TheINTPPersonality,Careers,Relationships,&theQuestforTruthandMeaning

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A.J.Drenth

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IntroductionINTPisoneofsixteenpersonalitytypes.INTPslovetothinkandphilosophize.Theyseethemselvesasquestingfortruthandmeaning.Notonlydotheyseektoknow the truth about reality, but to cultivate an abundant andmeaningful life.Unfortunately, getting a firm hold on truth andmeaning often proves trickierthantheyanticipate.Complicatingmatters further is INTPs’ concern for finding and securing theirrightfulplaceintheworld.Thistypicallyinvolvessearchingfortwothings:theright career and the right relationship. Because INTPs envision their optimalcareer as encapsulating, or at least incorporating, their quest for truth andmeaning,ittoocanproveslipperyandelusive.WhileoftentakingabackseattotheINTP’swork,relationshipscanbeanotherpointoffrustrationanddifficultyforthistype.Attimes,INTPsmaywonderifrelationshipsareevenworththeirtimeandeffort.Beingsuchindependentsouls,theymayconsiderwhetheraromanticpartner isreallynecessaryintheirquestforhappiness.Inlightofthesechallenges,itshouldnotsurpriseusthatINTPsareamongthemost restless of the personality types. Others may see them as perpetuallyunsettled, always making and breaking plans. INTPs may also be accused of“thinking toomuch” or “over-analyzing everything.”But such critiques rarelyswayordeter them.INTPsknowthat,regardlessofhowothersperceivethem,they must persist in their quest for truth and meaning. Indeed, for the INTP,seekingandexploringisintegraltolife.PerhapsthemostfamousindividualassociatedwiththeINTPpersonalitytypeisAlbert Einstein. Like other INTPs, Einstein displayed great independence ofthought,privileginghisownideas,theories,andprojectsaboveallelse.Healsoshowed little respect for established conventions and authorities, which heviewedasantagonistictocreativity,individuality,andfreedomofthought.AlthoughIgenerallyagreethatEinsteinembodiedmanyINTPcharacteristics,itisequallyimportanttonotewhathelacked.Namely,hefailedtoexhibitoneofthe more common and central features of INTPs—a deep concern for self-knowledge. Indeed,most INTPsseeself-knowledgeasacriticalcomponentof

theirquestfortruthandmeaning.

Truth&MeaningintheModernWorldManyINTPsbegintheirsearchfortruthbylookingoutsidethemselves.Thisisespeciallycommonfor those reared inextravertedcultures, suchas theUnitedStates, where they are inundated with messages suggesting that truth andmeaning depend on externalities—money, status, relationships, social andreligiousaffiliations,etc.SoeventhoughINTPs’naturaltendency,asintroverts,is to look inward, they may be conditioned by circumstances to first explorewhat the world has to offer. In this vein, they may scour books on science,religion,philosophy,and the like,hoping to findanswers to theirquestionsontruth,meaning,and“howtolive.”At this point in history, religion has lost its status as the most tenable andrespected authority on objective reality. With increasing evidence for andacceptanceof theories likeDarwinianevolutionand theBigBang,sciencehassupplantedreligionastheleadingauthorityonmattersoftruth.ButasCarlJungandothershavedulynoted, sciencehasproven rather ineffective in supplyingmeaningandpurposetohumanlife.Indeed,thevacuumofexistentialmeaningleftinthewakeofreligion’sdethronementisnosmallproblem.Withoutaviablereplacement, many people will be forced to reckon with difficult, evenpotentiallyparalyzing,issuessuchasnihilismandmeaninglessness.In light of this modern situation, INTPs who are unable to successfullyresuscitateorreformulatetheirreligiousbeliefs(assumingtheyhadanytobeginwith)areforcedtolookelsewhereforanswerstotheirquestionsabouttruthandmeaning.Manywill turn their sights topsychology,philosophy,ormysticism,all of which speak to the human condition, sans the mythological clothes oftraditionalreligion.As INTPs proceed to explore and contemplate various perspectives, theydiscover that “objective” or “absolute” truth is not as easy to identify as theyoriginally imagined. They find there are no quick or easy answers to theirquestionsabouttruth,meaning,andthehumancondition.Indeed,justasbeautyis“in theeyeof thebeholder,” so it canseemwith truthandmeaning.As theeminent philosopher, Immanuel Kant, famously professed, “We don’t see theworldasitis,butasweare.”

As INTPs come to see the integral role of human subjectivity in truth andmeaning,theyincreasinglyrecognizethevalueandimportanceofunderstandingthehumanmindandpsyche, especially theirown. Indeed, it is this realizationthat impelled thinkers such asNietzsche,Kierkegaard, and others to extol theimportance of self-knowledge. These thinkers essentially turned the quest fortruthandmeaningonitshead,removingtheirgazefromtheexternalworldandturning it toward the self, which they saw as the primary source of truth andmeaning.And while Nietzsche and company opened up new vistas for exploringsubjectivetruthandmeaning,thereremainsafairamountofambiguityintheirthought.Oneof themaingaps, inmyview, involves thequestionofhowonegoesaboutobtainingself-knowledge.Whatmethodsandcriteriashouldweuseinourattemptstodescribeandunderstandourselves?Self-KnowledgethroughJung’sTypologyIn his classic work,Psychological Types, Carl Jung provides insight into thisquestionofhowwemightknowourselves.There,heobservesthatthemindandpersonalityworkaccording todiscernable lawsandexhibit specificpatternsoffunctioning. Based on his research and clinical observations, as well as hisformidable knowledge of history and literature, Jung proffers a theory ofpersonalitytypes(orwhathecalled“psychologicaltypes”).One of the beautiful things about Jungian typology is it provides an objectiveframeworkforunderstandinghumansubjectivityandcultivatingself-knowledge.Thisknowledgecan informandenlightenINTPs’quest for truthandmeaning,aswellastheirsearchforsatisfyingworkandrelationships.Inmanycases,INTPsfirstencountertypologywhenexploringcareersorcollegemajors.Aftertakingvarioustestsandreadingpertinentpersonalitydescriptions,their interest is piqued. INTPs seem naturally intrigued by the notion ofpersonality typesingeneralandbythefeaturesof theirowntypeinparticular.Thisshouldcomeaslittlesurprise,asINTPsdesperatelywanttoknowwhotheyare,howtheyshouldlive,andthesortsofthingstheyshouldbedoing.Similartoother IN types, INTPs see it necessary to understand themselves—theirpersonality,interests,abilities,andvalues—beforetheycanactintheworldwithany degree of confidence or conviction. And because typology promises

objective insight into these matters, it can quickly assume a degree ofimportance for the INTP that extends far beyond its utility in identifying acollegemajor.As Thinking types, INTPs are inclined to conceive of the self in terms of itsstructure and utility. In many ways, they see the self as a sort of tool orinstrument. In contrast to INFPs, the degree towhich the self is unique (or isperceived as unique) is less important to INTPs than is grasping its essentialfunctionsandcapacities.Hence,forINTPs,thequestion“WhoamI?”mightberephrasedas“WhatkindoftoolorinstrumentamI?”or“WhatkindoffunctionsamIdesignedtoperform?”Bydevelopingabettersenseoftheirpsychologicalstructuring and functionality, INTPs feel they can gain insight into how theyshouldconductorimprovetheirlives.Ideally, INTPs might envision their lives unfolding in the following way: 1)acquire adequate self-knowledge; 2) apply that self-knowledge to procure afulfillingworklife;3)findsomeonetosharethatlifewith.Unfortunately,whatoftenhappensisquitetheopposite.Beforereallyknowingthemselves,theydiveintoacareer,getmarried,havechildren,andsuddenlyfindthemselvesdissatisfied in their careers and relationships.They then feel stuck,seeing it as overly difficult to change or reinvent their careers, or to heal ordiscontinue their relationships. They therefore live out much of their lives inlimbo,feelingrestless,aimless,anddissatisfied.Purpose&ApproachTheprimarypurposeofthisbookistohelpINTPsbetterunderstandthemselvesthroughthelensoftypology.This,inturn,canaidandabettheirquestfortruth,meaning,andpurpose.ThisbookalsostrivestohelpINTPsdevelopaclearersenseofdirection,aswellasincreasedsatisfaction,intheirwork.Thisisnotlimitedtomerelyidentifyingtherightcareer,job,ormajor.Thequestionofsatisfyingworkismuchbroaderthanthatandwillbeexploredassuch.Another purpose is to help INTPs understand themselves with respect torelationships, allowing them to develop more meaningful and satisfyingpartnerships.

