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Q. What does each of the following quotations mean to you?

(a) “It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Approach:

• Briefly explain the meaning of intelligence.
• Discuss the other factors needed apart from intelligence to act intelligently.
• Give appropriate examples to support your arguments.
• Conclude appropriately.

Answer:

Intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills, which provide us with specific utility to solve a particular problem. In the given statement, Fyodor Dostoyevsky stresses on the limitation of intelligence alone to solve the problems faced by an individual in one’s personal, professional and social life.

In this regard, it can be said that one needs something more than intelligence to act intelligently, which, for instance, can be:

• Wisdom: It is the ability to analyze any situation with logic, reasoning and experience to arrive at the best result. Intelligence can take one as far as having the ability to understand something but it requires wisdom to apply that intelligence in the right manner to get a better result. For example, an intelligent officer can detect the source of leakage in public distribution systems or corruption in drug procurement and supply systems and take remedial steps. However, a wise administrator will likely be able to anticipate early hurdles and would take necessary measures beforehand.
• Empathy: Without empathy, intelligence is nothing more than the ability to determine facts. Empathy, along with an ability to see a situation for what it is, is necessary for a person to make an intelligent move. Empathy driven human angle in problem-solving is required in addressing intricate problems such as the issue of Naxalism and secessionist tendencies.
• Situational awareness: Along with intelligence, one must be aware of the situation surrounding him/her to make a right decision. For example, an efficient administrator should be aware of factors like resource constraint to make an intelligent decision as seen in the case of the development of the “people’s road” in Manipur, which was built without any financial support from the government.
• Moral awareness: Society’s morality takes precedence over the intelligence of an individual. While making any decision, one must also be aware of societal morality. For example, Gandhiji withdrew the non-cooperation movement after violence in the Chauri-Chaura incident due to societal morality, which dictates peace and justice.
• Imagination: Imagination is not bound by physical, social, legal and moral foundations of humans or society and can create different ideas, which are varied and unique. It is human imagination, which makes an individual apply his/her intelligence to bring something from imagination to reality. For instance, thinking out of the box to solve new problems like the COVID-19 pandemic, technological innovation to make life of differently-abled easier, etc.

Thus, intelligence alone has limited scope but when complimented with traits like empathy, wisdom/ experience, situational awareness, etc., it has varied applicability.