WHAT IS INTELLIGENCE?

It is easy to define intelligence, as it cannot be isolated from other abilities, yet its influence can be seen in the everyday life and behavior of people. What does it take to get good grades in school? Is it a child’s ability to learn quickly and easily? Or is it his ability to remember whatever he has learnt accurately for a long time? And how do we describe child who is intelligent out of school, a sportsman, a painter, a musician, a sculptor, a writer or an artist? Are the mental abilities of a sportsman who takes appropriate decisions within thirty seconds and wins a match an indication of his superior mental abilities? When a mother divides two apples among her three children and when a carpenter designs the kitchen cupboards to accommodate all the needs of the user is he intelligent? Yes, they are all intelligent. All actions-planning, remembering, organizing, learning, thinking and judging – require intelligence. Intelligence is not restricted to quizzing, getting high grades and solving intricate problem. Repairing a tape recorder, designing dresses and composing music all require intelligent thought, what we call special intelligence. Such people are aware of their special abilities and have learnt to manipulate their skills. Intelligence can be defined as generalized ability to think of new ideas and learn new skills quickly and to solve problems efficiently by applying previous knowledge.