Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site luke.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!ariel!vax135!petsd!peora!pesnta!hplabs!oliveb!bene!luke!itkin
From: itkin@luke.UUCP (Steven List)
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Re. Intelligence
Message-ID: <263@luke.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 1-Jul-85 16:04:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: luke.263
Posted: Mon Jul  1 16:04:32 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 4-Jul-85 05:50:41 EDT
References: <2778@decwrl.UUCP> <503@ttidcc.UUCP>
Reply-To: itkin@luke.UUCP (Steven List)
Organization: Benetics Corp, Mt.View, CA
Lines: 29
Summary: 

In article <503@ttidcc.UUCP> hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) writes:
>In article <2778@decwrl.UUCP> arndt@lymph.DEC writes:
>>
>>Er, . . . it seems to me that intelligence, whatever it is, surely means the
>>ability to survive in whatever environment one finds oneself.  That includes
>>the ability to come to terms with a hard world.
>
>By this definition cockroaches and rats  are  among  the  most  intelligent
>creatures on earth.
>-- 
>The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe)

How about if we expand the arndt definition to say that intelligence
means the ability to survive by the manipulation of the environment.
Thus, examining the cockroach and rat shows them to be exempt.  The
lower primates, however, begin to demonstrate intelligence.  Even dogs
and cats do manipulate their environment to a certain degree.

Being both a kid-lover and sf-lover, I've seen and heard this issue
discussed and defined in many ways.  Clearly, studies have shown that
intelligence is relative to the culture and society.  Ghetto blacks,
desert nomads, and city whites all demonstrate intelligence in different
ways.  The key word is "demonstrate".
-- 
***
*  Steven List @ Benetics Corporation, Mt. View, CA
*  Just part of the stock at "Uncle Bene's Farm"
*  {cdp,greipa,idi,oliveb,sun,tolerant}!bene!luke!steven
***