# Which is the most intellectual cognitive function: Ti or Ni?



## Xool Xecutioner (Jul 8, 2018)

In the MBTI community, Ti and Ni are highly regarded as functions for high intelligence. I've been wondering, however, on which function is the most intellectual: Ti or Ni? 

(Concise and to-the-point).


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## Strelnikov (Jan 19, 2018)

Ne

Ni is more about imagination and seeing patterns. I'm an ENTJ and as an Ni user I'm not very pensive. I don't philosophise about life in my own mind. Only when I talk with people will my philosophical/intellectual side come out. But inside my mind I don't really spend time thinking about the meaning of life or stuff like that.

Ti users on the other hand, especially INTPs or ENTPs do seem more intellectual. They do enjoy thinking about things and the meaning of things. I've also noticed this streak in INFPs. They also ponder the deeper questions in life. So while Ni is imaginative, Ti is intellectual, but the most intellectual in my view is Ne, which combined with Ti or Fi will lead to the most intellectual types out there. But Ne is key. That's why I didn't mention ISTPs or ESTPs.


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## Charus (May 31, 2017)

Becoming intelligent is a choice regardless of your type or your cognitive functions.


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## DOGSOUP (Jan 29, 2016)

Jung's personal bias


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## Wiz (Apr 8, 2014)

Comrade Maxim said:


> Becoming intelligent is a choice regardless of your type or your cognitive functions.


It isn't. 

As for answering the post I'd have to agree with @Strelnikov about Ne. Regarding Ni / Ti (as with all introverted functions) intelligence, my experience is that it's is only as good as it's presentation. I've talked to enough xNTP's to know that Ti can both be a blessing and a curse in terms of establishing a logical framework that simultaneously work in objective terms.

As far as IQ the rankings of intelligence are:

1. INTP (Ti/Ne)
2. INTJ (Ni/Te)
3. INFP (Fi/Ne)
4. INFJ (Ni/Fe)
5. ENTP (Ne/Ti)
6. ENFP (Ne/Fi)
7. ENTJ (Te/Ni)
8. ENFJ (Fe/Ni)
...


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## Charus (May 31, 2017)

So you're gonna judge someone as being dumb because of their MBTI personality? That doesent make sense.


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## Strelnikov (Jan 19, 2018)

The question said who is the most intellectual, not the most intelligent. By intellectual, I was thinking it meant which cognitive function(s) lead to people having the most deep/philosophical preoccupations/thoughts. I don't think it's about IQ.


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## Charus (May 31, 2017)

Strelnikov said:


> The question said who is the most intellectual, not the most intelligent. By intellectual, I was thinking it meant which cognitive function(s) lead to people having the most deep/philosophical preoccupations/thoughts. I don't think it's about IQ.


Oh, thanks for clearing this up.


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## IDontThinkSo (Aug 24, 2011)

Intellectual as the historical definition, casual definition or litteral definition?


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## Xool Xecutioner (Jul 8, 2018)

IDontThinkSo said:


> Intellectual as the historical definition, casual definition or litteral definition?


Using this definition to establish on what definition of intellectual: 
"1 a : of or relating to the intellect or its use
b : developed or chiefly guided by the intellect rather than by emotion or experience : rational
c : requiring use of the intellect ex:intellectual games"


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## speckle (Jul 18, 2017)

Alivingobituary42 said:


> Using this definition to establish on what definition of intellectual:
> "1 a : of or relating to the intellect or its use
> b : developed or chiefly guided by the intellect rather than by emotion or experience : rational
> c : requiring use of the intellect ex:intellectual games"


I don't understand what that definition means particularly. It's circular logic. How are we defining "intellect"?

I second Strelnikov's statements about Ne, though of course I'm biased. But I think it's a fair argument that Ne users are the most interested in intellectual ideas for their own sake, just for the joy of learning and discussion itself.


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## IDontThinkSo (Aug 24, 2011)

Alivingobituary42 said:


> Using this definition to establish on what definition of intellectual:
> "1 a : of or relating to the intellect or its use
> b : developed or chiefly guided by the intellect rather than by emotion or experience : rational
> c : requiring use of the intellect ex:intellectual games"


Ok. Intelligence being the systematization of the understanding, my answer is that there's no systematization when the function of building understanding (N) is epistemologically hindered by 

- stronger drives (S, T, F, E, I doms)
- half-assed analyzing tools (strong F or T bias)
- a tendency for habits reinforcement (scoring "J", or being literally an Introvert - not MBTI introvert)

So besides certain subtypes of ENP, others can only come more or less close to start systematizing the understanding. Long story short the answer is N>E dom.




speckle said:


> How are we defining "intellect"?


