Intelligence

as the 'condition of choosing between'

Morphological Analysis

Etymon: Latin intelligentia: 'choosing between'
Morpheme breakdown: From the prefix inter- 'between' +‎ legere 'to choose' + suffix -ence 'condition of' → 'condition of choosing between'

Essential Definition

The structural and temporal condition in which a selection is made between at least two distinct potential states or actions.

Semantic Context

Conventional sense: The capacity of mind, especially to understand principles, truths, facts or meanings. (Note: Semantic drift from essential meaning)
Essential meaning (my usage): 'condition of choosing between'

Philosophical Significance

The morphological definition reframes intelligence from a substantive trait to the formal condition of choice itself, establishing agency, purpose, and futurity as its core components. This creates a universal, non-anthropocentric framework that separates the fact of choosing from the quality of the choice, aligning with existential primacy and logical analysis. Ultimately, it presents intelligence not as a fixed essence but as a temporal state of being oriented toward potential futures.

Usage in This Lexicon

When I use the word intelligence in my work, I mean exactly 'condition of choosing between'. This definition:

Clarifies intelligence as structural and relational: Defines intelligence by its form—the situational architecture of having alternatives—rather than by material components like a brain or algorithm.
Positions choice over knowledge/correctness: Identifies the essential act of intelligence as the selection itself, making the act of choosing primary, while judgment of the choice's quality becomes a secondary evaluation.
Establishes intelligence-agency link: Connects intelligence and agency, as choice implies a choosing entity; the very concept of a choice necessitates an agent to enact it.
Incorporates teleology: Embeds directionality, as choice presupposes a goal or a preferred state of 'being' toward which the selection is aimed.
Creates formal distinction: Draws a line based on the presence of a genuine selection between potential actions, not on output complexity or human-like behavior.
Avoids anthropocentric bias: Allows the definition to apply universally to any system (e.g., artificial, ecological) that exhibits the morphological structure of selecting between states.
Provides comparison framework: Enables assessment based on the spectrum, intricacy, or significance of the choices available to a system.
Aligns with existentialism: Emphasizes the primacy of choice and action in defining a mode of being, resonating with the philosophical tenet that existence precedes essence.
Suggests a condition, not an essence: Implies it is a mode that can be engaged or discontinued, rather than a permanent, fixed attribute of an entity.
Offers parsimonious logic: Presents intelligence as the condition where 'A' is chosen over 'not-A', providing a minimal and clear logical model.
Focuses on the decision moment: Makes the concept analyzable through formal systems like logic, computer science, and decision theory, abstracted from specific implementations.
Separates morality from choosing: Allows for foolish, evil, or random choices to still be outputs of the intelligent condition, separating operational definition from ethical judgment.
Requires a temporal dimension: Necessitates a future-oriented perspective, as choice involves selecting a forthcoming state ('to be') from among potential futures.

Sources

Wiktionary

*This definition follows morphological essentialism principles. See the Methodology for details.