The approach of this book is descriptive, theoretical, and to some degree,prescriptive. Descriptively, it details the interests, characteristics, andpsychologyof INTPs.This includesdescriptionsofhow INTPs think, behave,andengage(orfailtoengage)withothers.ItalsotacklessomeofINTPs’biggestconcerns,suchastheirquestfortruthandmeaninginlife.To help us understand the structure and origins of the INTP’s thoughts andbehavior,wewilldrawonthetheoreticsofJung,MyersandBriggs,aswellastheworkofmycolleagueElaineSchallockandmyself.Thisincludesexploringthe INTP’s functions and the dynamical interactions of those functions in theINTP’s“functionalstack.”WewilldevoteparticularattentiontotherelationshipbetweenINTPs’dominantfunction,IntrovertedThinking(Ti),andtheirinferiorfunction, Extraverted Feeling (Fe), a tension that has been overlooked orseverelyunderestimatedinotherworks.Withregardtoprescription,partofmyinterestintypologyinvolvesthedegreetowhichourunderstandingofthestructureandfunctioningofeachpersonalitytypelendsitselftoprescriptionsforindividuationandpersonalgrowth.Inotherwords,towhatdegreedoesthe“is”ofatypeinformthe“ought?”Iaminclinedtobelievethattypologyofferssignificantinsightintohoweachpersonalitytypemightfunctiontomaximizeitsgrowthandwell-being.At this point, I alsowish todisclosemyown status as an INTP. I realize thismaybeviewed as an advantageor disadvantagewith respect to thevalue andcredibilityofthisbook.Thedisadvantage,ofcourse,isthatmyunderstandingofthe INTP might be skewed by my personal biases and experiences. Theadvantage is that I have not only had the opportunity to study INTPs fromwithout,butalsotoliveandexperiencelifeasanINTPfromwithin.Andwhilemany Personality Junkie blog readers might attest to the value of myconjectures,Iinviteyou,thereader,tobeyourownjudge.

OverviewIn Chapter 1, I provide a general overview, aswell as a function-by-functionanalysis, of the INTP personality type, including a look at the tug-of-warbetweentheINTP’sdominant(Ti)andinferior(Fe)function.Wewillexploreatlength the various manifestations of INTPs’ inferior Fe, a function whoseprofoundeffectsaretoooftenoverlookedorunderestimated.InChapter2,wewillexploreINTPs’typicalcourseofgrowthanddevelopmentacross the lifespan.Wewill frame our discussion in terms of three phases ofdevelopment,grantingparticularattention toPhase II,whichextends fromlatechildhood through midlife. In Phase II, INTPs encounter the most pressingchallengeswith regard to their career, relationships, and identity. It is also thetimeinwhichtheystrugglemostwiththeopposingdesiresandinterestsoftheirTiandFe.Byunderstanding thepotential trapsandpitfallsofPhaseII, INTPsaremorelikelytoavoidhavingtolearnlife’slessons“thehardway.”Chapter3exploreswhatIcallthe“negativepotentials”oftheINTPpersonalitytype. This includes a careful look at the INTP’s “dark side,” as well as thedegree to which INTPs are prone to various psychological problems such asdepression, ADD, autism/Asperger’s, narcissism, and schizoid/schizotypalpersonalitydisorders.Chapter 4 tackles one of the INTP’smost poignant and recurrent concerns—theirquestfortruthandmeaning.Inthefirsthalfofthechapter,wewillexploreINTPs’struggletofindconsistentsourcesorlandmarksofmeaning,aswellastheirfearsandconcernsaboutmeaninglessness.Wewillalsoconsidertheroleoftheir inferior function in fueling their quest for meaning and their meaning-related fears. The second half of this chapter focuses on INTPs’ search forconvergenttruth.Thiswillincludeanassessmentoftheeffectsofthisquestontheir psychological well-being, as well as what a healthy approach to truth-seekingmightlooklikeforINTPs.Chapter 5 explores some of INTPs’ political, religious, and philosophicalpropensities.Thiswill includeanalysesof the relativecontributionsofeachofthe INTP’s four functions to the ways in which they see and understand theworld.The importance of satisfying work for INTPs cannot be overstated.

Unfortunately, INTPs encounter numerous roadblocks in their quest for afulfillingcareer.InChapter6,wewilldivedeepintosomeoftheirmostpressingcareer concerns. This includes addressing issues such as the degree to whichtheyshouldfocusontheintrinsicversusextrinsicvalueoftheirwork,theplusesandminusesofworkingindependently,thepotentialmeritsofadayjob,creativeversus analytical careers,etc.Wewill also consider someof the INTP’smostcommon career strengths and interests areas, drawing on the six “RIASEC”interest themes—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, andConventional—developed by JohnHolland.Thiswill include analyses of howtheINTPs’functionslinkupwiththeirtopinterestareas.Wewillalsoexaminethe relative merits of specific careers and majors—the hard sciences,social/moral sciences, computers/IT, freelancing, scholarship, medicine,psychology,etc.—inlightoftheINTP’spersonality,skills,values,andinterests.Chapter 7 explores the ways INTPs think and function with respect torelationships. Because of the polarized nature of their Ti and Fe functions,INTPsoftendisplayasortoflove-hateattitudetowardrelationships.Ontheonehand, they cherish their autonomy and independence (Ti),while on the other,theyseekloveandcompanionship(Fe).Aswewillsee,thewayinwhichINTPsdealwithrelationshipsisinmanywaysreflectiveofthewaytheydealwiththeinherent challenges of their own personality type. This chapter starts out byexploringthequestionofwhetherINTPsneedorshouldpursuerelationshipsatall. Indoingso, itprovidesaninsidelookinto thewayINTPsthinkaboutandapproach relationships, as well as their unconscious motivations. In theremainder of the chapter, we explore the following issues: relationships as aforumforlearningandexperimentation,thevalueofimplementingan“openness&honestpolicy,”thedangerofconcealingnegativethoughtsandassumptions,INTPcommunicationissues,Ti-Feidentityissues(i.e.,“LoneWolf”versus“Mr.NiceGuy”),andINTPattitudestowardfamilyandparenting.Chapter8mightbeviewedasanextensionofChapter7.Itexplores,onatype-by-typebasis,howINTPsmayfarewhenpairedwithvariouspersonalitytypes.Wewill devotemost our time to examining their compatibility with Intuitivepersonalitytypes,typeswhoaremostlikelytocompriseasuitable“mindmate”fortheINTP.Chapter9comparesandcontrastsINTPswithrelatedpersonalitytypes—INTJs,ENTPs, ISTPs, and INFPs. By highlighting noteworthy similarities anddifferences, this chapter will help INTPs better distinguish themselves from

theseothertypes.

