All action has a reaction, all causes have an effect, and all choices really do matter. Intelligent choices lead to more freedom, expand agency, and increase happiness, unintelligent choices lead to loss of freedom, no agency, and no happiness.
For a Blog with the title “Organized Intelligence” it seems important to define the word Intelligence. For the purposes of this Blog, Intelligence is not IQ (intelligence Quotient) or EQ (Emotional Intelligence), instead Intelligence is defined using a relatively new definition for intelligence:
INTELLIGENCE IS MAXIMIZING FUTURE OPTIONS.
Alex Wissner-Gross, a physicist from Harvard and/or MIT (or somewhere noteworthy – which somehow implies that he speaks nothing but the truth all the time) recently undertook the challenge of trying to create Artificial Intelligence. In order to create artificial intelligence he had to come up with a mathematical equation for intelligence. His equation was essentially that the intelligent choice equals the choice that maximizes future options. His new definition of intelligence was to maximize future choices. His theory was that the intelligent choice will lead to more and more options until all things are possible, and the unintelligent choice will lead to less and less options until all choices are taken away.
The mathematical equation that he came up with is that Intelligence is a Force (F) that Maximizes the Future Freedom of Action, F = T ∇ Sτ (T = input energy) (∇ Sτ = the difference in possible outcomes to maximize future options). Alex Wissner-Gross: A new equation for intelligence. While I found his TED talk to be on the boring side, I found his definition of intelligence to be profound, yet simple to understand and apply to real life choices. So here is the TED talk:
Just think about the choices you have in your own life. In real life it is normally easy to spot an intelligent decision over an unintelligent decision. A good choice will open up more future doors, while a bad choice will lead to restrictions in freedom. E.g. learning another language seems like a good choice that will open up future options. Using Marijuana seems like a choice that could lead to addiction, loss of brain function, and (in some U.S. States) incarceration.
Although most of the time it is easy to spot a good choice vs. a bad choice, the problem becomes more difficult when faced with multiple good or bad choices. E.g. learning a language or learning a musical instrument. Both of these choices increase brain function and could open many doors down the road, but which will open the most doors and lead to the most success (assuming these are the only two choices and you can’t choose both for whatever reason). Well, I have no idea; a linguist would likely tell you to learn a language, and a famous musician would likely tell you all the benefits of learning a musical instrument.
My thoughts are, when faced with multiple intelligent choices, look to your Definite Major Purpose (next week’s blog topic) and decide what fits best into helping you achieve that purpose. Don’t overanalyze, which can lead to analysis paralysis. One of the most unintelligent choices is the choice to do nothing.
So regardless of IQ or EQ, almost everyone is capable of analyzing different options and making the intelligent choice, and making the intelligent choice will lead you safely to more freedom and better options. When you make an unintelligent choice, which we all do from time to time, turn it into an intelligent one by learning from it and moving on to the next choice.
Just a couple final thoughts:
In order for there to be intelligence there must be life beyond death.
Intelligence could not exist without life after death in some form. If you believe death is the end of all existence than you might as well quit making any choices, because the end result will be the same regardless of the choices you make.
If death is the end – than agency, intelligence, choice and accountability, and freedom, mean absolutely nothing. If death is the end – intelligence is an illusion, choice does not matter and there can be no way to expand future options. If death is the end, regardless of what choices anyone makes the end would always be the same. Insanity was once defined as “doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” If death is the end of all life, then all fit within this definition of insane; making choices hoping for a different outcome but it always ends with the same result.
If intelligence leads to maximizing future options, then it follows that somewhere there is an Intelligent Being that has made all the right choices and now has Infinite Options and Infinite Intelligence. The existence of Intelligence or agency leads me to a conclusion that there is a being of Infinite Intelligence or Supreme Intelligence, as was discussed by Napoleon Hill, see the prior blog post on this subject. God, or Infinite Intelligence (or whatever you choose to call this entity), has infinite choices as a result of an eternity of making the intelligent one, and all options and all doors are open before God.
I choose not to believe that death is the end, because believing this would make all action irrational. I am always amazed when a professed atheist gets out of bed in the morning. What is their purpose in getting out of bed, why make an effort at all, if they have truly accepted that death is the end? All of their actions are irrational and unintelligent; they all end in the same final result. Of course I have never met an atheist. Everyone I have met seems to keep making choices as if they have some underlying belief that their choices just might make a difference after all.
The truth is that all action has a reaction, all causes have an effect, and all choices do matter. Everyone will eventually reap the rewards of making intelligent choices.
So make Intelligent Choices, and eventually (even if not till the next life) you will have seemingly endless options before you.
Quick Tip(s)
Intelligence if applied will lead to the “art” of making good choices. Ask yourself one or more of the following quick questions before making your next choice and each one after that:
- Is this choice intelligent?
- Is there another choice I could make that would be more intelligent?
- Will this choice expand or retract my future options?
Most of the time it will be obvious if a choice will expand or retract future options. It is easy to see how eating that third piece of cake or taking that next drink will impact you physical health, and few things restrict future options more than bad health. When you have an important choice that isn’t obvious don’t hesitate to ask advice from people you know and trust.
Start Now! Right now the intelligent choice would be to share this article, make a comment below, and subscribe to our future posts.