Conventional definitions of intelligence have been shaped by a rationalist tradition, where intelligence is reduced to logical reasoning, information processing, and performance optimization. In this view, intelligence is often equated with a monolithic thinking function. However, this understanding overlooks both the diversity and the inner tensions within human cognition. Recent psychological and neurocognitive research supports a more complex view: Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence theory highlights emotional regulation as integral to intelligence; Daniel Kahneman’s dual-process model shows that intuitive, fast thinking is pervasive in reasoning; and Dario Nardi’s neurophysiological studies identify differentiated brain activity patterns corresponding to Jungian functions.
Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types provides an early and profound contribution to this line of research. Jung proposed that cognition is structured not only by four basic functions—Thinking, Feeling, Intuition, and Sensation—but also by two opposing orientations: introversion (inner-directed) and extraversion (outer-directed). Crucially, Jung argued that thinking itself can be divided into Introverted Thinking (Ti), which is concerned with internal coherence and system-building, and Extraverted Thinking (Te), which is focused on external data and pragmatic results. Moreover, Feeling is conceptualized as a rational function that evaluates situations based on subjective values (Fi) or social harmony (Fe). The tension between introverted and extraverted orientations means that developing one function tends to suppress its opposite. For instance, a Ti-dominant person may sacrifice practical results for internal conceptual clarity, while a Te-dominant agent may disregard subjective depth for external efficiency. This typological framework reveals that intelligence is never uniform—it is informed by differentiated and sometimes conflicting cognitive functions, each shaping distinct ways of engaging with reality or constructing inner cognitive systems. Intelligence, from this perspective, is never uniform or neutral—it is always selective, structured, and shaped by competing cognitive priorities.
Jung’s eight-function model offers a compelling map of intelligence as a multi-dimensional phenomenon, with each function corresponding to a distinct mode of information processing and world engagement: four rational/judging functions: logical–analytic (Ti, introverted thinking), pragmatic–executive (Te, extraverted thinking), subjective value-based (Fi, introverted feeling), social-relational (Fe, extraverted feeling), and four irrational/ perceiving functions: intuitive–visionary (Ni, introverted intuition), creative–divergent (Ne, extraverted intuition), experiential memory-based (Si, introverted sensing), and perceptual action-oriented (Se, extraverted sensing).
These functions shape not only individual personality but also collective human knowledge production, including philosophy, science, and technology. No theory or worldview is purely objective; all cognition operates through functional preferences and typological biases. This insight is especially relevant for Artificial Intelligence (AI), as AI systems inherit human cognitive biases through data input, models, and design logic.
From this perspective, intelligence is not merely a computational capacity but a multi-faceted construct. Current AI development shows clear functional imbalances: e.g., while excelling in Te-like data optimization and Se-like sensory processing, AI systems remain underdeveloped in Fi-style ethical judgment and Si-style experiential learning. For both human cognitive research and AI development, typological cognition offers a necessary tool for better understanding cognitive diversity, developing all-round intelligence, and guiding future AI towards more human-like, ethical, and context-sensitive architectures.