1.ProfileandFunctionsINTPs comprise roughly 3-4%of the general population.As is commonly thecase among Thinking types, there appears to be at least twice asmany INTPmalesasfemales.INTPsuseIntrovertedThinking(Ti)astheirdominantfunction.Aswewilllaterdiscussingreaterdetail,Ticanbeassociatedwithindependenceandintensityofthought.WhileTimaycompel INTPs tofocusona relativelynarrowrangeofinterests,theirauxiliaryfunction,ExtravertedIntuition(Ne),searchesforbroadconnections across various subjects and knowledge areas. INTPs commonlyexplore topics like philosophy, science, religion, history, psychology, andevolutionary theory. By surveying a breadth of knowledge domains, theydevelopaclearerviewofthe“bigpicture,”ofhoweverythingfitstogether.In addition to their concern for apprehending the big picture, INTPs are alsointerestedindiscerningthefundamentalnatureofthings.ThiscanbeunderstoodintermsoftheirTi’stendencytowardreductionism,toboilingeverythingdownto its bare essentials. In searching forwhatwemight call the “foundations ofeverything,” INTPs commonlywrestlewith physical, aswell asmetaphysical,concepts and theories.TheirNe’spenchant for thebigpicture, combinedwiththeirTi’sconcernforessentials,explainswhyINTPsareoftenwell-describedasphilosophers.ButINTPsarenotmerelyessentialistphilosophers.Theyarealsoexistentialists,concerned with questions of existence and “how to live.” They are not onlyconcernedwithtruth,butalsowithmeaning.Indeed,ifweweretolikenINTPsto a coin,wemight put truth on one side andmeaning on the other. Acutelyawareofthebrevityoflife,INTPsstrivetoensurethattheirlivesandworkareasauthenticandmeaningfulaspossible.

TheINTPfromWithoutWhenvacationingfromtheirpersonalprojectsandinvestigations,INTPscanbequirky,witty,andengaging.SincetheyextravertbothFeeling(Fe)andIntuition(Ne), they can have a certain charm, approachability, and congeniality aboutthem.Einsteinaptlyembodiedsuchtraits.Furthermore, when discussing topics that interest them, INTPs can bestimulating conversationalists. Their ever-active minds quickly connect onetopic to another, paving the way for broad-ranging dialogues. If disinterestedhowever, such as when forced to endure protracted small talk, INTPs willquicklyzoneoutor findaway to redirect theconversation.Despite appearingoutwardlypersonable, INTPsaremore interested indiscussing ideas than theyarethecommonplacedetailsofpeople’slives.Theyenjoyanalyzingwhatmakespeopletick—theirmotivations,interests,patterns,andpropensities.ThisallowsINTPstofurtherhoneandrefinetheirtheories(Ti-Ne)ofhumannature(Fe).Likeother introverts,INTPscanbeanxiousandself-consciouscharacters.It isnotuncommonforthemtodisplayahandfulofnervoushabits,oratleastsomeindication they are not fully at ease. They often avoid direct eye contact, asthough thegazeof their interlocutormaysomehowharm themor render themincapableofthinkingorcommunicating.INTPsmayalsofeelinsecureaboutthescattered nature of theirNe expressions,whichmay at times soundmore likedisjointed ramblings than erudite expositions. Feeling that someone else isclosely watching or critiquing their expressions only furthers their sense ofinsecurity.INTPs can also be rather slow in disclosing the true contents of their innerworld.As strange as itmay seem to some, INTPs conceal someof theirmostdominant personality features, namely, their cerebral, rational side. Indeed, itmayonlybeaselect fewwhoaregrantedfullaccess to thissideof the INTP.PerhapsthebestwayofsamplingINTPs’innerworldisthroughtheirwork,suchasbyreadingsomethingtheyhavewritten.ThismayexplainwhyINTPsoftentakeinterestinwriting,whichprovidesaforumformorerobustandpreciseself-expression.Inlightoftheirreluctancetofreelyrevealtherationalsideoftheirpersonality,aswellasthescatterednatureoftheirNeexpressions,INTPsfeeltheirtruelevelofknowledgeandcompetenceisoftenlostonothers.Thisisespeciallycommon

in the workplace, where their lack of enthusiasm for organizational life,combined with their quirky outward demeanor, may be mistaken forincompetence.

INTPGenderDifferencesWhilewewon’tgotoofaroutofourwaytoteaseoutINTPgenderdifferences,a2001researchpaperentitled,“GenderDifferencesinPersonalityTraitsAcrossCultures,” found surprisingly consistent gender differences across 26 cultures(Costa,etal.).Specifically,theresearchersfoundthat“womentendtobehigherin negative affect, submissiveness, and nurturance and more concerned withfeelingsthanideas.”Men,bycontrast,testedhigherinassertiveness,excitementseeking,andapreferencefor ideasoverfeelings.Sincemanyof thesefindingsseem to fall along Thinking-Feeling lines, it does not seem unreasonable tosuggest that female INTPs may, to some extent, have more in common withFeeling types than male INTPs do. They may, for instance, display strongernurturingpropensities.Morerecentresearch(2013)fromtheUniversityofPennsylvaniaindicatesthatfemale brains display greater neuronal connectivity between hemispheres,whereas males exhibit more connections within each hemisphere. Theresearcherssuggestedthat,accordingtothesefindings,femalesaremorelikelytointegrateright(e.g.,intuitive,emotional)andleft-brained(analytical)stylesintheirprocessing,whereasmaleswill tend toshowless integration. IfweapplythesefindingstoINTPs,maleINTPsmayexhibitagreaterdisconnectbetweentheirThinkingandFeeling,creatinganevenlargergulfbetweentheirdominantTi and inferior Fe functions. If this is the case, it would further support thenotion that INTP females are apt to be somewhat more “F-like" than INTPmales.

TheFunctionalStackEach personality type is thought to use four main functions that comprise its“functionalstack.”Thefunctionsinthefunctionalstackareorderedaccordingtotheir degree of strength and differentiation, as well as their availability forconscious employment. The most differentiated and conscious function isappropriately dubbed the “dominant function,” which is followed by theauxiliary,tertiary,andinferiorfunctionsrespectively.Thedominantfunctionrepresentsthecorestrengthanddefiningcharacteristicofeach type. When engrossed in an activity that fully engages the dominantfunction,wetendtofeelalertandalive,doingwhatwewere“borntodo.”Theauxiliary function, which can also be well-developed and useful, might beviewedastheco-pilotorsidekicktothedominant.Falling toward the bottomof the functional stack, the tertiary and inferior aresignificantly less conscious anddeveloped than the top two functions.Despitebeinglessconscious,however,thesefunctions,particularlytheinferiorfunction,canplayaprominentroleinthepersonality.Dominant Function: “The Captain.” The signature strength of the personalitytype.AuxiliaryFunction:“TheHelpfulSidekick.”Thechiefassistanttothedominantfunction.Tertiary Function: “The Adolescent.” Relatively unconscious andundifferentiated.InferiorFunction:“TheChild.”Theleastdifferentiatedandconsciousofthefourfunctions.TheINTP’sfunctionalstack:Dominant:IntrovertedThinking(Ti)Auxiliary:ExtravertedIntuition(Ne)Tertiary:IntrovertedSensing(Si)

