OED Assignment

"Dictionary" by Joshua Hoehne via Unsplash

“By intellectual objects I mean those objects which the mind perceives, without having any such impressions made upon the body.”

Norris, J. (1704). An essay towards the theory of the ideal or intelligible world.  Printed for S. Manship and W. Hawes.

The origin of the source is a book written in the early 1700s by John Norris, an English philosopher who was heavily inspired by Plato’s theory of knowledge. I was able to find a digital copy of the book at the University of Guelph’s library reserve by simply searching its title. Norris argues that intellect does not develop through sensory experiences, but through the reasoning and understanding of complex ideas. His definition does not serve as a means of identifying a group of overly ambitious scholars who gloat about educational feats, as I would define it, but simply an philosophical explanation for how true knowledge is acquired. This interpretation is deemed obsolete in modern times, and likewise, I wouldn’t personally add to my vocabulary considering I am not particularly fond of philosophy as a subject. Nonetheless, it is interesting to see the term go from a metaphysical revelation about what knowledge is, to a way to reference the superiority complex that is often associated with education. 

“He is doing work that not only places a premium on the intellect but is often an exciting, intellectual pursuit.”

Eiduson, B. T. (1962). Scientists : Their psychological world. Basic Books.

The quote was sourced from psychologist Bernice Eidusin’s 1962 study on the inner lives of scientists and how they think. Although I was unable to find a digital copy of the book through the university library reserve, I came across a PDF that can be viewed using the Google Books digital library. In the quote, Eidson is describing how the work that scientists engage in requires a high degree of reasoning and critical thinking skill, but above all, she feels that developing one's intellect is very personally fulfilling. Even as an expert in her field with every reason to take pride in her accomplishments, she describes intellect in a way that highlights the excitement that comes with learning and not social prestige. This perspective could help me leave behind my negative association with the term, and instead see it as a well-intentioned drive to explore the intricacies of our complicated world.

“Those had been the days he was going around with his intellectual friends—the bearded, bespectacled group with whom he met every night to discuss philosophy and the fate of the world.” 

Suri, M. (2002). The death of Vishnu (1st Perennial ed.). Perennial.

The above quotation is from “The Death of Vishnu,” a fictional story about the lives of residents living in a Mumbai apartment. It explores many elements of Indian culture, particularly income inequality and the caste system. I was able to locate a digital copy of the book using the Google books digital library. The word intellectual has always been rather amusing to me and the quote closely mirrors my own understanding of it. The term often carries a pretentious undertone, I can’t help but to associate it with a specific archetype of individuals who love nothing more than to hear the sound of their own voices while they discuss topics that are “far too complex” for the average human mind. It is very much a form of self-identification, creating an exclusionary culture around the higher pursuit of knowledge. I assume the word was used in a context of this nature, likely to mock the educational elitism that comes with higher caste status.

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