What does the term intellectual mean?

[Coloow]

Salaama,

 

Here is a question for the "philosophers". The term intellectual has become a catchphrase in many circles these days. I would like to know what comes to your mind when you see these term? how do you become an intellectual? are so called intellectuals more talented than the non-intellectuals? what is the dividing line? talent, creativity, brains etc? Education?

 

Have you ever seen one?

 

Thanks in advance

[Coloow]

what does stupidity mean?

[Miriam1]

hahha "What does stupidity mean?"

Intelletual---An individual that is learned in many facets of our past and current world.

Open-minded, and able to debate intelligently without getting emotional and personal.

 

Stupid...the opposite of everything above.

[Modesty]

Intellectual is someone of 'high modernization' that can comprehend things that other people can't easily comprehend.

[Coloow]

wHAT IS IT THAT MAKES YOU STUPID/INTELLECTUAL? STUDIES, EXPERIENCE? AND WHO DECIDES IF YOU ARE AN INTELLECTUAL OR STUPID?

[Khayr]

Salaamz

wHAT IS IT THAT MAKES YOU STUPID/INTELLECTUAL? STUDIES, EXPERIENCE? AND WHO DECIDES IF YOU ARE AN INTELLECTUAL OR STUPID?

The modern view of what makes a person an intellectual is based on their accumulation of knowledge in quantification i.e. MBA,LLB & PHD

and the fact that you are SKEPTIC about everything. That you question religion, creation and society! If you look at the intellectual elites of modernism i.e. Galaleo, Descarte, Einstein, Stephen Hawkins etc. they are praised because they DARED to be SKEPTICAL of what was revealed in the Revelations. They wanted to seek new areas of knowledge for the mere sake of knowledge and questioning of the Church.

In the traditional view of knowledge, knowledge was always connected to it benefitting the SOUL and helping a person to grow closer to ALLAH .

In this modern day and time, the effects of the quantification of knowledge can be seen.

The rasul (salallahu caliyhe wasilm) said that if anyone wants to see how much knowledge has been given to MAN , let him go the ocean and put their finger in it and see what they can take from it.

Meaning that MAN can not know everything and that what MAN has been given interms of Ilim/Knowledge is very little.

 

In the Islamic view, an Intellectual is one who seeks to KNOW ALLAH and has GNOSIS (Intuitive Intellection). Inshallah, this can only be attained through KNOWLEDGE (OF RELIGION FIRSTLY (QURAN,SUNNAH,SHARIAH,TARIQA) + PRACTICE (THE KNOWLEDGE SHOULD PREMEATE THROUGH THE DAILY LIFE OF THE MUSLIM)===UNDERSTANDING

 

Definition of Stupidity

Modernity---Lack of Quantification in Knowledge

Often you are considered STUPID if you can not speak ENGLISH well or adapt to modern society.

 

Islamic View- IGNORANCE=STUPIDITY . Meaning the rejection of Tawhid (Unity of Existence/ONENESS OF CREATION/ALLAH) is STUPIDITY. Because the fact that MAN can question his Nothingness and existence, is a proof that Allah exists and that he has appointed Man as his Khalifah in this World.

 

As to who decides if you are an Intellectual/Stupid?

 

Well, in Modernity, this is best measured in your rank in society via how many degrees you hold, how high your position is in a company, university etc.

 

In the Islamic view, this is often done through TIME and especially after the Muslim Intellectual/Alim has passed away.

 

4 things continue for a man after his death to give him Hassnat/Ajar/Barakah and one of them is the KNOWLEDGE/ALIM that a muslim has shared with others i.e. in the form of books, teachings to his students etc.

[Coloow]

Khayr very impressive response brother! so the bottom line is that intellectuality has nothing to do with stupidity. but has to do with a social construction based on knowledge being the banner of enlightment. In essense it has nothing to do with the brain absorping but of reflectivness.

 

Do you think that intellectualism is overrated? I assume you have seen some wise men in africa whose reasoning reminds of decartes, kuhn and the rest of so called philosophers..... although many of this non-academic intellectuals don't use logical arguments.

[Positive]

Entrepreneur,

 

This is an important issue. I hope that I will be coming back and will further discuss the subject with you. But in short this intellectual stuff has lately been misused both by the academics and the laymen. It become a title that IS used (only) for earning a living.

 

I will add the following to what Khayr already said:

 

Knowledge is already inside everyone of us. It is in Soul and it is waiting to be taped at.

 

The problem is that we have lost contact with SOUL and consequently most of us are in darkness. We then seek knowledge in an indirect way: gathering it from those others who are more open to their Higher Self, Soul. The wisdom of the universe can better be taped at through Soul, but the readiness of the taping depends on the level of mental purification of the person.

 

That is why you find for example a Somali nomad who is more gifted both in knowledge and intellectual capacity than learned intellectuals. The reason is that such a person( the nomad) has better contact with Soul. He/she does not need to use intellectual arguments but rather UTTERS truth that the intellect cannot reason and logic cannot explain!

 

To be humble and submit MIND to SOUL is more important than to depend intellect as our primary centre of expression.