Inferior:ExtravertedFeeling(Fe)Wewillnowtakeacloserlookateachofthesefunctions.DominantFunction:IntrovertedThinking(Ti)InordertounderstandINTPs,orotherIPtypes,wemustfirstrecognizethefullimplicationsof theirdominantfunction(Ti)beingaJudgingfunction.Namely,sinceTiisaJudgingfunction,INTPsarepredominantlyinnerJudgers.Soratherthan remaining in a state of openness, INTPs, like EJ types (whose Judgingfunctionisalsodominant),arecompelledtoseekclosureandhavethingssettledintheirminds.Theywanttohammerdownwhattheybelieveinordertohaveaplatformfromwhichtomakeimportantdecisionsabouttheir lives.Whentheirbeliefsareshakenintostateofuncertainty,theycanfeelanxious,unsettled,andaimless.INTPs can also resembleEJs in their tendency to think in terms ofwhat theyshould be doing. They like to set goals and objectives for themselves,approaching life with a sense of intentionality. At least when it comes toinitiating tasks, they can be as disciplined as any EJ type. It is mainly afterinitiatingataskthatINTPsgetsidetrackedandstartlookingmorelikeEPs.Thisisunderstandableinlightoftheorderingoftheirfunctionalstack.Theystartoffwithajudgment(Ti),whichimpelsthemtobeginworkonatask.Onceinitiated,however,theirnextfunctionisaPerceivingfunction(Ne),whichcancausethemtogetdistractedorsidetracked,eventothepointoflosingsightoftheiroriginalpurpose.ThiscanbefrustratingforINTPs,sincetheendpointor“goal”oftheirfunctional stack (i.e., their inferior function) involves reaching a state ofjudgmentorclosure(Fe).Thismayalsopartlyexplainwhytheycanattimesbecarelessorsloppyintheirwork,sincetheirdrivetofinishaprojectmayoverridetheirdesireforprecisionoraccuracy.What is trickyaboutINTPs’ innerJudgingprocess is their judgments typicallyremainconcealedfromothers.WhileExtravertsandJudgingtypesarequickertoexpress their thoughts, INTPs are inclined to sit on their judgments beforesharingthem.Infact,thevastmajorityofINTPs’judgmentsgounsaid,leavingotherswithlittleclueastowhattheyarethinking.Inbeingslowtoexpress their judgments, INTPsareoftenviewedasgoodandpatientlisteners.ButasinnerJudgers,theyareneitheraspatient,noraseagerto

listen,astheymightoutwardlyappear.Noraretheyaspassiveorrelaxedastheirappearance might suggest, since their Ti contributes an inner seriousness andintentionalitythatpromptsthemtopursuetheirownagenda.Because INTPs like to work independently and uninterruptedly, they can getfrustrated when others interrupt or make demands of them. This is especiallytrue when their thoughts are flowing and they don’t want to lose theirmomentum.Insuchinstances,INTPsmaythink(althoughwillrarelyeversay)somethingalongtheselines:“IwishpeoplewouldjustleavemealonesoIcangetonwithmywork.”OneofthemostimportantthingstounderstandaboutINTPsistheirsensethattheoneandonly thing in theworld theycancontrol is themselves.Since theirouter Judging function (Fe) is in the inferior position, they feel uncomfortablemakingjudgmentsordecisionsaboutexternalsituations,especiallywhenthereisapotentialforintroducingconflict.Thisiswhytheybecomefrustrated,evenresentful,whentheworldmakesdemandsofthem.Suchdemandsdisrupttheirself-directedTi process and force them to attend to externalities they feel lessinterestedinorcapableofcontrolling.This prompts the questionof how INTPs should respond to such “intrusions.”ShouldtheyabandontheirinnerTiprocessandshiftintoextravertedPerceiving(Ne) to assess the situation? Or should they resist the intrusion bymusteringsomemeasureofFejudgment?SincethelatteroptionrequiresmoreenergyandgumptionforINTPs,theformeristheirdefaultapproach,which,aswe’veseen,leadsotherstoseethemasreceptiveandadaptable.Butagain,thisissortofanillusion,sincetheirpreferredmodeofoperationisTiratherthanNe.Ithereforesuggest that INTPs are really not spontaneous in the way that EP types are.INTPsmaybespontaneous(orimpulsive)whentheyareatthehelms,butwhenit comes to spontaneously responding to the outside world, they tend to dragtheirheels.

WhatisIntrovertedThinking(Ti)?Having now considered the implications of INTPs’ Ti as a dominant Judgingfunction,wewillnowexpoundonthenatureofTiitself.Ti involves theapplicationof logicandreasonfor thesakeofunderstandingagivensituation,system,orproblem.INTPsuseTitobringstructure,order,and

clarity to their thoughts and innerworld.They also useTi to direct and ordertheir lives and projects, including setting personal goals and objectives.Consequently,Ticanbeassociatedwithindependence,self-discipline,andself-regulation.ImmanuelKantisagreatexampleofahighlyself-disciplinedandself-regulatedINTP. Kant is notorious for never having traveled outside his town. Hedeveloped a routine—arising each day at the same time, writing through themorning, dining with friends at lunch, taking a walk in the afternoon, andstudying and reading in the evening—that he followedwith great consistency.Indeed,onecouldarguethathisdegreeofself-regimentationwasinstrumentaltohisprofoundphilosophicalachievements.Assuggestedfromitsintroverteddirection,Tiisdirectedtowardtheselfanditsideas. In this sense, it stands in contradistinction toTe,which strives tomakeexternalsystemsmorerational.LikeKant,INTPsworktoensurethattheirlives,worldview,andpersonalphilosophyareorderlyandrational.TheirTicompelsthem to constantly establish and reestablish inner order. INTJs, by contrast,whose dominant function is Intuition (Ni), are far less concerned aboutconsciouslymaintaininginnerorder.Tiislessinterestedinworkingwithfactsthanitiswithconceptsandideas.Jungwrites: “His [sic] ideas have their origin not in objective data, but in hissubjective foundation.” INTPs are constantly digging into the background oftheirownthoughtsinordertobetterunderstandtheiroriginsandtoensuretheirthinkingisfoundedonasolidconceptualplatform.Generallyspeaking,Ti(alongwithNe)findsiteasiertoidentifyinconsistenciesor logical shortcomings—to assert what is not true—than to identify andconfidently assert what is true. INTPs can quickly locate inconsistencies orlogical shortcomings inagiven theoryorargument.Theyexcel inpinpointingexceptions or imagining scenarios in which a proposed explanation mightbreakdown.Duetotheiracutesensitivityto theoreticalexceptions, theycanbequick (sometimes too quick) to discard entire theories, throwing out theproverbialbabywiththebathwater.INTJs,bycontrast,seemlessdeterredbyostensibleexceptions(especiallythosepertaining to their own theories), perhaps believing they will eventually beexplained or rectified. Since INTJs are predominantly perceptive and their Ni

