Philocognition FAQ

What does it mean to be philocognitive?

It means being addicted to the world of thought and knowledge.

Does a philocognitive think better than a non-philocognitive?

Probably, because they think more, but not necessarily; just as someone who exercises every day and for whom sport matters is a better athlete than someone who exercises twice a week and for whom it is not essential.

What is the difference between “gifted, zebra, high potential, neuroatypical, high-IQ, precocious, neurodivergent”… and “philocognitive”?

Philocognition brings all these terms, each reflecting a different nuance in one's relationship to thought and knowledge, under one single name that aims to be more comprehensive and more consistent.

Is philocognition hereditary?

Yes, no and… we don't know! We know that an individual's ability to produce high-quality reasoning is between 20% and 50% heritable. But:

1/ We do not know to what extent a taste for thought or knowledge is inherited, and

2/ It is possible to develop both the taste and the ability without being genetically predisposed to philocognition.

So you can become philocognitive?

Yes, I believe so. Just as someone who was uncomfortable with their body can develop a strong taste for sport, and then skill in it, later in life, someone who is not particularly at ease with their thinking can develop it later on.

Does a philocognitive necessarily have a high IQ?

No! A person with a high IQ is generally philocognitive, but there can be various reasons why a philocognitive may not have “scored high” on an IQ test (WPPSI, WISC, WAIS): fatigue, stress, unfavourable circumstances, lack of cognitive stimulation… Bear in mind that in ONE THIRD of cases, when someone retakes an IQ test a year or more after first taking it, their IQ varies by 20 points on average!

What percentage of the population is philocognitive?

Logically, I would say about a third, the other two thirds being operatives (who are addicted to action) and connectives (addicted to connecting with others).
Those who argue that philocognition (or giftedness) = an IQ above 130 conclude that philocognitives make up only 2.2% of the population. But they do not take into account the appetite for thought or knowledge, only the quality of part of the reasoning, and only at a given moment.