Dragon size & intelligence

[sweetolebob18 724]

Spike and Ember seem to be the only 2 non adult dragons with a 3 digit IQ.  They are both also pretty small.  Is there a connection?   Does a dragon growth spurt hurt their intelligence?

 

Edited April 20, 2016 by sweetolebob18

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,264]

I think it is a case where a dragon becomes so focused on their body size and extreme strength that they ignore learning anything else. Basically they choose brain over brawn and that is something that is most likely ingrained into dragon culture. Ember and Spike, well, at least with Spike, he has n't been around dragon culture much at all, so he doesn't live the same way. Ember is one I am sorta surprised about, but even she kinda showed signs of wanting to be all tough and whatnot. 

 

Makes me wonder how old she is in relation to her own father though, because he is HUGE. o_o

[碇 シンジン 27,427]

im pretty sure there could be a connection

[Untitled Goose Q 5,136]

It's not necessarily that it hurts their intelligence... but it would seem that dragon culture is such that they don't tend to use their intelligence much. Such can affect humans too- I personally know someone who is intelligent, but due to never having learnt how to use it, doesn't.

[Goat-kun 2,496]

Torch seemed pretty reasonable. I mean, he didn’t turn into a nightmare because of family issues, nor did he try to destroy the world with a time spell because his daughter went against him. Sure he took his reign as a tyrant very seriously, but I haven’t seen him treat others with such disrespect as some ponies. He even gracefully admitted his own mistake. Hardly an act of a raging beast, wouldn’t you agree?

[VengefulStrudel 1,486]

I'd say no. I like stories that include wise, ancient wyrms, that are not only highly intelligent but also extremely large and powerful, physically speaking. So, I hope intelligence and size aren't inversely proportional for them here.

 

It could be that perhaps the 'dumb' dragons try to get stronger and larger, while the 'smart' dragons don't care so much about their strength and size, thus are usually smaller than the 'dumb' ones.

[sweetolebob18 724]

Sorry, I should have specified that I meant non adult dragons.  I was also thinking of Spike's behavior in Secret of My Excess

[Widdershins 9,955]

   I think you're right there. Spike's little growth spurt was sort of like a sudden puberty.

Think it's safe to say that Thorn, the father of Ember, didn't get that way overnight. Due to Spike's origins, don't think I would be too remiss in saying that its likely his natural rhythms & processes are out of wack due to magic. Like to think that a natural dragon goes though something similar but not nearly that dramatic and threatening.

   Though don't think size is necessarily a direct relation to age when it comes to dragons. That sky-blotting red dragon from Dragonshy or that green one from that one forest chase scene, or any of the several others seen in the background during dragon-based episodes are hinted at being equally intelligent as Thorn was, but clearly not older or strong enough to challenge his rule. Huh...funny how we didn't seen any of those classic-model dragons attempt to fetch the scepter during that trial.

 

  There may very well be very many species of dragons, but as they sort of tend to live tribal and not very open or friendly to ponykind, we don't have too much to go on. Garble & some of his cronies look they could be the same bipedal species as Spike, Ember & her father Thorn. But could easily descend onto all fours as they grow older & bigger.

 

   Growing up that fast as they can, definitely does hurt their intelligence, but size doesn't equate to being a brute.

[Vlazamal 338]

This has been answered in the show. The more a dragon practices greed, the more it matures.