Wednesday 15 January 2014

Intelligence is a tertiary phenomenon

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What is intelligence for?

On the one hand higher intelligence helps in learning, it helps in analysis and understanding... stuff like that. 

But given that most of the most intelligent people have been doing silly and wicked things for much of history - what is the proper use of intelligence?

To be 'a good thing', to be valuable, to benefit mankind: intelligence ought to be a tertiary phenomenon.

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1. Motivation

The most important thing is motivation - what you are trying to do.

If you are not trying to do the right thing, then you will do harm - and intelligence only increases the amount of harm you are capable of doing. 

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2. Honesty

If you are dishonest, then the material which your intelligence works-upon will inevitably be worthless at best and most likely harmful.

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3. Intelligence

If you are 1. properly motivated and 2. honest, there is a good chance that intelligence will yield something useful.

But only when built-upon 1 and 2.

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