smarter? The latter may be simpler than the former, but whether you genuinely want to increase your intellectual capacity, or just want to reap the benefits of appearing more intellectual, there are some concrete steps you can take to achieve you goal.

Deepening Your Intellect in a Meaningful Way

    1
    Dedicate yourself to becoming a lifelong learner. People used to believe intelligence was fixed, and could not be improved through effort. Contemporary evidence, however, suggests this may not be the case; while an unintelligent person may never become a genius, it seems increasingly possible that anyone has the ability to strengthen her intellect to some degree. The process is not as simple as just learning some new vocabulary words, though. It takes time and effort to learn how to engage more deeply and critically with the world around you.
    2
    Follow your passions. People learn most effectively when they are passionate about their subject matter. If you are passionate about something, you are bound to want to understand it more deeply; it is this kind of focused, sustained investigation that leads to increased intellect. True intelligence involves deep mastery of a few subjects, rather than a shallow understanding of a broad range of them. Was Albert Einstein equally gifted in physics, anthropology, linguistics, geology, animal behavior, and literary criticism? Of course not. To be a proverbial jack-of-all-trades is to be a master of none; if you try to learn a little bit of everything, you may wind up understanding a whole lot of nothing.
    3
    Challenge yourself. If you’re not struggling, you’re not pushing yourself. Learning shouldn’t be torture. It should be rewarding, though, and it probably won’t be if it doesn’t require much effort. Push yourself to master new ideas and enter unfamiliar intellectual territory.
    4
    Think about how you think. This is called “metacognition,” and it is something intelligent people excel at. Metacognition allows you to understand how you learn, and to apply those strategies from one context to another. If you realize you learn most effectively when you study on your own, for example, you will know not to join a study group in preparation for a final exam.
    5
    Take care of your body. People sometimes forget that the brain is a physical organ like any other. Just as you skin is healthier if you bathe and your lungs are healthier if you don’t smoke, a physically well-cared-for brain functions at a higher level than a neglected one. It may surprise you how much more effectively you process information if you get enough sleep and exercise, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
    6
    Learn a language. This will force your brain to negotiate new ways of constructing meaning, and increase your intuitive and conscious understanding of language systems. Thinking more about language also has the added benefit of improving your facility with your first language, and learning all those new words will help improve your memory.
    7
    Learn to play a musical instrument. This exercises parts of your brain used for many kinds of cognitive processing, and introduces you to new ways of receiving and communicating information. It also helps improve your memory, and reduces stress, which can play a major factor in inhibiting intellectual growth.
    8
    Read the news. While keeping up with current events may not exactly increase your intellectual capacity, a truly intelligent, curious person should want to engage with the world she lives in. Having new ideas often involves building on existing ones, so it is always wise to understand as much as you can about the problems the world faces, and the ways people are trying to solve them. Remember, all news sources have a bias of some sort; make sure you get your news from a variety of sources, and never accept something as absolute truth just because it is in the newspaper.
    9
    Rely less on technology. The ease with which we can obtain information today makes our lives much more convenient, but it can also make us stupider. The neural pathways involved in reading maps, for example, are probably much weaker in Millennials’ brains than in the brains of their parents. This is because most Millennials rely heavily on GPS navigation to help them find their way, while older generations had to get out an atlas if they got lost. In the same vein, if they can’t remember what a word means, many people are more likely to quickly Google it than they are to sit down and focus on trying to remember. Instead of strengthening their ability to recall information, they can effortlessly obtain the information with almost no thought. Try to rely on your phone less, and your brain more.
    10
    Be open-minded. Don’t write off new ideas because they are scary, confusing, or threaten the way you are used to thinking about the world - this natural hesitation of the human mind to hold two opposing views at the same time is called 'Cognitive Dissonance'. Be open to having your perspective changed. The ability to admit when you have been wrong is a hallmark of a great mind.
    11
    Be okay with looking stupid. Curiosity is not the same as ignorance; truly intelligent people are constantly asking questions. This is because a wise woman knows that she does not know everything. When you start learning a new skill, you will not be very good at it. That’s natural. If you do something you’re bad at enough times, however, you’ll eventually start to be good at it. Embrace the gaps in your knowledge as portals to discovery and growth.