Inter-legere. It's all the irony of needing it to systematize its own understanding.


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## CowardlyPal (Jul 9, 2018)

Ti is the brighter function of the two, but Ne is definitely the most intelligent.


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## Kizuna (Jul 30, 2011)

What a horrible thread full of horrible responses.


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## Mammon (Jul 12, 2012)

Kizuna said:


> What a horrible thread full of horrible responses.


Shit like this always makes me leave this forum and try again after a year or two. But it never really changes, does it?


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## LonelySpaceEmperor (Jan 4, 2018)

"Intellectualism", is a choice of lifestyle; which, by description is most convenient for the xNTP types. Therefore Ne, and Ti.


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## Kizuna (Jul 30, 2011)

Mammon said:


> Shit like this always makes me leave this forum and try again after a year or two. But it never really changes, does it?


Once in a while there are some interesting or quite useful bits here and there, but they can't seem to make up for all the catastrophes surrounding them.


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## Persona Maiden (May 14, 2018)

Intelligence is separate from type. So none of them.


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## Veni Vidi Vici (Jun 8, 2018)

I would say Ti > Ni = Ne. 

But then Se somehow works against it because it always wants to be on the move. Ne also works against it to a lesser degree because it thinks too fast and interrupts concentration. 

All things considered I’d say INTP is the most intellectual. Followed by ISTP, INFJ, INTJ and ENTP. ENTJ can also be intellectual but they often prefer industry or other faster faced career over research. My ENTJ professors all have some industry ties and some sort of side projects going on while INTP and INFJ professors prefer to concentrate on research.


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## PlasticRenaissance (Jun 28, 2017)

I don't want to be abstract ,or idealistic
_
Umm__what is 'intellect'?
__how could someone know if THIS person is intellect ,or not?
__intellectual in what way?_


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## Blacteco (Oct 9, 2016)

Please define "intellect" first based from your understanding.


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## Stevester (Feb 28, 2016)

Oh FFS....

There's nothing INTELLECTUAL about Ni, it's a PERCEIVING function. It just SEES shit.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

Kizuna said:


> What a horrible thread full of horrible responses.


Not all of em tho.


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## SilentScream (Mar 31, 2011)

I'll admit that my dominant Se always gets in the way of my more intellectual pursuits because I lose interest fast enough to learn everything about something. I like knowledge as long as it is easy to assimilate. Things like quick facts, trivia .. I like to know what's up with the latest in science. I like to learn for learning's sake, but I have my limits because the methods of teaching are pretty much antithetical to my innate fidgety nature. 

A lot of people consider me an intellectual but I know I'm not one. I just have a database of knowledge that I've gained over the years which I'm good at accessing when it comes to having something to say in a conversation.


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## dizzycactus (Sep 9, 2012)

I would say Ti is more naturally suited to things generally considered intellectual like philosophy, formal logic etc, although Ni is often more useful in every day life and quickly producing an algorithm to solve a particular problem, so I'd say Ti is more academically intellectual, and Ni is more street-smart.


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## Aiwass (Jul 28, 2014)

"Intellectual" as in being stereotypically nerdy, categorical, rational and systematic? Yes, that would be Ti. 

Intellectual as in being a complex, innovative thinker? That could be Ni. The history of Western thought and science owes to people like Nietzsche and Jung at least as much as it owes to Ti doms like Descartes.

(However, as someone already pointed out, there is a difference between being an intellectual and being intelligent. Someone could easily be a not-very-bright nerd. Someone could be very intelligent and not academically-focused at all.)


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## Bastard (Feb 4, 2018)

dizzycactus said:


> Ni is more street-smart.


You're kidding, right?


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## Moo Rice (Apr 9, 2018)

dizzycactus said:


> I would say Ti is more naturally suited to things generally considered intellectual like philosophy, formal logic etc, although Ni is often more useful in every day life and quickly producing an algorithm to solve a particular problem, so I'd say Ti is more academically intellectual, and Ni is more street-smart.


that's strange... i have always associated "street-smart" to be an extroverted thing (mostly perception), not introverted '-'


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## dizzycactus (Sep 9, 2012)

Moo Rice said:


> that's strange... i have always associated "street-smart" to be an extroverted thing (mostly perception), not introverted '-'


That's because being street smart is about getting tangible results based on immediate data, and associating that with someone who's primary mode of attention deals directly with the external generally makes sense, but that doesn't mean it applies to every function. Ni tends to be more focused and convergent than Ne, and likes to finish things. That tends to get results. Ne is sporadic and all over the place, which isn't very practical most of the time, but can be useful academically.

