Dr. Detterman's intelligence bytes: First writings on human "intelligence"

Another in the Dr. Detterman's Intelligence Bytes series

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first mentions of intelligence in
English were in 1390 as a “faculty of understanding” and in 1430 as “understanding as a quality of admitting degree”. Largely indirect evidence of peoples' awareness of differences in general intellectual ability can be found to this point in history. For most people, it probably did not matter how smart they were. With increasing literacy, intelligence was beginning to make a difference.

The first treatise on intelligence in the sense we speak of it today was by Juan
Huarte (1530-1589) and was first published in 1575 (Huarte, 1699). Huarte was a
Spanish physician who had been trained in the classics and, and as physicians of the day, subscribed to the humeral theory of bodily functioning. The Spanish title of his book was “Examen de ingenios para las sciencias” and was translated into English as the “Tryal of wits, discovering the difference of wits among men and what sorts of learning suits best with each genius.” It might be regarded as the first self-help book to guide parents and students to the area of study where they would be most successful wits, discovering the difference of wits among men and what sorts of learning suits best with each genius.” It might be regarded as the first self-help book to guide parents and students to the area of study where they would be most successful.

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