The main difference between knowledge and intelligence is that knowledge is a collection of skills and information a person has gained through experience, whereas intelligence is the ability to apply knowledge.
Knowledge involves accepting facts, and it is about understanding how a problem occurs, while intelligence involves implementing facts and dealing with problems successfully and solving them. Moreover, a person can improve his knowledge via practice, but intelligence is inborn.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Knowledge
– Definition, Characteristics
2. What is Intelligence
– Definition, Characteristics
3. Difference Between Knowledge and Intelligence
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Knowledge, Intelligence
What is Knowledge
Knowledge is awareness of someone or something. This awareness can be gained from either education or experience, so it is not naturally given or inborn. Knowledge helps people to identify a problem or situation and how it occurred. This is an ever-learning process and is recognized as something that people already know, have been in the process of learning, and passing it on to others.
We can categorize knowledge into various types as descriptive knowledge (facts), procedural knowledge (skills), or acquaintance knowledge (objects). We can also categorize it as theoretical or practical knowledge. There are other types of knowledge such as implicit, explicit, tacit, declarative, procedural, a priori, and a posteriori.
Knowledge is also identified as the acquisition and acceptance of facts. It is gained through books, materials, training, practice, and research. It is usually the same for all individuals, especially if they get it in the same environment.
Characteristics of Knowledge
- Dynamic
- Value changes over time
- It becomes beneficial only when applied
- Develops via a learning process
- Contextual
- Based on memory, expertise, experience, exposure, opportunities, and the transfer mechanisms
What is Intelligence?
Intelligence is a person’s ability to gain knowledge and skills and the ability to use them. It includes the capability of understanding, logic, abstraction, emotional knowledge, learning, self-awareness, reasoning, creativity, planning, problem-solving and critical thinking.
Intelligence also refers to the intellectual capacity of a person in different areas. This is based on complex cognitive feats, self-awareness, and motivation. Intelligence makes human beings remember things and use them in future situations. We can also consider it as an innate capacity to respond to various requirements. Intelligence is a person’s capability to gain, adapt, modify, extend and use the information to solve problems. Furthermore, we can measure intelligence by how well a person handles unpredictable situations.
Moreover, the word intelligence comes from the Latin nouns intelligentia or intellēctus. During the Middle Ages, the word intellēctus became the technical term for understanding.
Characteristics of Intelligence
- It is a gift, inborn or genetic inheritance
- Not connected to the memory
- One cannot acquire it
- Not a skill to be gained with practice
Difference Between Knowledge and Intelligence
Definition
Knowledge is the awareness of someone or something, while intelligence is a person’s ability to gain knowledge and skills and the ability to use them.
Gained from
We gain knowledge from education, experience, and practice. However, intelligence is inborn and cannot be gained.
Uniqueness
Knowledge is not unique, and it can be the same for everyone, while intelligence is unique to each person.
Improvement
Moreover, we can improve knowledge through practice, but intelligence can not be improved through practice.
Application
Knowledge helps people to know how a problem occurred, while intelligence helps people to identify a problem and deal with it.
Conclusion
Knowledge is awareness of someone or something. It is theoretical or practical knowledge of any subject. Knowledge becomes valuable only when applied. Moreover, people can improve knowledge through education, books, research, materials, and practice. Since it constantly changes, knowledge is dynamic. Intelligence, on the other hand, is a person’s ability to gain knowledge and skills and the ability to use them. It is inborn, and therefore, this cannot be acquired or improved with time or practice. It is also a person’s innate capacity to respond to various situations /requirements. Moreover, intelligence is unique to each person. Thus, this is the main difference between knowledge and intelligence.
Reference:
1. “Knowledge.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
2. “Intelligence.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Knowledge” By EpicTop10.com (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Brain and Intelligence” (CC0) via Pixabay
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