I'd certainly say the two most street smart functions are Se and Te, maybe followed by Si, and I guess the F functions are good for dealing with people.


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## Moo Rice (Apr 9, 2018)

dizzycactus said:


> That's because being street smart is about getting tangible results based on immediate data, and associating that with someone who's primary mode of attention deals directly with the external generally makes sense, but that doesn't mean it applies to every function. Ni tends to be more focused and convergent than Ne, and likes to finish things. That tends to get results. Ne is sporadic and all over the place, which isn't very practical most of the time, but can be useful academically.
> 
> I'd certainly say the two most street smart functions are Se and Te, maybe followed by Si, and I guess the F functions are good for dealing with people.


oh, i get it now. thanks for explaining it


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## Super Luigi (Dec 1, 2015)

Stevester said:


> Oh FFS....
> 
> There's nothing INTELLECTUAL about Ni, it's a PERCEIVING function. It just SEES shit.


you tell em, boss man :yeah:


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## Guajiro (Nov 16, 2017)

The most intelectual is the INTELECT

Please fellow Thinkers:
Understand that people who have Feeling as CONSICIOUS don't experience feelings in a confused and blurred way like you do. The feelings have a more differentiated quality wich makes the person have a more calculated approach to the feelings. The intelligence is applied to the values. If a feeler is serving a value he will apply his intelligence to the value and to formulate a rational argument to justify the value of something.
The difference is that the Thinkers spend all day thinking and defining impersonal things but at the end of the day if we ask them_ "Why do you think that is so important? What is the importance of studying this? Why is X more important than Z?"_ they become stuck and they can't answer with a mature personal reasoning about the importance of something for them. Because inferior functions are slower to process.

Also the bias that Introverted functions are for some reason superior to Extroverted functions makes no sense. And the Intuition worship is just too old.
It's just that.


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## BigApplePi (Dec 1, 2011)

Alivingobituary42 said:


> In the MBTI community, Ti and Ni are highly regarded as functions for high intelligence. I've been wondering, however, on which function is the most intellectual: Ti or Ni?
> 
> (Concise and to-the-point).


Intellectual? What is intellectual? If yer gonna think about stuff rather than feel about stuff, go for thinking. However any thinking is going to require intuition for support. The question reminds me of asking about visualizing a square. Which side is longer, the depth or the width? I'm not sure I care about the answer. I see Tx and Nx operating in different dimensions.


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## PlasticRenaissance (Jun 28, 2017)

_we may have the best legs 
,but if we don't learn how to walk 
,we cannot run_


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## Wohpe (Aug 25, 2018)

Stevester said:


> Oh FFS....
> 
> There's nothing INTELLECTUAL about Ni, it's a PERCEIVING function. It just SEES shit.


That's what I said to myself when I read the thread title. Ti and Te are the intellectual judging functions, so either one of them would obviously win this competition.


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## Stevester (Feb 28, 2016)

But tons of people here think Ni makes you a real life X-Men, so no point arguing.


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## Handsome Dyke (Oct 4, 2012)

Intellectualness is a quality of a more comprehensive set of mental functions, not of individual cognitive functions.


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## Zidane (Sep 9, 2015)

Intuition isn't intellectual. It's knowing with a high degree of certainty, like flashes of insight. So that makes Ti the intellectual function. Though it only becomes really intellectual when combined with intuition so you can really start to break down your often irrational intuitions into more sensible explanations. Whereas combined with sensing it generally expresses in figuring out how sensory objects work, hence ISTP is often called "the mechanic". So yeah, I'd say what you regard as "intellectual" requires a combined use of T and N, hence why the NT group is also called the "rationals". Though I'd again say that the rationals who lead with T over N are more intellectual than those with dominant N, who are better said to be irrational rationals, even though that sounds like a contradiction. It's because the T can never keep up with the N, and hence visionary describes us far better than intellectual.

So for this reason, the most intellectual type is:
Ti
Ne

This can be either INTP or INTJ depending on the function model you subscribe too.

(Also keep in mind that everyone has all functions so just because you're not INTx doesn't mean you can't intellectualize.)


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## Stevester (Feb 28, 2016)

Another argument to pile on this bull........if Ni and Ti are the _''smart''_ functions, then how come ISTPs are never ever brought up as the smartest type around here?


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## Super Luigi (Dec 1, 2015)

all the functions are annoying, lol


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