Talk:Intellectual
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I feel lists of intellectuals are arbitary and should not be included.
- The list is of public intellectuals; it is rather easier to judge who belongs on a list such as that, at least for recent times. Of course the current list could easily be improved. Should no examples of intellectuals be mentioned? Charles Matthews 14:11, 24 Oct 2004 (UTC)
On this issue: someone wrote
- The following list is extremely biased to the far-left.
Well, it might be biased to the left. Do we need to 'balance' the list? To add a discussion of why self-identified intellectuals have often been on the left? To amplify the discussion as to why 'intellectual' was (in the wake of the Dreyfus affair) a derogatory term applied to the left from the right? To give up on listing intellectuals in this way? To start identifying conservative intellectuals who would agree to the term?
Charles Matthews 09:54, 29 Dec 2004 (UTC)
The list has gone - and the article is better for that. Charles Matthews 21:59, 11 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Contents |
[edit] Anti-intellectualism
This explanation of intellectualism committed the common fallacy that the use of the mind is naturally antagonistic to the use of the heart. In fact, intellectualism is not the same as attempting to be a robot-- the term merely refers a lifestyle dedicated to knowledge, learning and critical thinking.
[edit] Belletrist
Should the word 'belletrist' be included under the section "Men of Letters"? I see that the Cyril Connolly entry in wikipedia links to this page as "man of letters", but in Wikiquote he's a "belletrist", which seems to be a synonym.
- I think belles lettres is effectively limited to the writing of literary criticism (biography, history) in an essayistic style. It's not ridiculous for him, but a rather dated concept in general. Charles Matthews 22:36, 30 January 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Intellectual is also an adjective, and that's its first meaning in American English - why no mention?
When you run a search in "Google" for "intellectual," the Wikipedia suggestion pops up first, stating only that it is a noun (a person). But intellectual also refers to and is widely used as an adjective. It may even have been the first meaning of the word in classical English. Outside of upper brow writing and publications, it will mostly be used as an adjective. Calling someone an intellectual, I think, went out of fashion to some degree when Adlai Stevenson lost. I really like Bennett Cerf, mind you ... I just think the article needs to consider modern usage.
This is Merriam-Webster:
Main Entry: 1in·tel·lec·tu·al Pronunciation: "in-t&l-'ek-ch&-w&l, -ch&l, -shw&l Function: adjective 1 a : of or relating to the intellect or its use b : developed or chiefly guided by the intellect rather than by emotion or experience : RATIONAL c : requiring use of the intellect 2 a : given to study, reflection, and speculation b : engaged in activity requiring the creative use of the intellect - in·tel·lec·tu·al·i·ty /-"ek-ch&-'wa-l&-tE/ noun - in·tel·lec·tu·al·ly /-'ek-ch&-w&-lE, -ch&-lE, -shw&-lE/ adverb - in·tel·lec·tu·al·ness /-'ek-ch&-w&l-n&s, -ch&l-, -shw&l-/ noun
Main Entry: 2intellectual Function: noun 1 plural, archaic : intellectual powers 2 : an intellectual person Noirdame 18:30, 8 February 2006 (UTC)
- Well, this isn't Wiktionary and we aren't responsible for every part of speech. The default is that article titles are nouns. Charles Matthews 20:19, 8 February 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Elitisism
Is criticism of intellectualism as an elitistic thing a point of interest? don't really know much about it, sorry. But I hope you get my point. Ehjort 20:00, 23 April 2006 (UTC)
- I'm not sure the argument applies to intellectualism itself, but certainly could be applied to academia and other such social organizations. It would definetly be an interesting addition :) --Resaebiunne 06:22, 31 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Under the Heading "Academics and Public Intellectuals"
Just curious, it states: "In some contexts, especially journalistic speech, intellectual refers to academics, generally in the humanities, especially philosophy, who speak about various issues of social or political import. These are so-called public intellectuals — in effect communicators."
I think clarification needs be made that intellectualism does not imply academic rigour, nor is implicitly linked to academia, but back to my original intent, why the emphasis on humanities and philosophy? I don't think there is much to be gained here by pointing out that "some contexts, especially journalistic speech" are more inclined towards intellectualism, let alone relegated to the humanities or philosophy. Perhaps a better choice of wording is needed to point out these are the classical roots of intellectualism. --Resaebiunne 06:22, 31 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] European intellectuals
"European intellectuals, such as Johan Norberg, on the other hand tend to criticise bloated welfare systems and demand more libertarian politics." Really? I don't think so... I'm European, and the intellegentsia have a reputation for leftism. In Britain, for example, 90% of academics vote for the Labour or Liberal Democratic parties (and many of the rest for the Greens). The general trend among European academics and indeed the entire professional middle class is very much pro the welfare state. --Phileosophian 11:29, 5 November 2006 (UTC)
I agree with that. The rubber-stamping of all American intellectuals as Leftist and all European intellectuals as Rightist seems to be a rather narrow view of intellectual diversity in both the United States and the European Union. This view is of course, unbecoming of an encyclopedia. Dr. Wikipedian 14:46, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Definition
I really liked the definition at the beginning of the article. "An intellectual is a person who uses his or her intellect to work, study, reflect, speculate on, or ask and answer questions with regard to a variety of different ideas." The definition of an intellectual as a person who deals in ideas is very apt and fits the general use of the term very well. However, I still feel something is missing. Namely the preference for dealing with ideas, that he deals with ideas by choice, by preferrence, because it is a fundamental aspect of his basic psychological makeup.
If we were to force Homer Simpson to use his intellect to work, study, reflect, speculate on, or ask and answer questions with regard to a variety of different ideas and he naturally hated it and tried to shrink from his duty as much as he could, would he be an intellectual? In my opinion: no. He might have intellectual duties and an intellectual job (and would seriously suck at both) but he wouldn't be an intellectual. Nor is a person who has the inclination to be an intellectual but lacks the opportunity or capacity for intellectual activity an intellectual. He would be a potential intellectual, or a wannabe, no more. To me the term intellectual implies both actual intellectual activity and some preferrence for such activities.
