What is "smart"?

[ajoe]

Does being smart mean:
- having a photographic memory?
- having strong opinions on "important" issues?
- having a lot of knowledge?
- being quick to memorize a fact?

Feel free to add your own definition.

[Kiwi Shelf]

I think being smart is having the ability to get through life and make choices based on that life.

[Scheherazade]

Being smart is having the abilty to combine common sense with sound knowledge, IMHO.

[Shore Dude]

Defining the word smart, is quite subjective. I will answer this question according to what I believe, but you may have to outline parameters in more detail to avoid an extreme range of answers.

If you really want to delve into the human psyche, read up on Multiple Intelligences. Educational theory over the past couple of decades has discussed roughly nine areas of the human personality where a person can possess intelligence. For example, let's say a child struggles with math, and is a mediocre writer. However, she can sing a 'C' note (on queue) at perfect pitch, something few people in this world can do. Can you really say that this child is not gifted in some way?

Multiple Intelligences are definied by nine categories: Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Spatial, Musical, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist and Existential

On another note, I believe Emotional Intelligence is the key to living a successful and happy life. Daniel Goleman is a pioneer in Emotional Intelligence (E.Q.) theory. He defines five qualities a person can master in order to be emotional intelligent...

Self-Awareness. The ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions and drives, as well as their effect on others.

Self-Regulation. The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses and moods; the propensity to suspend judgement -- to think before acting.

Motivation. A passing to work for reasons that go beyond money or status; a propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence.

Empathy. The ability to understand the emotional makeup of other people; skill in treating people according to their emotional reactions.

Social Skill. Profciency in managing relationships and building networks; an ability to find common ground and build rapport.

(Cool stuff)

[papayahed]

That's kind of a broad question. All I can say is that i feel smart whenever I put on my "Smarty Pants". :banana:

Although I kinda agree with Kiwi that it's the ability to get through life and making good choices based on that life

[Kiwi Shelf]

Ah yes, I left out a word. Just noticed that

[Stanislaw]

I believe that it is a spy from an old tv show...;)

Seriously I believe it is the ability to learn from mistakes, and realize when we have repeated those mistakes.

[Jester]

when you're wiling to accept that you're not always right, get a good laugh at yourself and are not totally and completly self involved and are able to learn from their own mistakes and from the mistakes of people around them (add in everything eveyrone else has said above me as well) you reach a state of smartness (i dont think IQ and other tests like that really matter that much becuase it has not basis on how smart someone is)

[simon]

Smart, according to me, is different than Knowledge or wisdom.
Smart is the ability to memorize facts, knowledge is the ability to apply those facts and wisdom is the ability to take facts and applications of those facts, look at how they are used and and how they can be improved upon in moral, social, and economic situations for the better of the soul and for the preservation of humankind.

[imthefoolonthehill]

being smart has many different levels. The first is intelligence- the basic ability to learn. The second is education: having learned a few things. A third is experience: having the chance to make mistakes and learn from them.

yes, there is 'emotional intelligence', but i don't think this is what anyone is mentioning when they say "smart".

Being able to articulate yourself is also a large part of whether or not you appear to be smart.

[Scheherazade]

How about common sense? Do you think it is part of being smart as well?

[den]

A lot of you have already mentioned things I would deem as `smart'.
A photographic memory,
being able to form a reasonable debate and frame it with `backup' and not just spouting off opinion,
humility to admit when they don't know about something,
being able to retain information,
not pretending to know it all,
and
also having the common sense to know when to keep one's opinions to themselves and _listen_ to others.