# Are there any differences at all between the INTP and the INTJ ?



## Lord Fudgingsley (Mar 3, 2013)

The real difference between INTJ and INTP is a very interesting notion. Do I have an answer for it? Maybe.

What is Ni? Intuition, of the introverted variety. This is where Se-users get their laser focus from; Ni filters out all irrelevant inputs from Se. I've heard Ni as "signs" - identifying the meaning behind objective, concrete information. I suppose it is this that allows Se-types to respond so well to external stimuli. Identifying motives, identifying movements; I suppose that is a common manifestation of low-order Ni.

But how would Ni work as a dominant; bearing in mind that Se plays now a very non-central, inferior role? It would be far more abstract. It wouldn't be choosing to deal with the information on the surface; it would be using that only to generate new meanings. And it's absolute in its nature. Ni sees only one "true" path; it sees this path from the meanings it generates. It does not meander.

I can absolutely see why Ni needs Extraverted Judgment to work with it. After all, the signs Ni sees are commonplace; to gauge future trends requires communication with the outside world - even if not with people, it must know what the objects around it mean. Meaning is not created by Ni, because that is the work of a judging function. Objectively agreed meanings are Je.

I am trying to think of some good examples of INTJs, and how they use the Ni-Te combination; right now Palpatine seems like the only one I can justify - and I had hoped to find one who wasn't your stereotypical Evil Mastermind. But INTJs (and ENTJs) fit that role so well, because they understand the bigger picture of the world's happenings; and are ruthlessly able to turn that to their advantage. In fact, Palpatine's plan makes complete sense. His plan operates in logical, procedured steps (Thinking) that are focused within the external world (Extraverted; thus we have Te confirmed).

I'd love to see through the lens of an Ni-dom. I imagine it would be frightening to me; like a dark room of objects, with each one containing visible shadows of its history; the y-axis of the dark room would be time and the x-axis marking the objects within. Patterns within the objects would be synchronized together to create a brand new vision.

INTPs are deep thinkers. They are not, in most cases, particularly visionary; although their wacky logic will see some of them become inventors. For that is Ti. It is purely subjective logic; it unassembles already existing logic and seeks to re-structure and understand it through the user's own lens.

Ti-Ne does not work in absolute truths as such. It may, through deductive reasoning learn the truth, but INTPs will not instinctively know an answer. Ne assists the system building of Ti by asking questions; sometimes thousands of them at a time. I almost don't think of them as questions, but they are; everything I state is the answer to an inner question. Ne is wild and extremely uninhibited.
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I'll be honest, the two are a great deal more similar than I have realized; indeed the two approach things differently but their actions begin to seem similar.
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INTJs are usually a great deal more to-the-point than INTPs. They're much more serious, and will seem focused; this is due to Ni. INTPs typically seem more meander-y, because Ne is generating masses of possibilities to fuel Ti.

INTPs are usually fantastical. This is down to Ne-Si information gathering; significantly Si abstracts physical, sensory information. Ne generates many-a-possibility within those abstractions. Si is quite playful in this sense.

INTJs are usually reality-oriented; however detached from the physical world they may seem. Ni abstractions do not distort sensory information; because how will Ni create visions? It will synchronise Se information together; but that must be kept as pure as possible.
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As an INTP, two things stand out to me. The first is that I took more interest in writing about the INTJ; largely because it is such a fascinating, novel concept to me, and as I wrote this it finally began to click with me just how an INTJ operates. I know exactly how an INTP works because I am one.

Those who know me will comment on my very articulate way of speaking. That's a common Ti-trait, meticulously wording things to create a perfect explanation or meaning. 

This video may be of help as well. I love this; I'm aware many people do not.

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## JohnnyBgoode (Mar 17, 2014)

Thanks for your post. I am fairly new to these theory's but i remember something about my colleague at my first job on a chemical lab. He was an INTP for sure and had been working the same job for a year now. As soon as i started i was scanning my environment for opportunities to get from my manual job to a analysing/automated job. Our communication was very low. A few words a day about video games and other nerdy stuff. I was living wild back then with lots of alcohol and partys he would spend weekends at gamestores playing warhammer. Ofcourse i had some interest in these games but i would also know that i could never play them seriously so i would just listen to the storys. Anyway i was promoted to operate analytical machines within 3 months, he would still be doing the same job. Doesnt matter to me and i didnt feel sorry. But he did not seem to take it personal and i think that it was my Se approach that got me quicker to where i wanted to be. So to recap i think that i have witnessed first hand some INTP INTJ interactions. As you stated above they may seem similar but i think that the sensing function acounts for more difference than feeling function when it comes to outerworld interactions.


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## BigApplePi (Dec 1, 2011)

When we ask for "differences" I have to think of "what differences and with what balance?" From my POV I focus on thinking and strongly resist identifying with one opinion. An INTJ I view as focusing on and backing up a POV. I see that as one difference and go by that to judge. I insist on being open; an INTJ wants to close. 

Then after I said that I have to ask myself, where would I be closed and can an INTJ be open and how so? For example my paragraph above looks closed. I say that is at a different level but you can ask me what I mean by that. I want to say as far as intentions (conscious intentions) go, an INTP is open and an INTJ is closed ... as a generalization.


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