Appearing More Intelligent

    1
    Use big words. It doesn’t take a genius to pick up some new vocabulary, but a few impressive words and some grammatical flourishes might give you the appearance of being an intellectual. Download a word-a-day app, or simply make some flashcards. Identify some common grammatical errors in your speech and correct them. You could even look up a few brainy-sounding literary quotations to pepper into your conversations. Remember, using impressive words is only impressive if you use them correctly--saying "juxtaposition" won't earn you any points if you don't understand what it means or how it's pronounced.
    2
    Be modest and reticent. The same way everyone kind of starts to suspect that the guy who keeps insisting he’s not racist might be kind of racist, if you constantly try to impress everyone with how smart you are, people may start to wonder. If you are taciturn and humble instead, people may infer that you are consumed with deep thoughts. One good opportunity to put this into action is if someone else makes a stupid comment in a group conversation. If you leap in to correct or mock them, you run the risk of seeming mean rather than intelligent. Instead, let them do the work for you--simply stay silent for a moment, letting their remark sink in, and just when it starts to feel awkward, move the conversation along. It will give the impression that you simply couldn't find a way to respond to such a ridiculous comment, and decided to move past it to spare that person further embarrassment.
    3
    Present yourself well. People tend to naturally assume that well-dressed, well-spoken individuals are more intelligent than sloppy ones who mumble all the time. You may also want to consider starting to wear glasses. It sounds silly, but when it comes to making people think you are intelligent, four eyes are better than two.
    4
    Use your middle initial. Again, it sounds silly, and frankly, it is, but nonetheless, there is actual evidence to suggest that calling yourself Frank R. Miller instead of Frank Reginald Miller will make you seem smarter to other people. If you want to capitalize on this effect, just add another letter, because yes, apparently it works like that.


Community Q&A

    How can I increase my vocabulary?

    Read more books and be thoughtful about how you could improve your words before you say something aloud.

    I used to be a topper in all subjects in all earlier classes but became dull now. Why?

    Maybe because you are watching too much TV, eating junk foods, and over gaming? Focus not on what you're doing wrong so much as what you can do right. To become a topper again, you need to study hard, pay attention to teachers, take note on what's in the blackboard, eat healthily and have lots of sleep.

    How should I react when someone says to everyone that I am intelligent?

    You definitely should not brag about it. Be humble, and thank the person. Your response could contain something like: "Thank you, but aren't we all intelligent in our own way too?" or "Thank you, but there is still so much left for me to learn."

    What do I do if someone tries to insult me for being or acting intelligent?

    It's pretty ridiculous that calling someone smart is supposed to hurt, isn't it? The truth is, some people (especially teens and preteens) will insult anyone who stands out from the crowd. Try to ignore them, and talk to an adult if it happens often. Insults are a form of bullying.

    How do I study late at night?

    Actually, a huge amount of research shows that staying up too late to study leads to worse test scores, worse focus, and more difficulty thinking. If you are too exhausted to focus on your work, go to sleep.

    How often should a person study to become an intelligent being?

    Studying is just learning. How long we should study is not fixed. Learning is on-going, so study and learn as much as you want to in order to become intelligent. Just don't let it become a burden.

    What do I do if I am not good at speaking?

    Practice at home in front of a mirror. Record yourself. Keep doing this until you feel comfortable to speak in front of others.

    Can a weak student become a topper?

    Yes. Study hard, turn in your homework on time, pay attention and contribute in class.

    I've lost interest in a subject I used to enjoy. What should I do?

    This often happens in school when you no longer feel challenged, in which case you can ask your teacher for more advanced work. Interests also change naturally. If you feel no interest even when exploring new material in the subject, there's no shame in shifting focus to another interest or hobby.

    How do l know what l really love to do?

    To discover what you really want to do, explore all the things around you. Being curious about the world around you helps you find out what you enjoy and what you want to learn more about.


Sources and Citations

    http://www.eruptingmind.com/what-is-intelligence/
    https://medium.com/the-wtf-economy/can-we-learn-to-be-intelligent-241ef515b7d9
    http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar97/vol54/num06/To-Be-Intelligent.aspx
    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/12/can-we-make-ourselves-more-intelligent-oliver-burkeman
    http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/metacognition
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationopinion/10126883/Why-learn-a-foreign-language-Benefits-of-bilingualism.html
    http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/surprising-thing-learn-raise-iq-improve-memory-language-fluency
    http://www.thejuryexpert.com/2013/03/the-glasses-stereotype-revisited
    http://www.psmag.com/books-and-culture/m-smart-middle-initials-signal-intelligence-80374



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Author's page : Brain Metrix
Can we Increase our Intelligence?

