Intelligence Quotient has long been a very common subject of dispute amongst people in general, not only academicals.
People are generally interested in practical side of the result; whether the score promises success in life, mostly in terms of professional career, as following educational progress.
While IQ test surely are capable of evaluating certain aspect of human intelligence, they are not as reliable if we are to talk about life success.
The very first problem we encounter is related to defining human intelligence. We are not quite sure about what it actually represents and, thus, how could it be measured. IQ test try to put it in certain frame and evaluate it according to set of specific principles and rules. Many argue such principles are insufficient and to narrowing.
Let us try to figure out what intelligence is about. First thing is first, there has never been a straightforward definition of intelligence all would agree on, let alone accept it as perfectly reliable if we are to measure and evaluate it.
To start with, let us talk about the simplest approach to understanding intelligence.
As one of the geniuses of our time (and geniuses are people whose IQ score must be around 160, according to certain interpretations) has said, intelligence, in fact, represents our ability to adapt to changes.
Of course, it was a plausible and understandable approach. Our intelligence does serve us a defense mechanism, our specific survival kit it is.
We use mental abilities of gathering knowledge and applying it in real life, so to best fit into our surroundings as given. It is not about blending in, but living in harmony with natural laws and changes thereof. It often seems we have been doing exactly the opposite.
This other aspect relates to another specific ‘power’ we are equipped with, regarding our intellectual abilities.
Not only that we use intelligence to adapt to changes, but also we make changes ourselves.
Our mind has a creative potential; it does not only gather, store and apply learned, but uses it to invent something more. We adjust the world to our needs, as being the part of the world. Many would hesitate to call it a good thing, while others would boldly mark it is progress.
In any case, both of these aspects represent our intelligence and its tremendous potentials.
However, we are still at the doorsteps of perception, many would say. We do not fully understand our place in this universe, the origin of our intelligence and its full potentials.
Addressing Human intelligence
Human intelligence is something we deem to be so special for. True, we are the most intelligent creatures in our realm, if we take the definition of intelligence as proposed.
Intelligence is usually identified with verbal comprehension, logic, reasoning, deduction and such.
There is no place left for certain physical or especially imaginative talents. Imagination should probably be considered as a very important aspect of intelligence.
During the Romantic era, many philosophers and poets argued it was imagination that is the sets our world into motion, that it was the base of our understanding of it, and not the pure, strict and cold reason.
Imagination was not to be confused with fancy, which is what we, in modern times, usually associate it with. Imagination is, in fact, our mental creativity.
It definitely changes the perspective of the world, not only in imagination, but also in practice. Without it, hardly would anyone progress. Therefore, it would be good at least to consider it when trying to define intelligence.
Moreover, there is a conviction that we were the only intelligent species light years around, although it has never been confirmed.
Futuristic thinkers propose a strange, though alluring idea; there are, they say, other intelligent beings.
However, they are, in fact, far more intelligent than we are, so we cannot even imagine their existence. Our own intelligence is simply a stadium in the evolution of intelligence.
On one hand, it seems flattering to think that we were so special to be the only intelligent life in the universe; on the other side, it is scary to think so. In any case, we still have to work with what we have here.
Our earthly life is limited to our physical existence or at least it has been a prevailing opinion. We definitely use intelligence to deal with life we have here.
IQ and the Complexity of Intelligence
Tests that provide us with IQ scores are based on the simplified approach to human intelligence.
Well, it is far from simple, though it takes into consideration several parameters, not all that have been discussed as potentially very important in terms of evaluating an individual’s intelligence.
The theory of multiple intelligence challenges this common approach, claiming there have been at least eight types of human intelligence.
If we were to consider them all, it would be hard to end up with a strict single number and framed range on a classification scale.
This approach enlists logical intelligence, visual and spatial one, verbal and linguistic, physical intelligence, musical intelligence, naturalistic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal. It even proposes categories such as spiritual and moral intelligence.
If we take intelligence as a complex, consisted of different types of intelligences that are, indeed, all intertwined by something we could call general intelligence, though perfectly separable in terms of evaluating them, IQ tests do not prove so reliable.
The problem is that this theory is perhaps too wide, while IQ tests are too limiting. However, this approach values other individual capabilities, besides pure logic, task processing et cetera.
Exceptionally High IQ
If we turn to IQ scales, we would see there are ranges categorized as higher than the average score; not one of them, but many, if we look up for modern, more detailed scales.
There are special tests for high-range candidates. However, what interests us is what high IQ scores mean in real life. Genius scores are those from 140 and above, according to old Lewis Terman scale; 160 is considered ‘genius’ in most of the scales.
The greatest minds of humankind have been claimed to have IQ 160, great scientists such as Albert Einstein and Nikola Tesla. If we think of such examples, we could at least imagine what it means to have an exceptionally high IQ score.
First, it means that an individual exceeds given theories and knowledge, in a way.
Such highly intelligent individuals come up with brilliant, original, highly functional ideas that contribute to overall progress of humankind and to our understanding of the place we live in.
IQ 147 Score Meaning
Think about characteristics of high IQ scores we have presented on the example of famous scientists. IQ score 147 falls under the category of ‘genius’ in Terman’s scale.
On one modern scale, it is labeled as ‘intelligent’, which is not to be confused as having the intellect, being simply a step above what we tend to call unintelligent life (although it has also been a controversial and disputable reference).
This score is way above simply having the intelligence, high above the average. IQ score 147 qualifies one for Mensa, except if we take Cattell’s scale that proposes score 148 as the lower limit.
In any case, an individual with score 147 would most likely be successful in terms of academic circle. These individuals are perfect candidates for PhD degree.
They are capable of profound, extensive scientific work and of writing legible pieces. An individual with this high IQ could, for example, write a decent minor literary piece, which may sound piece of cake, but it is not.
It requires excellent deduction, investigation, verbal comprehension, logic, not to mention how profound and complex would be a PhD thesis.
Anyone could write and publish material these days, you probably think. However, the quality still matters, whatever you might think.
A research done by a 147 scorer would definitely be of great quality and purposeful to all humanity, believe it or not. High scorers are often considered loners and ‘geeks’, simply because they do not fit in average frames.
Well, it is true. Such scores are rare in comparison to majority. Average scorers make up for about 70% of population. This means that a high scorer would probably feel different and even isolated.
This does not mean he or she could not be happy in life. High IQ score opens up new opportunities, but it is not of especial use if lies dormant.
In fact, it would not exactly lie dormant, but it would raise many questions and doubts. This is why your score of 147 makes you an (over) thinker. In reality, it could be as good as it could be bad.
The actual manifestation of such an IQ would depend on personal ambition, personality profile, emotionality and more.
IQ score 147 could bring you amazing success in academic terms, if you wish to pursue academic career and high career goals that, of course, require proper education. It depends on a person.
One with 147 score could be shy and tender as a person, someone who does not like to impose their ideas, no matter how brilliant they might be; others may aspire high and boldly pursue their goals, influencing and inspiring others.
If you have scored this high, it is unlikely that academic world would not attract you.