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Does someone have to be college educated to be intelligent?

It certainly can help, but is it a must? I don't think it is a guarantee. I think it depends on your line of work. I can have in-depth philosophical conversations with all of my college counterparts (one's that are very well-versed in a wide array of topics, one's that I do consider intelligent). I have gained general knowledge about many topics through research and reading many books. In other words, I responsibly took matters into my own hands because I never really cared for the structure of our schools. I can outwit plenty of college-educated folks (especially theists), because I noticed that even if they are reasonable with most things, they can be unreasonable with other things (I'm in no way implying that people that are not college educated are more intelligent on average, just that it is possible). I'd like think I have done my best without college. I still have taken several of college workshop classes that are structured differently since I found them to be much more useful in my personal pursuit of knowledge. What do you think?

AustinSkepticus 7 Apr 2
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58 comments

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1

In my opinion Intelligence is like a muscle, if you don't use it then it just wastes away. College is like a gym for the mind and it also provides the Shiboleths by which the intelligent recognise each other. This is important in later life as when we leave college it provides the support system by which we challenge each other to keep sharp. College is by no means the only way this can happen but without something to replace is all you have is the aptitude, not actual ability.

Also, at the risk of stretching the gym analogy to breaking point - there's people who take out a membership, buy all the kit and learn the lingo yet remain oblivious to their own ineptitude by virtue of never engaging in any form of challenge.

10

Nope, I know plenty of well educated morons.

Yep, you find a lot of them in governments all over the world. 😉

9

I teach at a college and some of our professors are dumb as a post! Knowledgeable in their field but plain 'ol stupid as people. Sad.

7

Hell no. I'm almost entirely self educated and got within the 98th percentile in the nation (10 years ago, but I haven't stopped learning everything I can). Trump graduated college and the guy is as intelligent as a lead paint chip.

Now begs the question of what type of intelligence is considered intelligent? I know genius who can solve mathematical equations blindfolded underwater but can't tell how many PSI should be in their tires. I know people who are highly intelligent in many areas, but borderline special needs in others (I fail at mathematics. I can only do the basic addition and subtraction...I'm talking single digits, but I scored college level in reading, writing, comprehension, history and science in middle school.)

@LadyAlyxandrea Adaptability, Achedmic or How many iPhones can you sell in a year ?

@Nickbeee I am adaptable and academic but I probably couldn't sell a single iPhone especially because I hate apple lol

@LadyAlyxandrea Haha!!!! I use Mac laptops (pc's too - I mod em all).. Good for music.. I am not made to sell stuff !! haha. Being kinda fundamentally opposed to the capitalist system on one level - Don't like I phones though .. use android .. Chinese Elephone lol .. ten core processor £140 . . I phones are overpriced more than the laptops lol

@LadyAlyxandrea Everyone has their weaknesses. Just makes us human.

6

Intelligence isn't about going to college.
Going to college doesn't guarantee intelligence.

5

I don't think so at all. I think there is a huge difference between intelligence and education. I think the intelligence has more to do with what you are born with, commom sense, and your ability to learn. People that don't have access to an education can still be intelligent.

5

I don't have a college degree, but many people think I'm pretty sharp. I had people with degrees working for me, some were smart, some not.

5

I've known a lot of college graduates who are complete morons

4

No. But an intelligent person with an education is good. I also know some so called educated people that are dumb as f**k.

4

No. We have been conditioned to equate human worth with pieces of paper whether they be signed off on by a dean or have pictures of dead presidents on them. What you are capable of learning and what you do learn are two different things. We currently have all the information in the world at our fingertips and anything we want to know we can learn. A piece of paper does not make us more or less intelligent. Knowledge is attainable by anyone. There will be some jobs that will require a degree but most don't. Figure out what you want and decide if the expense is worth it. But don't sell yourself short if you don't have a degree. There is little that they will teach you in college that you can't learn on your own. If you need to be around like-minded people then look through your local MeetUp groups and find people that you mesh with. Anyone that treats you like you are lesser because they have advanced degrees and you don't isn't very intelligent, they are insecure and weak.

some of it seems like elitism and bragging rights.

4

Many intellectuals of the past were self-taught.

