Knowledge just for the sake of knowledge...

[Bozo Erectus]

...Is it worthwhile? Does intelligence have an intrinsic value, or does it have to yield tangible economic results for a person in order for it to have value, like a big house and two SUVs in the driveway? How about a person who's IQ is off the scale, but for whatever reason, is perfectly content living in a shack and selling cheap handmade trinkets to tourists. Is his or her great intelligence a waste?

 

[El_Machinae]

In an economic sense, yes, under using intelligence is a waste to society. Like owning a pet though, having intelligence is comforting and nice in its own way even if it doesn't really contribute to your society.

As well, if I could wave my magic wand and decide whether the knick-knack salesman in the shack is intelligent or stupid; I'd want him to be intelligent.

 

[ArneHD]

Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is more than worthwhile.

And yes, to some extent, if this person really is as intelligent as you wish to portray him. It's a waste and a shame, but I would not interfear with whatever he is doing, providing he is really content.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is worth pursuing. Not all of our goals need to be defined in economic terms.

 

[Jawz II]

If youre really curious then sure, it is worthwhile. If no then no, it's not.

 

[skadistic]

Knowledge is only wasted when its not shared.

 

[Dann]

Does intelligence... have to yield tangible economic results for a person in order for it to have value, like a big house and two SUVs in the driveway?

YES!

How about a person who's IQ is off the scale, but for whatever reason, is perfectly content living in a shack and selling cheap handmade trinkets to tourists. Is his or her great intelligence a waste?

YES!

Not all of our goals need to be defined in economic terms.

Yes they do!

And because I am still merely working 9 to 5 instead of being my own boss at my age I consider myself a failure, and definitely lacking in wisdom.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Dann, how about a guy who is so intelligent he comes up with a cure for AIDS, but instead of getting a patent for it and charging whatever the market can bear for it, he gives it away for free to the world, and he dies poor, and unknown. Was his intelligence a waste?

 

[Truronian]

Never know when knowledge will come in useful (unless you're sufficiently knowledgable, I suppose).

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

Dann, how about a guy who is so intelligent he comes up with a cure for AIDS, but instead of getting a patent for it and charging whatever the market can bear for it, he gives it away for free to the world, and he dies poor, and unknown. Was his intelligence a waste?

Or invents the jet engine and shares the information for "King and Country" and dies poor?

 

[Dann]

Dann, how about a guy who is so intelligent he comes up with a cure for AIDS, but instead of getting a patent for it and charging whatever the market can bear for it, he gives it away for free to the world, and he dies poor, and unknown. Was his intelligence a waste?

In that case he is a saint, and is beyond comparison to us mere mortals.

However, even if he gives the formula away for free the pharmaceutical companies will be sure to patent it and then fleece the rest of humanity anyway. A most noble but wasted effort I say.

 

[Dann]

Or invents the jet engine and shares the information for "King and Country" and dies poor?

In this case he was being a patriot. And it was also a very different time from our current peaceful, capitalist, consumerist world.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

In this case he was being a patriot. And it was also a very different time from our current peaceful, capitalist, consumerist world.

I agree, 'profit' isn't measured only in monetary terms.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Or invents the jet engine and shares the information for "King and Country" and dies poor?

Whittle, disenfranchised, quit what was left of Power Jets in 1948. Long a socialist, his experiences with nationalisation changed his mind and he later campaigned for the Conservative Party

Thats funny. How does that saying go? A young man who isnt a liberal has no heart, an old man who still is one, has no brain

He also retired from the RAF, complaining of ill health, leaving with the rank of Air Commodore. Shortly afterwards he received £100,000 from the Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors, partly to pay him for turning over all of his shares of Power Jets when it was nationalised. He was made a Knight of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in that same year.

Well, he didnt do too bad. 100 grand was alot of money back then, and an OBE aint nothing to sneeze at either. But of course, by todays standards, he basically sold Manhattan Island for a handful of beads.

In that case he is a saint, and is beyond comparison to us mere mortals.

Hey man, like, speak for yourself, only my body is, like, mortal [/kissing the sky]

However, even if he gives the formula away for free the pharmaceutical companies will be sure to patent it and then fleece the rest of humanity anyway. A most noble but wasted effort I say.

Wasted because he didnt have lots of material possessions? For you, Intelligence = Wealth, Wealth = Intelligence?

 

[El_Machinae]

Dann, how about a guy who is so intelligent he comes up with a cure for AIDS, but instead of getting a patent for it and charging whatever the market can bear for it, he gives it away for free to the world, and he dies poor, and unknown. Was his intelligence a waste?

Only if he didn't go safely have sex with half of Africa, first.

 

[Dann]

Wasted because he didnt have lots of material possessions? For you, Intelligence = Wealth, Wealth = Intelligence?

No, Intelligence =/= wealth. Not all who are intelligent become rich.

It takes a different and very rare kind of smarts to parlay intelligence into a fortune. That is why there are only so many Bill Gates around.

And before any questions get raised I will already preemtively state that I don't have that particular kind of smarts. If I did I won't be sitting here now.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

Well knowledge for the sake of knowledge is my hobby. Strange facts come in handy time to time. It has boosted my grades, so it is good for economics.

 

[Atticus]

I don't think knowledge for sake of it self is worth anything. Many people get pleasure of knowing things or reading about them, and that pleasure is worth something. But knowledge it self isn't. You could for example memorize phone numbers, and after that you would know more, but would it be a good thing? Or would you like to know what's the colour of the shirt I'm wearing?

Knowledge is often glorified too much. There are people who claim their lifes only and sole purpose is to know things. Sometimes it takes a sad turn when they come obsessed with being more civilized. But it's like money: when your dead it doesn't do any good to you. If konwledge helps you enjoy your life, it's good. If you get obsessed with it and have a bad time, bad.

 

[warpus]

Knowledge is not intelligence.

And of course it's worth collecting knowledge "just for the sake of it". It may not be useful to you, but it might very well be useful to somebody else down the road. It could even be useful to you at some point in the future, who knows!

As for intelligence, that is totally seperate from knowledge.

 

[HypnosTene]

Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is worth pursuing. Not all of our goals need to be defined in economic terms.

Yes they do!

And because I am still merely working 9 to 5 instead of being my own boss at my age I consider myself a failure, and definitely lacking in wisdom.

Man, that's about the saddest thing I've ever read on these forums, sadder than the few creationist threads I managed to read. I really hope you're just being sarcastic.

I don't think knowledge for sake of it self is worth anything. Many people get pleasure of knowing things or reading about them, and that pleasure is worth something. But knowledge it self isn't. You could for example memorize phone numbers, and after that you would know more, but would it be a good thing? Or would you like to know what's the colour of the shirt I'm wearing?

As Zappa used to say 'information is not knowledge'.

( Information is not knowledge, knowledge is not truth, truth is not beauty, beauty is not love, love is not music, music is the best )]

For myself, I find the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake to be one of the few worthwile activities I've found in life so far.