Definition of Intelligenism

When you visit the homepage of the website (intelligenism.org), you will encounter the term intelligenism alongside the title Thinking, Conception and Construction of Intelligenism. The suffix “-ism” or the Chinese term “智能主义” (intelligenism) might evoke associations with terms like Darwinism, chauvinism, capitalism, or socialism. To clarify the purpose of this book, we must begin with the concept of intelligenism. Undeniably, intelligenism falls within the category of “-isms.” According to Wikipedia’s explanation of “-ism,” it refers to “an ideology or a comprehensive system of thought and belief, or it can be seen as different methods to achieve various purposes.” More precisely, an “-ism” typically represents a complete foundational thought or ideology underlying a particular trend or behavioral pattern within a human group.

To illustrate with two examples:

• Capitalism(English: capitalism), as described on Wikipedia, is an economic system characterized by private ownership as the mode of production and the pursuit of profit as its core. Its key features include capital accumulation, competitive markets, pricing systems, private property, property rights, free trade, and wage labor.
• Darwinism(English: Darwinism) is a term that has come to represent the broader scope of evolution and change in both biology and sociology. A prominent phrase associated with it is “survival of the fittest,” which later became a hallmark of Darwinism. Modern “social Darwinism” is often analogous to Darwinism, applying Darwin’s principle of “struggle” to society, typically in support of anti-philanthropic political agendas. Another interpretation suggests that, as natural selection no longer operates on “civilized” humans, “inferior” races might outcompete “superior” ones, making voluntary corrective measures, such as eugenics, desirable.

Drawing from Wikipedia’s definitions of capitalism and Darwinism, it is evident that “-ism” terms often represent sociological expressions, reflecting the behavioral tendencies and corresponding values of certain groups. Similarly, intelligenism exhibits these characteristics, carrying sociological significance. In defining intelligenism, I focus on how intelligence is manifested in structures ranging from individuals to organizations (from single entities to multi-entity organizations) and the specific features and rules governing this manifestation. From individual human cells to organ systems, from neurons in the brain to its various regions and the brain as a whole, and extending to artificial intelligence programs—from a single neuron in a neural network to the entire network structure—I have observed that simple entities can form more intelligent organizational structures through specific collaborative mechanisms. These higher-intelligence organizations can, in turn, serve as individual components in constructing even larger, more intelligent organizational structures, thereby achieving greater manifestations of intelligence.

Based on this perspective, I began to consider whether enterprises and other social organizations could adopt the construction methods of intelligent agents to create more intelligent organizational forms, thereby gaining greater competitive advantages. Grounded in this vision, I define the values, ideologies, and corresponding behaviors of participants in this construction process as intelligenism. In traditional enterprise and organizational management, leaders tend to focus on order, control, and predictability. But do these traits necessarily translate into organizational competitiveness? Under the framework of intelligenism, if we shift the core goal of organizational construction toward the manifestation of intelligence—enabling the organization to exhibit intelligence surpassing that of its individual members—could this lead to a uniquely competitive edge? This exploration of a distinctive, highly competitive organization is my vision for intelligenism, and constructing social and commercial organizational forms with intelligence as the goal is the central aim of this book.