How we infer intelligence? Surely! From behavioral study! Neither thought processes nor imaginations and perceptions are visible. We get to know all processes of the brain which we normally call as mind by actions and behaviors. Behavioral studies are common in studies of the intelligence of all organisms. It is customary to attach intelligence to humans but behavioral studies have proved all organisms have intelligence. We can observe the intelligence from behaviors and products of organism. Studying product of intelligence will help us to understand the evolution of intelligence. Beside the behavioral studies and products of intelligence, the comparative studies of the brain of animals also help us to understand the intelligence. The most interesting resemblance is in three areas of brain with brains of reptiles, Mammals and a special area peculiar of human brain.
There are confusions and disagreement about the intelligence. We haven’t any single definition of intelligence due to main following reasons:
1- We have focused on particular aspects of intelligence so observational differences and conclusions are ultimate.
2- We always tried to understand intelligence as a single entity. Even the hypothesis of multiple intelligences is based on the particular aspects of the single intelligence.
It is also interesting to note that unicellular organisms have behaviors that indicate the diversity of their intelligence but the multicellular organisms of plant group that have much diversified evolutions show no peculiar organ for intelligence as animals have like brain. The movements and complexity of relationships have helped evolution of intelligence. The carnivorous animals have larger brains than herbivorous animals which indicate the relations of evolutionary adaptations brain and intelligence.
Emotional intelligence and its evidences in the rate of the success of people is another important area that reveal least understood and least studied and focused part of intelligence. A simple comparative study of the rational and emotional intelligence will reveal the relations between two intelligences and importance of the emotional intelligence.
Beside the emotional intelligence there is another intelligence which is intelligence of non living objects which we know as artificial intelligence. Our reliance on accuracy, speed, flexibility and potentials of artificial intelligence has made the understanding of the intelligence more confusing and complex.
If we focus on following points the understanding of the intelligence become obvious and easy:
1- Non-living objects have intelligence. The artificial intelligence is the proof of such intelligence. The natural non living objects also have intelligence. The physical and chemical processes are the evident of this intelligence. Evolutionary structures of the compounds are best example of these intelligent behaviors. Artificial intelligence has led the atomicity of the intelligence beyond the DNA (An organic molecule) to atomic and subatomic levels.
2- Unicellular organisms have intelligence. Microbial and viral intelligence all well known especially the bacterial response to the use of antibacterial medicines developed by fungi and human. Antibacterial medicines are the battle ground of the intelligence of bacteria and human. It is really interesting that Human despite of a much evolved brain have come very late in conscious battle against the bacterial intelligence.
3- Plants played key role in diversifying the life and they have diversified and evolved to intelligent adaptations. Food chain start from plants and end on plants but again despite the diversity and evolutions of plants they haven’t evolved a specialized organ for intelligence responses.
4- Animals have developed a specialized organ of intelligence by name of brain. The brains have evolved along evolutions of organisms so today men can compare the brains the animals and correlate them with levels of their intelligent acts. These comparative studies have helped men understand the evolution of brain and intelligence.
5- Carnivorous animals have larger brain as they are more evolved than herbivorous animals and more complex life styles that requires advanced intelligences as compared to herbivorous life styles.
6- Human brain has three main areas similar to reptilian brain, mammalian brain and Homo sapiens brain. We can relate the functions and specialties of human brain and intelligence to these areas as follows:
a- Reptilian brain: The intelligence that emerges out of reptilian brain is the intelligence of basic survival. People who live in harsh environments like nomads, desert dwellers, glacier dwellers and rough and rigid areas have good skills of basic survival. It is not only nomads but many in big cities love hard manual and physical jobs than mental works, love sports than creative works and love army than official jobs. Certainly these individuals have dominant reptilian intelligence which govern over two other mammalian and Homo sapiens intelligences.
b- Mammalian brain: Mammals have characteristically evolved social lives and their brain has to support intelligence required for socialization. A quick glance around us and thinking about people we know very closely, we find that some people are quiet intelligent in socializing. They make friends and love to meet new people and have strong relations within relatives. The socialization skills are mainly based in mammalian brain. It dominates over reptilian and Homo sapiens brain and uses them for socializing.
c- Homo sapiens brain: The cerebrum has two distinct hemisphere specialized for creative mental processes peculiar of Humans.
i- Left hemisphere is home to rational intelligence. Individuals whose left hemisphere is dominant over other areas of brain are good in abstract thinking like mathematics and understanding real world in abstract manners. Logical and analytical thinking are the distinctions of these groups of individuals. This group of people thinks very oddly that look complex and idiot to common people. Their left hemisphere dominates over other brain and uses their potential for logical and analytical thinking and activities.
ii- Right hemisphere is home to imaginative intelligence. Creative thinking is the distinction of this brain. Perceptions and imaginations of this group of individuals usually cross the real world. Arts and literature are main products of imaginative intelligence. Individuals with dominant imaginative intelligence use all other areas of their brain to serve the imaginations of the right hemisphere.
Result:
As I have discussed above the intelligence is not a single phenomenon of the brain. It exists beyond brain even in non living objects in form of what we know as artificial intelligence. Brain is a special organ evolved by animals to adapt their complex life styles. Plants haven’t developed such organ but yet they have intelligence. The evolutions, diversifications and adaptations of plants are evident of their intelligence. Still brain is not a single entity but it has special areas for specific intelligent acts. Hence despite of trying to understand the intelligence as a single entity and confuse ourselves it is better to classify the intelligence based on their specializations and dominance and study them. It is very clear that our intelligence is composite and by classifying them we will explore hidden potentials of different intelligence that we have.
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