Intensity vs Extensity

““Intellect is a magnitude of intensity, not a magnitude of extensity.””

— Arthur Schopenhauer

Extensity? That word was new to me before coming across this quote. It means “having range” — think extend or extensive. Extensity conveys a sense of one’s breadth. So, Schopenhauer is expressing the idea that intellect — one’s ability to understand and reason — comes from how deeply we focus, not how far we wander. Which made me wonder:

Is it better to be intellectually or experientially wise?

This is a question I’ve been meditating on this year. Do I wish to be like the book smart, benefiting from intellectual intensity, or like the street smart, thriving from a wide range of experiences?

Over time, I've come to believe that any meaningful form of intelligence requires a measure of both. I see the world as a well stocked bar. Life offers us a variety of spirits and flavors to savor. However, there’s more to living than sitting on a stool, drinking. Expertise brings a richness to every experience and to become a cocktail aficionado, you must study the science of flavor — the why and the how behind taste.

I love a good cocktail. At first, I was a bit of an explorer, sampling various spirits. In time, I learned to order my tipples with a bit of an adventurer’s bravado. I figured out which cocktails had which ingredients, in what ratios, then came home to research and meticulously follow recipes.

I got pretty good; I was a streetwise bartender. It wasn’t until I went deep with my hobby, however, that this simple pleasure elevated from pastime to personal creative expression.

Rather than relying on store-bought ingredients, I started making my own syrups and bitters. The difference was akin to the depth Schopenhauer referred to - a concentrated intensity added a unique fingerprint to my cocktails. Now, my old fashioned is one-of-a-kind and my sazerac, renowned.

This, for me, is a clear example of the intersection between intensity and extensity. My casual experience with ingredients and recipes (extensity) led to my deeper appreciation for and practice of a craft that transformed a simple drink into a full-bodied experience (intensity).

Which brings me to an observation: when we give ourselves to exstensity, those ranging interests often reveal to us the realms in which we should invest our intensity.

Intensity vs Extensity. Which more accurately describes you?