worksconvergently,theytendtobeabitmorecautiousandcarefulonthefrontend,butafterreachingaconclusion,theyarelessapttovacillateorchangetheirminds.When INTPs’ Ti and Ne are functioning constructively or synthetically (asopposed to critically), they can be seen as employing a sort of trial-and-errorapproach to theory-making.Theystartoutwithagiven(Ti)and thenuse theirauxiliary Ne to explore various connections and possibilities. This againcontrastswiththeINTJ’smodeofoperation.INTJsdisplaymorepatienceonthefrontend,allowingthetheorytointuitivelyemergeinitsentirety(Ni),andthencarefullyanalyzeandenumerateitviaTe.TheTi-Neduoisaninterestingone.Aswewilldiscussinournextsection,Nefunctions divergently and exponentially increases the number of options andpossibilities.Ti,bycontrast,asanintrovertedfunction,ismorereductionisticinnature. Instead ofmoving forward andmultiplying ideas, itworks backwards,paring things down to their bare essentials. In this sense, Ti can resembleNi,whichworksmoreconvergentlyandreductivelythanNe.INTPtheoristsandwritersarelikelyawareofthetensionbetweentheirTiandNe, even if they don’t describe it in such terms. When Ti takes hold, theybecomemore focused on clarifying basic ideas and concepts. Theymay evenconstruct charts and diagrams in hopes of maximizing the coherency,consistency, and structure of their ideas. While at times helpful, when thishardcorefront-endstructuringfails toproducethecleanandcogentframeworktheydesire,theytendtoswingbacktowardthelesspredictablemethodsofNe.This might, for instance, involve doing more writing and less categorizing,trusting that connections and insights will emerge through the less consciouscreativeprocess.In my experience, INTPs are typically happiest when functioning somewherebetween Ti and Ne, rather than toward either extreme. Most often, theunderstandingorexpressiontheyareseekingemergeswiththeaidofNe,ratherthanthroughstrictuseofTi.Hence,writing(aswellasothercreativearts)canserve as helpful tools of discovery for INTPs. Rarely can INTPs know inadvancewhatwill emerge from the creative act,which is one reason creativeworkissointerestingandenjoyableforthem.INTJs,bycontrast,oftendescribethewritingprocessasmoreburdensomeordraining.Thismaybepartlyduetothe fact that INTJs seem tohaveabetter senseofwhere theyareheaded than

INTPs do, making the writing process seem more like work and less likediscovery.AuxiliaryFunction:ExtravertedIntuition(Ne)INTPsuseExtravertedIntuition(Ne)astheirauxiliaryfunction.BecauseNeistheir first extraverted function, it is their primary tool for engaging with theoutsideworldandcommunicatingwithothers.In its verbal incarnation, Ne resembles a sort of “brainstorming aloud.”Consequently,INTPs’speechisoftensporadicanduneven,sometimesrambling,astheirNerandomlybouncesfromoneideatothenext.ListenersmaystruggletodiscernexactlywhattheINTPistryingtosay,asoneideabegetsassociationswithcountlessothers.Togetasenseofwhatthisislike,imagineanideaplacedin the centerof fiveother ideas, all ofwhich seemconnected in ameaningfulway.ThisassociativepropensityofNecanmakeitdifficultforINTPs(orotherNP types) to cogently express themselves in a streamlined fashion. Theymaystruggle tonarrowall theverbalandideationalpossibilities intoasingle linearexpression. Even ideas that seem inwardly logical and sensible to INTPsmaybecomemuddledorincoherentwhenconveyedthroughNe.ThisiswhyINTPsoftenfeelmoreconfidentexpressingthemselvesinwriting,whichaffordsthemmoretimetoarrangetheirideasinalogicalfashion.ItisalsowhyINTPsprefertheroleofinterviewerorfacilitatoroverthatoftheintervieweeorlecturer.Neseemsmoreconducive torespondinginshortbursts than togenerating lengthymonologues.In its receptive role, Ne prompts INTPs to gather information. UnlikeExtraverted Sensing (Se), Ne is not attuned to concrete, sense data. Indeed,INTPsareamongtheoblivioustoenvironmentaldetailsofalltypes,commonlymissing things that seem obvious to others. Ne looks beyond sense data,allowing INTPs to discern unseen patterns, possibilities, and potentials. It isconstantlyscanningforrelationshipsorpatternswithinpoolsoffacts, ideas,orexperiences.INTPscommonlyexercisethisreceptiveelementofNeinactivitiessuchasreading,researching,listeningtotalkradio,orengaginginconversation.Nealsoconfersanamplemeasureofopen-mindedness.UnlikeNi,whichworksconvergentlyandcomeswithasenseofconviction,Neworksdivergentlyandisless apt to commit to a single conclusion (at least not for very long).Ne seesmultipleexplanationsandpossibilities fornearlyeverything (“Thepossibilities

are endless!”). This can make it difficult for INTPs to be consistent in theirjudgments anddecisions, since theyoften endup second-guessing themselves.WhiletheirTipushesforclosure,Necountersbyrallyingformoreoptionsandalternatives. In many cases, Ne wins out, interjecting just enough new orcontradictoryinformationtokeepINTPsinastateofindecision.Indeed,itisnotuncommonforINTPstofeelentirelyconfidentoneday,onlytofeelambivalentanduncertainthenext.Relatedly,Neseesmanymattersasgreyorambiguous.INTPstypicallyseetruthon both sides of an issue, which can prevent them from latching ontounwarranted judgments or premature conclusions. This is why they are oftenperceivedasfairandeven-handedarbiters.Nealsocontributesanopennesstoalternativelifestyles.Itwouldnotbeunusual,for instance, for INTPs to experiment with vegetarianism, consider joining acommune,goaweekortwowithoutshowering,ordecidetheyaregoingtotrylivingoutofavan.Necanalsoengenderasenseofadventure,expectancy,andwondermenttowardlife’smysteriesandcontingencies.Itconfersasenseofblindanticipation,ofnotknowingwhoorwhatwillmanifestnextonone’slifejourney.InthissenseNecanhaveamysticalorspiritualflavor,involvinganopennessorcuriositytowardlife’s contingencies. The experience of “synchronicity”—roughly defined as asenseofmeaningfulcoincidence—isnotuncommonamongINTPswhoareopentowhatwemightcallNespirituality.BothKantandEinsteinreportedastrongsenseofaweandwonderintheircontemplationsofthecosmos.Onthemorenegativesideofthings,Nemaycontributetoapersistentsenseofrestlessnessordissatisfaction.INTPsmayfindthemselveswantingtobreakoutof certain situations or circumstances in order to experience more novelty,freedom,andautonomy.Theymightfeelcompelledtoquittheirjoborbreakoffa relationship inhopesofdiscovering somethingmore stimulating.This isnotwithoutitssocialconsequences,however,asthosewhoconsistentlyactonsuchpromptingsmaybeperceivedasfickle,irresponsible,orerratic.LikeotherNPs, INTPsoftenhavea love-hate relationshipwith theirNe.Theylovethefactthatitkeepsthemopen-mindedintheirideationandlifestyle,whileattimesfatiguingoftheirperpetualstateofrestlessnessorvacillation.Indeed,itcan seem that at the very moment INTPs are feeling good about a theory or

