"Smart" people

Quite frankly, every time someone says "wow, he/she is so smart" I get angry. Reason being, the word "smart" is too subjective to define and apply, thus too subjective to be said.

First off, the word "smart" and "intelligence" have different meanings. Intelligence is ALOT more justifiable, and can be defined as: "ability to learn about, learn from, understand, and interact with one’s environment". In essence, its not how greatly our brain works, but why it works.

The problem starts defining this five letter word: "smart". Accurately defining "smart" is a very complex concept, as the definition has a very optimistic nature to it.
While there may be a clearer agreement as to what constitutes being "smart", the real world aspect is impossible to match to (ill explain below). Accordingly, while defining this word, our perceptions of this word are somewhat common, this fact in its self alone is the only hard strain of supporting evidence to the definition; thus quashing any attempt to rightfully have this word exist.

Also, as human beings, a person may be good at learning calculus and terrible at learning to dance or vice versa. How do you incorporate such a dymanic like this into a single meaning one word? If one wants to pick and chose while compling a definition of the word (through saying "smart" is dependent on what the person can do), the credibility of the world is substantially lowered.

This leads me to my next point, how do you gauge smartness?

Of course the largest answer would be in the form of tests (SAT, ACT, IQ tests, school tests, etc) or quizzes. However, there are too many factors present in those devices to accurately scope smartness: ability to guess, mental fatigue, pressure, the answer being always infront of you, time limits (sometimes) and some generally do not take tests as well as others. Also, can a single number (a score on an IQ test) adequately represent the complex and diverse capabilities of a human being? In a perfect world, these factors would toss tests/quizes right out the window.

Another device people like to hide behind is GPA. "Wow, he has a 5.0 weighted GPA, taking all honor and AP classes, with a dual PHD, he must be smart". Again, just like with tests/quizes, there are factors here which hinder a vanilla defination of smartness. Primarlly, motivation for success can cause an uproar in being "smart", causing a stray away from a just defination. Also note there are plently of other factors, just that is generally the most influential one.

Also, Howard Gardner, an American developmental psychologist developed a scale of intelligence, defining 8 sections of intelligence:

Bodily-kinesthetic, the ability to use one’s physical body well.
Interpersonal, the ability to sense other’s feelings and be in tune with others.
Intrapersonal, self-awareness. The ability to know your own body and mind.
Linguistic, the ability to communicate well, perhaps both orally and in writing, perhaps in several languages.
Logical-mathematical, the ability to learn higher mathematics. The ability to handle complex logical arguments.
Musical, the ability to learn, perform, and compose music.
Naturalistic, the ability to understand different species, recognize patterns in nature, classify natural objects.
Spatial, the ability to know where you are relative to fixed locations. The ability to accomplish tasks requiring three-dimensional visualization and placement of your hands or other parts of your body.

Of course, those were ment to define intelligence, but the words intelligence and smart are linked to each other. The question here is how does a test or gpa measure those all fields?

Since "smart" is too hard to reasonably and fairly define, apply, and measure, this word shouldn't exist.

 

"Smart" is a social paradigm implying someone is good at whatever they're doing, or perhaps in multiple things. You can slander on about it however much will make you happy, but to be honest all it is is a complement to that person's particular skill or intelligence, usually in academic fields. You're becoming irrationally infuriated by something so mundane and trivial. Furthermore, you're more likely to be called "smart" if you're good at more than one thing, or something which the majority have issues with.

I'm often called smart, but though I'm modest about it I don't berate the complement. I get frequent As in English, almost straight As in Maths, Straight As in Japanese (well, my last mark was a B+, but average mark for this year is still A-), straight Bs in Maths C (the more advanced and difficult maths class, where A makes you a God), As and Bs in Chemistry and Physics. People are going to call me smart for that because a lot of them can barely understand mathematical concepts, few do another language, and many have trouble grasping concepts in the sciences. I take it as a complement and use it to better my self-confidence, and as human beings are social beings, my subconscious thought is essentially: "If other people think so, I'm at least this good, and maybe I can do better."

In all seriousness, it's a non-issue.

 

Concepts/words that are hard to define should be shunned from language...?

Time, spin, locality. Screw you scientific concepts, we don't need you.

 

That's stupid, it's to say that there are no smart people on this planet?

 

Definitions from dictionary.com:

smart - having or showing quick intelligence or ready mental capability: a smart student.

intelligent - having good understanding or a high mental capacity; quick to comprehend, as persons or animals: an intelligent student.

The definition of smart according to Thesaurus.com is intelligent.

The definition of intelligent according to Thesaurus.com is very smart.

To me they are one in the same, synonyms of one another. I really don't see why you're trying to pick these two words apart, and give them two completely different meanings. Intelligent is just as subjective as the word smart.

 

you are too serious... people are not hostile when they say you are smart. so easy~

 

Swan sums up my thoughts on this matter.

Smartness is another's perception of one's ability. The greater one's perception of you, the greater your self-confidence, and greater the motivation to do things associated with being smart/achieving prerequisites which would make one consider you smart such as. 'going to university', or 'getting a good job'.

In my opinion, the word 'smart' is merely a social tool in the form of an adjective.