Summary of What is Intelligence, Anyway ? ( Asimov )

Unit-11 : Critical and Creative Thinking

Flax-Golden Tales

What is Intelligence, Anyway ?
– Four Levels of Interactions:

Isaac Asimov , USA (1920- 1992)

For : BA / BBS First Year (Business English )

Literal Comprehension :
In this essay by Isaac Asimov , an American science - fiction writer, he consists that those who score higher marks in intelligent test are considered to be intelligent people . The writer also used to always score high marks and therefore he thought himself to be intelligent, but his intelligence did not help him anymore. He had to be an assistant of the cook in the mess of army . He had to go to the car - mechanic to make his car repaired although the mechanic may score low marks in the intelligent test . If the questions were made by non –academicians , the writer would be an unsuccessful. He really became fool when the mechanic asked him a puzzle question. Therefore , any person who scores high marks in any test may not be expert in every field . It is very limited knowledge in this vast world. So, we should not think ourselves very proud of scoring high score in any test ; there are so many fields to score high score in life , then only we can be expert in many fields .

Interpretation:
Knowledge has no limit . Only academic score is not enough to be an all round expert . It is impossible to have knowledge of every field equally . This essay tries to analyze the intelligence . Intelligence is an ability to solve the intelligent problem easily. Although the writer used to score very high marks in the intelligent test , he was fit for only assistant cook . The car -repair mechanic was intelligent enough to make the car although he could not score high marks in the intelligent test . One- sided knowledge is not complete. We should be multi- dimensional to score high always everywhere but it is impossible for a single person to be all round . One can be intelligent in only one field . If the car -repair man makes questions of the test , the highly intelligent writer can fail because it is not his field . Therefore, in different fields , different people with different types of knowledge are useful. Only a single knowledge is not sufficient everywhere.

Critical Thinking:
After reading this essay , I came to remember one thing very fresh in my mind . In our society we think that a person who got high score in academic exams and positioned high is always assumed fit for other all positions. A literate doctor , an academic engineer with high score can never be good politician or ruler or administrator . It is foolish to think a doctor expert and success in administration and good governance. It needs good knowledge in administration and governing than academic scores. I have some questions. It is not rational to think an intelligent person in school or college is always intelligent in every field ? Can a doctor run government smoothly and wisely ? Can a warrior be success in administration ? Likewise can the leaders only be success in formulating/drafting a good constitution ? Can a hero in film be always everywhere be hero in politics and real life ? Even very limited knowledge can make people wise . Everybody can be intelligent in different field . Is it right to think that learned people are intelligent ? Why shouldn ’t we realize that any person should be fit from any angles ? Is only mental capacity enough for good practical life ? It is not true that one person expert in one test or field cannot be expert in other field ; to think so is just silliness.

Assimilation :
Different persons have different capacity or level or field of knowledge. A single person never can fit for every field . It focuses on individual talent in individual field . This essay memorized me that one person who is talent in school or campus may score fewer score in other field . It is needless to be sad when a friend gets more marks in an exam ; surely I will get more marks than his in other exam or other field . In school I never stood first in mathematics but the friends who scored more marks in mathematics never scored such score in English . It has taught me to value even an ordinary man to be able doing anything . Everyone is capable in his or her place . There should not be feeling of any discrimination of intellectual and non -intellectual person . Everybody is a capable person in his field . Now I am a little back in earning money but I have good idea in my field than those rich people and I am able to use their money but they are just thinking how to collect money .