 

Positive

[Fouzia_Bella]

quote(KHAYR) " IGNORANCE=STUPIDITY"...iam sorry but i disagree with that statement.there is a BIG difference between being ignorant and being stupid.

for example, if an individual does something moraly wrong and not knowing that whateva they are performing is a wrong act then that makes them ignorant.but going along with an act and knowing that whateva youre doing is wrong, then that make you stupid.

 

my definition of an intellectual is a person who sees and observes situations in many many different angles.

[Coloow]

Fouzia, who decides on what morality is? is it really the intellect?

[Captivating_SouL]

khayr & positive well said but to add my dime and four nickles i must say that being intellectual isnt having the attitude as though you are mentality wiser than your other..grant given that you withhold a knowldgable head but that shouldnt be an excuse for one to lower the self-esteem of the next person or challenge someone of their abilities. Its knowing and having the confidance, helping if needed and overly positive person, because what you give back today you might have received from someone long before..so in other words gratitude,self-determined,highly educated...and by that i should add being educated nor does it only come from attending school and there are a lot of us that arent fit for school..either be personally or they just feed up with it but that doesnt decline them of their intellectuality.

 

1..2...ciao

[Reality Check]

Intellegence: Some people have it, others simply don't!

 

:cool:

[Matkey]

Khayr, i could not have put it better!

 

 

Entrepreneur, let me see if i can answer this one

Originally posted by Entrepreneur:

Fouzia, who decides on what morality is? is

it really the intellect?

According to my limited knowledge, morality is relative term that varies on the basis of group or community context; thus culture and language are one of the main sources---which determine the context, according to secularism perspective. But from our Islamic perspective, our faith is definitive factor that determines what is to be moral in general. Islam sets guide-lines and principles for human being to follow, so that they can be a people of substance rather that mere beings. One’s moral behaviour is determined by how much knowledge (the purpose of his/her life in this world) one has. In other words a true IMAAN breeds good moral behaviour, while ignorance entails immoral behaviour. Knowledge (understanding of one’s duty to Allah) and morality (manifestation of the IMAN on human conduct or behaviour) are inseparable.

 

In the philosophical realm, there are different theories of exactly what is to be moral and corresponding differences concerning the best way to live. For this reason there have been ongoing philosophical debates in terms of what act is regarded as moral or immoral and applicability of definitive moral standard to every part of the world. Moral theories, to paraphrase, try to state the basic principle or the underlying ideas of morality. These philosophers (such as Kant, Hume, Descartes, Aristotle and so on) had tried to substantiate standard moral behaviour through mere reason rather than divine revelation. All most each one denied the premise upon which other’s edifice of idea was based. Their assumption that human perception and logic could lead to knowledge about metaphysical realty were unsatisfactory to obtain true understanding of their purpose of life. Hence morality becomes relative term---which depends on one’s own interpretation and understanding.

 

The implication is that In the processes of reasoning we discern more or less what act is acceptable and vice versa. Human beings are faced with difficulties---separating or constraining their desire during the process of reasoning,and hence ultimate decision coincide and suit their best “interest” even if it is opposite to Allah’s commandment. It is for this reason that we need faith to govern our desire and action.

 

I didn’t give specific example as to what is/isn't moral . My definition is definitely based on Islamic approach. my knowledge of both realm (philosophy and theology) is VERY LIMITED, so may Allah forgive me for the unintended mistakes.

 

waalykum aslaam

[Baashi]

Entrepreneur,

What comes to my mind is a bright fellow, like Aristotle, who tries very hard to understand nature’s secrets and ends up dealing with abstractions. Intellectuals become synonymous with skeptics who find necessary not to believe anything that is inaccessible to human understanding. Deductive reasoning is their scripture – nothing escapes from it. As a Muslim I believe that anyone who subscribe to that idea will get lost into either circular reasoning or infinite regression. Halkaas baan ka taagnahey! I use it superficially as an English word but I don’t have a high regard to its bearers anymore. Think about it…Karl Marx, Darwin, and the company are the leading intellectuals in academia circles. I prefer Aristotle and Greek philosophers as they lived at the world’s infancy and hence lacked revelation. In any event, intellectuals are part of the upper echelons of the global elite.

 

How do you become an intellectual?

Sxb I’m not sure cognizant Muslim would want to become one.

 

Are so called intellectuals more talented than the non-intellectuals?

They r more logical and rational but not talented than average folk.

 

What is the dividing line? talent, creativity, brains etc? Education?

Here is the dividing line: the deep rooted belief that nothing is remote from senses and reason. Couple that with intellect, discipline, education, and burning desire to solve a problem with the understanding that revelations and God has nothing to do with it…then you have an intellectual.

 

We, people of faith, would not have any problem with this criterion as the basis to reach the truth: “The guidance of God, the light of reason, and testimony of sense”. This wouldn’t contradict the Islamic creed.

 

Have you ever seen one?

Yes. A self-appointed one, a professor of political philosophy.

 

Now! Scientist are different category (at least to me) as they are the ones who advance the human knowledge to conquer the nature.

[Coloow]

Matkey, Baashi and the rest of you thanks for the responses.