decision, theirNesteps inandshakes thingsup.Thishasobvious implicationsfor INTPs who are trying to make important decisions about their careers orrelationships. It can leave them feeling discouraged and restless, worried thattheymay never findwhat they are looking for or produce anything of lastingvalue.SinceNecanbeasortofhitormissfunction,INTPsoftenrequireagreatdealof timeandexperimentation toapproachahigher levelofconfidenceandcertainty.TertiaryFunction:IntrovertedSensing(Si)UnlikeNe, INTPs' tertiary function, IntrovertedSensing (Si), isaconservativeandconvergentfunction.Itengendersattachments topastexperiencesandpastprecedent—totheroutine,familiar,andpredictable.Types with Si in their functional stack, including INTPs, tend to eat a fairlyroutineor consistent diet, "eating to live" rather than "living to eat."They arealso conservative with regard to their resources, tending toward saving overspending. Minimalists to the core, INTPs have a diminished need for novelphysical pleasures andmaterial comforts. Theirmatesmay get frustratedwiththeir tendency to shoot down proposed expenditures, most of which seemsuperfluous or otherwise unnecessary to the bare bones pragmatist that is theINTP.ItisimportanttorecognizethatSimanifestssomewhatdifferentlydependingonits position in the functional stack. For types using Si as the dominant orauxiliary function (SJ types), it contributes an adherence to existing facts,traditions,worldviews,ormethods.SJsaretypicallylessequippedtospawnnewideasoflastingworth,sincethisrequiresstrongerpowersofNe.Therefore,SJstend to align their beliefs andbehaviorswith an existing standardor tradition,grantingthemasenseofconsistencyandsecurity.WhenSifalls lowerinthefunctionalstack,asis thecaseforINTPs, itfails todeliver the strength of conviction commonly seen in SJ types. It alsodeemphasizes traditional beliefs and instead relies on INTPs’ past experiencesand synthesized knowledge. INTPs use their Si recall as a sort of check andbalancefortheirTi-Neideas.Intime,INTPsmayexperienceaheightenedsenseofSiconviction,asensethattheyareslowlyprogressingtowardwhattheyareseeking.

SicanalsohelpINTPsdevelopeffectivehabits,aswesawinthecaseofKant.AsINTPsobservethemselvesovertime,theycanidentifybehaviorsthatallowthemtofunctionmostoptimallyandtofeelmostsatisfied.Then,whentheystarttogetofftrack,theirSicanstepinandremindthemofthosebehaviors,aidingtheir return to a more balanced and healthy state. In combination with Ti, Sihelpsthemhoneandperfecttheirmethodofliving.AcommonlyoverlookedroleofSiisitsperceptionofinternalbodilysensations—the body as felt and experienced fromwithin. Perhapsmore than any otherfunction,itprovidesaccesstotherawandbasicsenseof"being"thatexistsapartfrom thought or outward stimuli. Historically, Eastern philosophical andreligious traditions have done amuchbetter job exploring and cultivating thisdimensionthanthoseoftheWest.ThisfeatureofSiisbroughttotheforeduringactivitiesthatrequirecloseattentiontoone’sinternalbodilystate.Thisincludespractices like yoga, Tai-Chi, Feldenkrais, meditation, and various relaxationtechniques.INTPs interested in exploring this element of Si may find great delight andderivemuchbenefitfromthesesortsofpractices,whichareespeciallyusefulindevelopingthebodilyawarenessnecessarytorelax,focus,andmitigateanxiety.They can therefore aid INTPs in their intellectual and creative work. Suchpracticescanalsobe interestingandmeaningful in theirownright,persuadingINTPstotakeabreakfromtheirusualTimodeinordertorelax,perceive,andexplorethewonderlandoftheirinnerbody.InferiorFunction:ExtravertedFeeling(Fe)The inferior function represents the ultimate goal or attractor point for eachpersonalitytype’sgrowthanddevelopment.Itmotivatesanddrawsusforward,compelling us tomove toward greaterwholeness. It promises a newmode ofexistence,onethatiswhollydifferentfromthatofthedominantfunction,whichiswhyitisoftenexperiencedanddescribedas“magical.”The inferior function opposes the dominant and in many ways has its ownagenda. It can cause us to act in ways that are grossly inconsistent with ourtype’stypicalpresentation.Whileitispossiblefortheinferiortobeintegratedinahealthyfashion,thisisoftennotthecase.Moretypically,theinferiormanifestsin extreme ways, like a child demanding attention. In such instances, weabandon the values and objectives our dominant function in order to indulge,

gratify,orplacatetheinferior.The inferior can play a prominent role in obsessive, compulsive, or addictivebehaviors. “In the grip” of our inferior function,we feel locked into a certainmood,attitude,orbehavior,onewecannoteasilyescape.Webecomenarrow-minded, irrational, impetuous, self-indulgent, and lose our sense of humor. Inmanyways,religiousnotions,suchassinandthedevil,seemcloselyrelatedtogripexperienceswiththeinferiorfunction.When a given function is in the inferior position, rather than the dominant orauxiliary position, it tends to bemore sensitive and touchy. Thosewho knowhowto“pushourbuttons”haveusuallydiscoveredawaytooffend,irritate,orthreatenour inferior function.Andsince the inferior is ratherunconsciousandundeveloped,itoftenrespondsinanall-or-nothing,childishfashion.Thesortofchildishbehaviorassociatedwiththeinferiorfunctioniscloselyrelatedtowhatare sometimes described as “ego issues” (e.g., ego hypersensitivity, egodefensiveness,grandiosity,etc.).As is trueofother types, INTPsareoftenblinded to thedegree towhich theirinferiorfunction,ExtravertedFeeling(Fe),impactstheirdecisionsandbehavior.InordertoavoidbeingsubconsciouslycontrolledandundulyinfluencedbytheirFe,INTPscanbenefitfromunderstandingFeingeneral,aswellasthewaysittendstomanifestintheirownpersonalitytype.

WhatIsExtravertedFeeling?TheFeelingfunctionweighsandevaluatesouraffectiveresponsestotheworld.Since it is ratherunconsciousandundifferentiated inThinking types,ThinkersareoftenunawareoftheirownemotionsandFeelingjudgments.Feelingtypes,bycontrast,arenotonlyawareoftheiremotionsingeneral,butarealsoattunedtoemotionalnuanceandsubtleties(justasThinkersaremoreattunedtologicalsubtleties).Indeed,foreveryemotioninaThinkingtype’sarsenal,aFeelermaydistinguishnumerousfeelingsorfeelingtones.BecauseFeelersdiscernagreaterbreadth of emotional variations and nuances, they may feel that words areinadequate tocaptureandconveytheirexperiences,promptingmanyto turntopoetry,music,andtheartsasalternativeformsofself-expression.The Feeling function also pertains to the development of tastes. Tastes arequalitativepreferences—likesanddislikes.ThisisanotherreasonFeelingtypes

aredrawn to thearts,whichprovidea forumfordevelopingand refining theirtastes.Extraverted Feeling (Fe) is an extraverted Judging function. While theextraverted Perceiving functions (e.g., Ne) express things in an open-endedfashion(e.g.,“Whatdoyouthinkabout…?”),theextravertedJudgingfunctionsutilize declarative statements (e.g., “I feel that…” or “I don’t like…”). Suchdifferences are also conveyed in expressional tone. When J-types (especiallyEJs) ask questions, their tone may seem insincere, since an attitude of outerreceptiveness does not come naturally to them. Similarly, P-types (especiallyIPs),may at times appear awkward or uncomfortablemaking firm declarativestatements.While thecontentofanFeexpressionneednotbehighlyemotional, there isadiscernabledifferenceinitspackagingcomparedtothatofExtravertedThinking(Te).Te presents as rather dry, lifeless, andmonotonal. It can seem flat in itstone, volume, and inflection, especially in TJ types. This is because Te isunconcernedwithconnectingwithothersonanemotionalplane.Itspurposeistoconveyinformationinaliteralandexplicitfashion.ThiscanmakeitdifficulttoreadtheunderlyingemotionsofTJtypes.WhenFetypes(especiallyFJs)engagewithothers,theyarelookingtocreateashared bond of feeling. They want their feelings to be understood andreciprocatedinawaythatallowsbothpartiestogetonthesameemotionalpage.Fe is sometimes described asmore “superficial” than IntrovertedFeeling (Fi).Thisispartlybecause,asanextravertedfunction,Fetendstoworkbroadlyandextensively rather than deeply and intensively.This ostensible superficiality ismost clearly exemplified in TP types. TP politicians, for example, can appearextremely sincere and affable (Fe),while furtively harboring an alternative Tiagenda.SuchindividualsmayusetheirFeindeceptiveanddisingenuousways,using it to ingratiate themselves to others in order to advance their hiddenagendas.

