// other definitions of intelligence
(including those related to intelligent systems and their restraint)

Alfred Binet (1857-1911): The most important and fundamental faculty of intelligence is "judgment, otherwise called good sense, practical sense, initiative, the faculty of adapting one's self to circumstances. A person may be a moron or an imbecile if he is lacking in judgment; but with good judgment he can never be either. Indeed the rest of the intellectual faculties seem of little importance in comparison with judgment" (Binet & Simon, 1916, 1973, pp.42-43).

Hans Eysenck (1916-1997): Recognized three types of intelligence: Intelligence A: the biological substrate of mental ability, the brains' neuroanatomy and physiology; Intelligence B: the manifestation of intelligence A, and everything that influences its expression in real life behavior; Intelligence C: the level of performance on psychometric tests of cognitive ability

Howard Gardner (1943- ): "Intelligence is a biopsychological potential to process information that can be activated in a cultural setting to solve problems or create products that are of value in a culture."

Jeff Hawkin (19??- ): Intelligence is "the ability to model the word and create predictions about future events."

Ray Kurzweil (19??- ): Intelligence is "the ability to use optimally limited resources, including time, to achieve a set of goals (which may include survival, communication, solving problems, recognizing patterns, performing skills). The products of intelligence may be clever, ingenious, insightful, or elegant."

Renato Sabbatini (19??- ): Intelligence is the "ability to adapt effectively to the environment, either by making a change in oneself or by changing the environment or finding a new one" and "intelligence is not a single mental process, but rather a combination of many mental processes directed toward effective adaptation to the environment."

Robert Sternberg (1949- ): Developed Hierarchic Theory which suggests that intelligence is the result of the interaction of three abilities: analytical (componential), creative and practical. "(R)eal life is where intelligence operates and not in the classroom. . . . The true measure of success is not how well one does in school, but how well one does in life (Trosky, p. 421)."

Peter Voss (19??- ): Intelligence is "the essential, domain-independent skills necessary for acquiring a wide range of domain-specific knowledge -- the ability to learn anything. Achieving this with 'artificial general intelligence' (AGI) requires a highly adaptive, general-purpose system that can autonomously acquire an extremely wide range of specific knowledge and skills and can improve its own cognitive ability through self-directed learning."

David Wechsler (1896-1981): Developer of the WAIS (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales) and the WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children). Intelligence is "the aggregate, or global capacity to act purposefully, think rationally, and deal effectively with the environment" and is "an aspect of the total personality, rather than an isolated entity."

R. W. Young (19??- ): Intelligence is "that faculty of mind by which order is perceived in a situation previously considered disordered."


 // some definitions re: intelligence
(adapted from dictionary.com) / top of page

authority n. 7. Power to influence or persuade resulting from knowledge or experience. 8. Confidence derived from experience or practice; firm self-assurance.

community n. 1. (a) A group of people living in the same locality and under the same government. (b) The district or locality in which such a group lives. 2. (a) A group of people having common interests: the scientific community; the international business community. (b) A group viewed as forming a distinct segment of society. 3. (a) Similarity or identity. (b) Sharing, participation, and fellowship. 4. Society as a whole; the public.

creativity n. The ability to create (create: To produce through artistic or imaginative effort).

development n. A progression from a simpler or lower to a more advanced, mature, or complex form or stage.

egalitarianism n. A philosophy affirming, promoting, or characterized by belief in equal political, economic, social, and civil rights for all people.

evolution n. A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form.

fun n. A source of enjoyment (receiving pleasure and satisfaction / to have the use or benefit of), amusement, diversion (deviation; something that relaxes or entertains by distracting the attention from worrisome thoughts or cares) and pleasure.

innovation n. The act of beginning or introducing something new.

information n. A message received and understood that reduces the recipient's uncertainty.

intelligence n. The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge.

knowledge n. The psychological result of perception, learning and reasoning

learning v. The act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skill.

liberalism n. A political theory founded on the natural goodness of humans and the autonomy of the individual and favoring civil and political liberties, government by law with the consent of the governed, and protection from arbitrary authority; a political philosophy advocating personal freedom for the individual, democratic forms of government, gradual reform in political and social institutions (from What is a liberal? by Henrietta Hay, Denver Post December 1, 2002).

mutation n. The act or process of being altered or changed.

power n. 1. The ability or capacity to perform or act effectively. 2. A specific capacity, faculty, or aptitude.

status n. 2. High standing; prestige (level of respect at which one is regarded by others).

technology n. 1. The application of science, especially to industrial or commercial objectives. 3. Anthropology. The body of knowledge available to a society that is of use in fashioning implements, practicing manual arts and skills, and extracting or collecting materials.

transformation n. the act or instance of changing markedly appearance, form, nature, function, or condition.


// some definitions re: RESTRAINT of intelligence
(adapted from dictionary.com) / top of page

adult n. 1. One who has attained maturity or legal age. 2. Biology. A fully grown, mature organism.

authority n. 1. The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge.

brinkmanship n. The practice, especially in international politics, of seeking advantage by creating the impression that one is willing and able to push a highly dangerous situation to the limit rather than concede.

bureaucracy n. Management or administration marked by hierarchical authority among numerous offices and by fixed procedures.

conservatism n. A political philosophy or attitude emphasizing respect for traditional institutions, distrust of government activism, and opposition to sudden change in the established order.

hierarchy n. 1. A body of persons having authority (a) Categorization of a group of people according to ability or status (b)The group so categorized. 2. A series in which each element is graded or ranked

manifesto n. A public declaration of principles, policies, or intentions, especially of a political nature.

maturity n. The state or quality of being fully grown or developed.

obedience n. Dutiful or submissive behavior. Compliance (yielding submission) with commands, orders and instructions of one in authority.

politics n. social relations involving authority or power [syn: political relation]

power n. 3. Strength or force exerted or capable of being exerted; might. 4. The ability or official capacity to exercise control; authority.

reify v. To regard or treat (an abstraction) as if it had concrete or material existence.

Social Darwinism n. A general term for any evolutionary argument about the biological basis of human differences, but the initial nineteenth century meaning referred to a specific theory of class stratification within industrial societies, and particularly to the idea that there was a permanently poor underclass consisting of genetically inferior people who had precipitated down into their inevitable fate (from History of the Influences in the Development of Intelligence Theory and Testing: Hot Topics: The Bell Curve).

submission n. The act of submitting (yielding or surrendering oneself) to the power of another.

status n. 1. Position relative to that of others; standing.

supervise v. To have the charge and direction of; superintend (to take care of with authority).