Intelligence: Quickness of thought? or Complexity of thought?

Question

I want to know what is more likely to be "Intelligence".

1- quickness/rapidity or ...

2- the ability to comprehend very complex things.

Let me give you an example:

Person A: is very FAST doing arithmetic. It's like they don't even have to think about it. They can calculate as fast as they see the numbers.

BUT

Person B: can solve more advanced Equations (i.e. calculus, physics) that are too complicated for person A to solve. Only person B is not that fast a thinker (might be due to poor concentration), he can't do arithmetic in 2 seconds hence uses a calculator. But if given enough time will crack the hardest Equations.

Who's the smartest? or rather, what is Intelligence? To be fast? or to be able to comprehend more complexity?

Answer 1

Oh, truly high intelligence has to do with complexity.  The great thinkers could master large amounts of knowledge and synthesize  new data into that framework, and then come up with new, integrated theories.

Answer 2

we're trained to learn based on repetition of a curriculum so you could be fairly fast at that given enough education.  It will get you so far but I've met some very vapid, banal people who can recite 2nd hand information very, very well.. they may entertain their friends at MENSA but they bore me rigid.  Real intelligence imo is the latter: the quality and not just the quantity of what you can produce mentally.

Answer 3

A 9 year old with a calculator can do what Person A can do. I wouldn't call that intelligence.

Answer 4

I really don't think it's either or - to be truly intelligent, one must have the capacity for both, to a certain extent.  Someone might be a bit better with speed than complexity or vice versa, but without both (to a degree), they couldn't be considered "intelligent" in all areas.

Say, Person A may be better when a puzzle must be solved under pressure and in a limited amount of time - a relatively simple math competition, for example.  Person B, though, is the type who can crack just about any case given enough time - the type you go to to find minor errors in computer coding or decipher an elaborate code language.