Harmonyvs.HelpingSinceFeisINTPs’inferiorfunction,itisoftenmoresensitiveandlessresilientthan it is in FJ types. This can make INTPs extremely uncomfortable inemotionalsituations,especiallythoseinvolvingpotentialconflictordisharmony.

BecauseoftheirFe'sconcernformaintainingexternalharmony(orwhatmaybebetterunderstoodas itsdiscomfortwithdisharmony), INTPsmayabstainfromexpressing their judgments in order to avoid unsettling others. While not asovertlywarmoreffusiveasFJtypes,INTPscanbesensitivetoothers’feelingsandmaygooutoftheirwaytoavoidhurtingoroffendingthem.Forinstance,inthe midst of a discussion, an INTP may want to explain how human matingpracticesareprimarilyaproductofevolutionarypressures.But if shesuspectsthatothersmaytakeoffensetosuchanexplanation,shemaywithholdittoavoidintroducingdisharmony.Althoughfunctioningassuperficialpeacemakers,INTPsaregenerallyslowertogooutoftheirwaytohelpothers(atleastindirect,hands-onways).Especiallyearly in theirdevelopment,most forgocommunity serviceandavoid investingextensive time and energy helping others. This is particularly evident whenunder stress. If burdened by toomany external pressures or demands, INTPs'willingnesstohelpothersisoneofthefirstthingstogo.Inshort,INTPs’Feismoreconcernedwithpreservingharmonythanit iswithextensive helping. This is especially true early in life, when they have yet toachievetheirTigoals.Oncethosegoalshavebeensatisfactorilymet,however,theymaybecomemorebenevolent.WecanseethiswithEinstein,forinstance,who displayed increasing beneficence and generosity toward people in thesecondhalfofhislife.

ReluctancetoExtravertJudgmentUnlike J-types, INTPsareuncomfortable issuingorders anddirectives.This iswhy, whenever possible, they shy away from leadership roles. For the samereason,parentinganddiscipliningchildrencanbechallengingforINTPs.We’vealreadydiscussedonereasonwhyINTPsareslowtoextravertjudgment—theirfearofdisharmony.Butthereareotherreasonsaswell.OneisthatNeisthe first extraverted function in their functional stack. So instead of directlyexpressingajudgment,theymaydosoinlessdirectways,suchasthroughhintsorquestions(e.g.,“Areyousureyouwanttodothat?”).Theymayalsorefrainfromexpressingjudgmentsbecausetheyhaveyettosettleanissueintheirownminds.INTPsneverwanttobeseenasdogmatic,closed-minded, or unnuanced in their thinking. Relatedly, they are naturally slow toadviseothers,especiallywithregardtoF-relatedmatters.ThisisbecauseINTPsdon’twanttogetitwrong,todealwiththeaftermathofbeingwrong,ortomakedecisionsthatinvolveoraffectotherpeople.As will be discussed in our relationships chapter, INTPs may also forgoextravertingjudgmentforfearofsayingsomethingthatwillirreparablydamagetheirrelationshiportheirpartner’sperceptionofthem.Theymayworkhardtouphold their self-perception of being nice and considerate (Fe), even if thisbeliesthemoreindependentandself-focusednatureoftheirTi.Becauseoftheirreluctancetoordifficultyinextravertingjudgment,INTPsmayat timesact tyrannically,makingsuddenexecutivedecisionswithoutanypriorcommunication. In such instances, others may feel incredulous as to why theINTPfailedtodiscusstheissuewiththemfirst.Moreover,afterrestrainingtheirfeelings for some time, INTPs may display sudden outbursts of anger andfrustration.Theymayalsoresorttomorepassive-aggressiveformsofresistance,such as intentionally staying late at the office to protest their domesticdissatisfaction.Inshort,havinganinferiorFecanhinderINTPsabilitytocommunicatedirectlyandeffectivelywithothers.Itcantakeagreatdealofcourage,practice,andtrustfor INTPs to assert themselves a la Fe, particularly when discussingcontroversial,relational,orotherwiseuncomfortableissues.

DesiretoTeach/EnlightenOthers

INTPs strive to discover knowledge or wisdom they can use to enlighten theworld. Like FJs, they like the idea of enlightening others regarding how theymight live better lives (Fe). But as we’ve seen, INTPs can struggle when itcomes to directly expressing their judgments. They are more comfortableexchangingideasbywayoftheirauxiliaryNethandeliveringdirectFeadvice.INTPs can also become impatient with those who are slow to understand orembrace their ideas. They often expect others to learn as quickly andindependentlyastheydo.Therefore,INTPstendtohavemixedfeelingswhenitcomestoteachingorcounselingothers.

DesireforAffirmation/ValidationAswe’veseen,Feseekstoestablishsharedconnectionsoffeelingwithothers.Whenasuccessfulconnectionoccurs,itproducesasenseofvalidation,ofbeingvaluedandunderstood.Whilemost INTPscandoa fair jobat readingothers’emotionsanddiscerningtheappropriatesocialresponse,theyoftenfailto“feel”what others are feeling. In other words, they experience cognitive rather thanaffectiveempathy.Despite theirdifficulty inconnectingwithothersonafeeling level, INTPs’Festill desires the same sense of affirmation and validation that FJs experiencewhen engaging with people. This desire for affirmation can be seen as amotivating force behind INTPs' quest for recognition and achievement. It alsoexplains why many INTPs score high as Enneagram Threes (3) and displaycertainnarcissistictendencies.Since INTPs rely on others for affirmation, they often feel they cannot livewithout at least one other person in their lives. Their fear of being alone orunneeded may play a significant role in their perceived need for romanticrelationships. There are also times, however, when INTPs feel incrediblyindependent (Ti) and may even convince themselves they don’t need otherpeople.Thisisespeciallytrueinperiodswheretheyarecompletelyabsorbedinthe creative flow of theirwork.But after long droughts of human interaction,INTPs begin to feel that something is missing from their lives. This promptsthemtoreinitiatecontactwithothers,atleastuntiltheyfeelcompelledtoasserttheirindependenceagain.

Childlike&SlipperyEmotions

For most INTPs, their Fe is rather naive and childlike. They may be easilymoved by cheesy romantic comedies or sappy love songs, anything thatunconsciouslyincitestheirFeemotions.Theiremotionalnaivetécanmakethemeasy targets for love-at-first-sight sorts of infatuation. They are particularlysusceptible to seduction by extraverted Feeling types, whose Fe warmth canbypass INTPs’ typical channels of logic and appeal directly to their lessconsciousFe.As is typically the case with the inferior function, there is an all-or-nothingcharacter to INTPs’ Fe. Their emotions seem to have a mind of their own,comingandgoingastheyplease.Consequently,INTPsfeelawkwardandineptin emotional situations, since they often fail to experience the situationally-appropriateemotions.Aswe’veseen,INTPsusuallyknowwhichemotionsareappropriate, but without experiencing them directly, they can be clumsy ormechanicalinemotionalsituations.Inmanycases,INTPsexperienceemotionsatinopportunetimes.Theymay,forinstance, experience feelings of love and affection when apart from theirpartners, but may struggle to contact those feelings, let alone effectivelycommunicatethem,whiletogether.AlthoughINTPsmaystruggle todirectlycontact theirownemotions, theycanbeadeptatoverridingordetachingfromthem,evenfunctioningasthoughtheydidn't exist. Therefore, theymay not strugglewith the samemeasure of pain,guilt, regret, or shame as other types. Indeed, others may be surprised howquicklyINTPscanseeminglyresume"businessasusual"afterwhatmostwouldconsidertragicortraumaticcircumstances.

