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Distinguishing Characteristic of Exceptionally Intelligent Individuals

Assessing someone's intelligence by gauging their ability to distinguish truth from personal biases is a suggestion by a TikToker, but the scientific community appears to disagree with this approach.

Differentiating qualities of exceptionally intelligent individuals versus intellectually superior...
Differentiating qualities of exceptionally intelligent individuals versus intellectually superior ones

Distinguishing Characteristic of Exceptionally Intelligent Individuals

In the realm of social media, TikTok user @jackxwil, known as a 'self-proclaimed armchair logician,' has been making waves with his discussions on intelligence and bias. According to Jack, highly intelligent people possess a high degree of emotional intelligence, which enables them to separate the truth from their biases and approach opinions with more respect.

This notion is not without controversy. Tauriq Moosa, a writer who has commented on topics including intelligence and bias, wrote for Big Think that being smarter does not necessarily make you better at transcending unjustified views and bad beliefs. Moosa argues that smarter people are better able to narrate themselves, internally, out of inconsistencies, blunders, and obvious failures at rationality.

However, a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests the opposite. The research concludes that people who have higher levels of intelligence actually have a harder time seeing past their biases. This paradox raises questions about the relationship between intelligence and rationality.

Despite this, Jack remains optimistic. He believes that highly intelligent people can understand when they are choosing their biases over information and can appreciate well-reasoned opinions, even if they are not the ones he personally agrees with. Jack values highly intelligent people who can explain their reasoning for their conclusions, and he prefers those who can see past their own biases.

Mary-Faith Martinez, a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and Journalism, covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics. In her work, she often explores the complexities of human intelligence and the challenges of overcoming bias. As the discussion on intelligence and rationality continues, it is clear that there is much to learn and consider.

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