Seeing as though some people are bullied for their intelligence and called stupid. Or whether it be someone is called stupid for something they wrong. Despite witnessing some of these events i was always confused by the use of the word. Generally speaking i know some pieces of info that someone else doesn't. But does that mean they're stupid in that aspect? I am inexplicably confused.
Also i meant the title to be (Is there really a definition for the word stupid)

If someone doesn't know something, they're ignorant of it, not stupid. I generally define stupidity as a lack of common sense, not a lack of subject knowledge

Quote from Drone

If someone doesn't know something, they're ignorant of it, not stupid. I generally define stupidity as a lack of common sense, not a lack of subject knowledge

Define common sense. I hear people use it a lot but never really understood. Is it just knowing the obvious things? (I don't have a definition for common sense)

Quote from Lamitrov

Define common sense. I hear people use it a lot but never really understood. Is it just knowing the obvious things? (I don't have a definition for common sense)

sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts

Quote from Drone

sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts

ahhhh, thank you for the clarification.

Quote from Drone

If someone doesn't know something, they're ignorant of it, not stupid. I generally define stupidity as a lack of common sense, not a lack of subject knowledge

I wouldn't characterize ignorance like that. Ignorance in my opinion is more attune to hearing factual explanations but still choosing to deny their validity for illogical and often childish reasons. For example, if someone explained to me that eye color is a sexually inherited trait, which is a proven fact, but I still chose to believe that the statement is false because I stubbornly believed that it is something that you're innately born with, that would be ignorance. Simply not knowing that eye color is sexually inherited isn't something I would characterize with ignorance; I think due to the implications of the word ignorance, it can still be used in the same context as not being knowledgeable and still be roughly applicable, but I don't think it's the best word to use in these instances since ignorance carries a more negative connotation.

As for the word stupidity, I would more or less associate it's definition to the amount of knowledge a given person should have relative to his or her age group. For example, I wouldn't expect a first grader to know how to multiply. But if a seventeen year old teenager still didn't know how to multiply, then yes I would characterize that as stupidity.

On a more unrelated note, I don't really think there's a large necessity to define stupidity just because the word is so colloquially and casually thrown about, and that it's general implications are more important than a straightforward dictionary definition.

Stupidity is a lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, wit or sense. That's the defenition. Lack of subject knowledge , as Drone said, isn't defined as stupidity, it's defined as lack of subject knowledge.
Example for stupidity: Trying walk on water, because you saw Dynamo or Freeman doing it and it's totally possible.

Quote from 420Ace Drake

Stupidity is a lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, wit or sense. That's the defenition. Lack of subject knowledge , as Jutsu said, isn't defined as stupidity, it's defined as lack of subject knowledge.
Example for stupidity: Trying walk on water, because you saw Dynamo or Freeman doing it and it's totally possible.

Jutsu isn't even in this thread. Not yet anyway.

Quote from Raptor

Jutsu isn't even in this thread. Not yet anyway.

oopsy daisy, too much Jutsu Kappa.

Quote from Raptor

I wouldn't characterize ignorance like that. Ignorance in my opinion is more attune to hearing factual explanations but still choosing to deny their validity for illogical and often childish reasons.

That's not really what the word means, though. There's a reason the term "willful ignorance" is used distinctly from plain old ignorance. Your example sounds like willful ignorance. If you simply had no idea that eye color was sexually inherited, then that's a topic in which you're ignorant. It's not necessarily a negative description but it can definitely be used in that way.


In response to OP, I honestly can't tell if you think this is a real debate or if you're having a problem grasping the meaning of the word since English doesn't seem to be your first language. The fact that the word exists means it has a definition and you can easily look it up, what else do you think is up for discussion beyond what you'll read in a dictionary?

Who's OP?

Quote from Lamitrov

Who's OP?

You , OP= Original poster.

Quote from Exilement

That's not really what the word means, though. There's a reason the term "willful ignorance" is used distinctly from plain old ignorance. Your example sounds like willful ignorance. If you simply had no idea that eye color was sexually inherited, then that's a topic in which you're ignorant. It's not necessarily a negative description but it can definitely be used in that way.


In response to OP, I honestly can't tell if you think this is a real debate or if you're having a problem grasping the meaning of the word since English doesn't seem to be your first language. The fact that the word exists means it has a definition and you can easily look it up, what else do you think is up for discussion beyond what you'll read in a dictionary?

Yes i do think this is a real debate. Though i created this debate upon confusion of the words definition. When i looked up the word stupid it says lacking intelligence or common sense. By the term of Lacking intelligence does that mean if even a man who advances in quantum physics, doesn't even know how to say hello in another language consider him stupid? I mean to others he may be smart in the field of physics but does that mean he is considered stupid to someone who learns all types of languages ? Since him not knowing can also be considered a lack of intelligence

Not knowing how to say "hello" in a language you don't speak isn't a lack of intelligence, it's a lack of very specific knowledge that not everyone is expected to have. Knowledge is what you know, intelligence is your general ability to gain, retain and apply knowledge, but even that is a specific type of intelligence.

"Lack of intelligence" is meant in a more general sense, no one would be said to lack intelligence because they don't know one specific thing.

Quote from Exilement

That's not really what the word means, though. There's a reason the term "willful ignorance" is used distinctly from plain old ignorance. Your example sounds like willful ignorance. If you simply had no idea that eye color was sexually inherited, then that's a topic in which you're ignorant. It's not necessarily a negative description but it can definitely be used in that way.

Ah, I wasn't aware. Guess I was just ignorant :P