[en.m.wikipedia.org]

4

Perhaps in college you get exposed to some ideas that you wouldn't self educating yourself. College can also help give structure to your intellectual pursuits that you don't necessarily get on your own. But otherwise education and intelligence are two different things.

4

Yes the fact that you do your own research shows your intelligence. However, I keep convincing my intelligent 22 yr old daughter who had college paid for to go back and get her GED. Unfortunately in today's world you need more than a high school diploma if you are career minded and want a livable income. Technical school, community college, vocational training is continuing your education and prepping for a trade.

4

Definitely not.

4
3

I think intelligence is innate; education is pursued.

3

College won't make you intelligent, just educated. Isn't that understood?

3

No but a college degree demonstrates that your intellect has been tested which is valued in today's society. As a result college grads are provided more economic opportunities.

Our current education system and society will be revolutionized in fifteen or twenty years when nanotechnology will enable humans to simply download information to their Neocortex. see the link...

[ted.com]

3

I'm educated and I'm lucky if I can get my clothes on right

LOL. I like you. You're funny

@SherryMartin thanks

3

I just barely graduated high school and begrudgingly attempted a brief online college course years later. And yet...I'm still wicked smaht (despite a slight New England accent and major potty mouth causing me to seem otherwise at times).

The problem is not that I'm unintelligent. It's that I don't learn the way the school system wanted me to and I get bored very easily when I am not hands-on learning. School was hell for me for those reasons, and I saw little real-world use for the information that was being fed to us. It all seemed to be a waste of time. No one, myself included, understood that my brain is just wired differently. All of my current knowledge was learned through life experience or from genuine interest in the subject.

So, long story short, I believe intelligence is innate and cannot be taught.

In fact, some of the smartest people I know went to trade school and graduated with no debt and an instant career. They do very well for themselves now! I often kick myself for not doing the same.

I think you just summarized my exact struggle with school. I always had teachers telling how smart I was but they were confused why I didn't want to complete homework assignments that I considered of little or no value, just busy work. I stopped studying for tests starting my sophomore year (I hated what I called a culture of too much testing not enough learning. It was mostly about briefly memorizing a bunch of things, regurgitating these things on paper, then forgetting about it the next week. On top of that, despite seeing that critical thinking would be taught on many class rubrics, I learned practically no critical thinking skills in HS). Strangely enough, I passed the majority of my classes despite not studying for them (even completed many classes with 90%s and 80s). I had enough 2 months before being done with Junior year and dropped out. Two months later I passed all GED tests on the first try (didn't study for that either lol), almost all my scores were near the advanced score besides math, which I passed narrowly.

3

Nope. I've met some really dumb people that have a college degree of some sort. I ended my formal education in 9th grade. 8 years later I took the ACT's and scored 2 points above the national average. I just took the test. I didn't study anything.

When my oldest son was in 8th grade they gave him some kind of asssesment test and he scored higher than most graduating seniors.

2

Your fourth sentence nailed it .When Mensa and Intertel were first being established , one of the first things they attempted to learn was , what do these people who scored higher on the tests , all have in common ? It wasn't higher education , although , a greater number of intelligent people do have a higher education than the general population . It was that they are voracious readers . The more you read, the more you learn .

2

Intelligence is genetic. Education is learned. I am self educated. I focus on early Christianities. Every time I speak with a Christian minister they ask me where I went to seminary. Does it mean I am intelligent? No. I am simply educated. It is nice to have both, I hope that I do have both. If I am not super smart I can fake it with education.

2

Beware of those who speak of IQ Intelligence. Look that one up which will take you into the Jungle of the Mind and who lives in what tree from which who grows the best fruits.
I'm a Veteran who went to a Community College and advanced to a Four Year Accredited College. I remained on the Deans List for all of these Learned Institutiions and I only accomplished this thur working numerous summer jobs for if I fell off the track it would be a major disaster that would take me a while to recover from.
It was the hardest job I ever had and the most challenging one I ever had to endure and when I got to the end of the rope did I come to know that the light at the end of the tunnel was not another train coming to meet me head on.

2

Of course not

2

Intellectuals are defined by their thirst for knowledge. It can come from a college or watching jeopardy on TV.

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