There are certainly ways to increase one's intelligence, also called intelligence amplification/ enhancing, by practicing many proven cognitive tools such as mnemonics, problem-solving heuristics, creativity techniques and decision-making tools. An increase in the intelligence level can only result in a better life, health, and standard of living. Below you will find some simple intelligence boosters:

Deep thinking : in life it's not enough to just react to events, and situations, rather we should have a conscious objective and select our actions to get nearer our objective. Also it's important to think about consequences of our actions, to minimize the possibilities of errors and regret. Deep thinking would normally help you live better, and reach your goal

Good reasoning : it is the key to success, especially if performed consciously and in the proper order: 1) have an objective, 2) make a general sensing about it, 3) determine your decision based on your sensing, 4) make alternate plans (along the main objective), 5) select the best response/ plan. 5) start by carrying out your plan, 6) observe results, 7) store experiences (for future reference).

Learning from past experience : it is believed that many inventions were actually re- nventions; for example Egyptians 2000-4000 years ago were using some unique techniques to build their temples, buildings… but since the early Egyptians were not good at keeping records of what they were doing, many of their inventions/ techniques were lost, and they had to be reinvented many centuries after them, which means that we had to start from point zero again because we didn't keep records of our discoveries. You can apply that to your own life, learning from the past experience either bad or good is very beneficial, and can save you a lot of time and effort. A good way to do that is journal writing which is a useful way to develop self understanding, and to analyze events, in addition to provide a record of how we change over time.

Practice : you cannot learn swimming from a book, the same thing should be taken into consideration when dealing with “thinking”; you cannot learn to think without practicing. And as mentioned earlier, a good way to start is with cognitive tools such as brain exercises: mnemonics, problem-solving heuristics, creativity techniques, brainstorming, puzzles, brain teasing games… etc.


Intelligence Pills? Smart Drugs?

It would sure be nice if we just take a smart pill and get smarter, instead of going through all those brain teasers and problem-solving training. In fact, scientists are indeed studying substances that may improve mental abilities. These substances are called “cognitive enhancers” or “smart drugs”. The supposed effects of these intelligence drugs can be several things, for example, it can improve memory, learning, attention, concentration, problem solving, reasoning, social skills, decision making and planning. In most cases, smart drugs have been used to treat people with neurological or mental disorders, but there is a growing number of healthy, “normal” people who use these substances in hopes of getting smarter. However it's arguable if the cognitive enhancers have some effects if any. Results from different laboratories show mixed results; some labs show positive effects on memory and learning; other labs show no effects. The intelligence pills are supposed to work by increasing brain metabolism, increasing cerebral circulation, or protection of the brain from physical and chemical damage, and as a consequence they result in increased mental energy, increased alertness, decreased depression, improved memory, and improved learning ability. There are many names in the market of these smart pills, and the number is growing bigger day after day. Many of them are made of herbal as well as chemical substances.

Below is a list of some intelligence enhancers in their natural state:

Ginko Biloba extracts : apparently have vasodilatory effects, and have in some studies shown it could treat some symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. They also appear to have some effects on short term memory. But no study to confirm these results yet.

Choline : A natural amine, often classed in the vitamin B complex. There is evidence that drugs that stimulate the cholinergic systems improve certain memory tasks, and there is much speculation that adding extra choline to the diet would lead to better general memory performance.

Caffeine : caffeine acts as a mild stimulant to the nervous system, blocking the neurotransmitter adenosine and resulting in a feeling of well-being and alertness. It increases the heart rate, blood pressure. Although it's not smart to take it as a smart drug, it is however probably relevant anyway, simple, relatively safe if not taken excessively. May be one cup or less a day is considered to be within the safe range.

Glucose : has been shown to improve memory when given in certain dosages in association with a learning task; how to exploit this to improve cognition in general is a more complex problem, because it can have negative effects as well.



     








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