Hypersensitivity&AngertowardLackofFeControl

SinceFeismoreconsciousanddevelopedinFJtypes,itiscapableofsteppingin, taking charge, andmanagingothers’ behavior.WhileFJs (especiallyEFJs)areconfidentintheirabilitytocontroltheoutsideworld,theirpoorlydevelopedTi may confer little in the way of inner control. We see the oppositephenomenoninINTPs,whoexperienceastrongsenseofinnercontrol,butfeellargelyineptwithregardtotheirabilitytocontrolothers.

To deal with this Fe deficit, one of the INTP’s primary strategies is to avoidsituations that make Fe demands of them. This may, for instance, involveeschewingpositionsof leadershiporminimizing interpersonal contacts. INTPsfeelitsaferandeasiertoberesponsibleonlyforthemselves.Unfortunately,liferarelyallowsINTPstoremaininastateofTiutopiaforlong.At some point, theymust poke their head out of their shell and engage withpeople.Andwheretherearepeople,thereareboundtobeFeproblems.Perhaps more than anything else, INTPs struggle in interpersonal situationsinvolving strong displays of negative emotion. Such emotional displays canquickly unsettle INTPs, making them feel powerless and out of control. Forinstance,theyoftenfeeloutofcontrolwhencalledupontomanageormediateconflicts amongyoung children.Since INTPs’ typical style is to simply avoidinterpersonal contact and thereby avoid conflict, they can feel clueless andparalyzedwhenitcomestohandlingexternalconflict.INTPs also struggle with strong displays of negative emotions or perceived“neediness”fromtheir romanticpartners.When theirpartners,especially thosewithstrongFeexpressiveness,cometothemwithanurgentneedforsupportorreassurance, INTPs may find themselves feeling angry or spiteful rather thancompassionate. This response is not intentional, but is more of a knee-jerkreactionstemmingfromfeelingsofpowerlessnessandineptitude.Thisproblemalso ties into the fact that INTPs fail toexperienceempathy to thedegree thatFeelingtypesdo.INTPsdonotwanttofeignempathy,asitfeelsawkwardandinauthentic.SoalltheyfeelcapableofdoingisprofferingpotentialsolutionsinaTi-Nefashion,whichmayleavetheirsupport-seekingpartnerfeelingfrustratedandunsatisfied.This dissatisfactionmay, in turn, further fuel INTPs’ sense ofspiteandanger,sincetheyfeeltheyarebeingaskedtofunctioninauthenticallyand“outoftheirelement.”In short, these sorts of situations highlight INTPs’ Fe weaknesses and canquicklycause them tobecomehypersensitiveanddefensive. Indeed,wheneverINTPs feel forced to deal directlywith others’ negative emotions, they are athigh risk for losing control of themselves, whichmay include falling prey totheirown“darkside.”

2.GrowthandDevelopmentAs discussed in my first eBook, The 16 Personality Types, personality typedevelopment does not happen overnight. Rather, it is a gradual process ofunfolding, propelled by life experiences and increasing self-awareness.Consequently,itcanbehelpfultoanalyzetypedevelopmentintermsofdistinct,successive phases. In this chapter, we will explore three general phases ofINTPs’growthanddevelopment.Since personality development requires spending ample time in each phasebeforeadvancingtothenext,weshouldresistthetemptationtodeemanyphaseinherentlybetterorworse thananother.Wemust remember thateachphaseofdevelopmentisequallypartofthehumanexperience,guidedbylawsandforcesthataretoacertainextentbeyondthecontroloftheindividual.PhaseI:EarlyChildhoodEarlyinlife,perhapsevenfrombirth,allpersonalitytypesrelyonthedominantfunction as their primary tool for navigating the world. My ISTP son, forinstance,showedearlysignsofadominantTi.Ataroundtwoyearsofage,withminimalprompting,hepotty trainedhimselfandstoppedusinghispacifier.Atagefive,hesuddenlygaveupsoda,assertingitmighthamperhisdevelopmentasasoccerplayer.Ineachofthesecases,theresultswereimmediateandlasting.This is the sort of thing that Ti does, independently making decisions andimposingdisciplinesontheselfforthesakeofachievingitsgoals.ItisnotunusualforyoungINTPstofocustheirTi,whichisareductivefunction,on only one or two primary interests. Theymay use their Ti tomaster videogames, collect and organize baseball cards, excel in school, develop strategiesandmethodstoimprovetheirsportsperformance,or,inthecaseofEinstein,toexplorethenatureofphysicalreality.Since Ti is a Judging function, young INTPs may take themselves and theirinterestsquiteseriously.Aswesawwithmyson, theymaydisplayprecociouslevels of self-discipline and self-control.They are often goal-oriented, strivingforexcellenceinwhatevercapturestheirinterests.This is not to suggest that INTPs’ inferior function is absent from Phase I.

Indeed,FesuppliesthemotivationformanyoftheyoungINTP’spursuits.Theyworkhardtogainaffirmationandrecognitionfromtheirparentsorpeers(e.g.,“LookwhatIcando!”).TheirFemayalsomanifestthroughthedevelopmentofmeaningfulchildhoodfriendships.PhaseII:LaterChildhood-30sWhat distinguishes Phase II from Phase I is increasing polarity and conflictamong the personality functions. INTPs can be seen as moving into Phase IIwhentheyexperienceamorepronouncedconflictbetweenthetimeandenergythey devote to self (Ti) versus others (Fe). In Phase I, this is typically a non-issue, since they typically have plenty of time to enjoy both solitary (Ti) andsocialendeavors(Fe).PhaseIINTPsarealsonotbeholdentoorresponsibletoanyonebut themselves.Theyhave relatively fewobligations and are shelteredfrom the harsher realities and difficulties of life. But once INTPs reachadolescence and early adulthood, things begin to change, sometimes ratherrapidly.Oneof thebiggest shifts involvesablossomingof INTPs’ interest in romanticrelationships. It’s not that they are devoid of romantic thoughts or feelings inPhaseI,butwith thephysiologicalchangesofpuberty,combinedwithculturalnorms of mating behavior, INTPs start devoting more of their consciousattentiontoFematters.Indeed,itisnotunusualforteenageINTPstoexperiencestronginfatuation,eventowardindividualstheyhavehardlyspokento.Thismaybe bolstered by a vivid fantasy life,which they use to escape reality and “gethigh”onromanticfeelings.Theymayevenusebooks,music,ormoviestofantheirromanticfantasies.Becausefeelingscanbesoelusive,andthereforesomysteriousandalluring,forINTPs, they may experience stronger crushes, fantasies, and infatuation thanFeelingtypesdo.Immersingthemselvesinfeelingsoflovecanfeelnothinglessthanmagicalandintoxicating.ComparedtotheirtypicalTimodeofoperating,suchFedreaminesscanseemanentirelynewworld.Psychologicallyspeaking,discovering these strong feelings is inmany regards a discovery of the “otherhalf”ofthemselves.Aslongasfeelingsofloveandromanceareconfinedtotheimagination,INTPsreallyaren’tatwarwiththemselves.Withrelativeease,theycantogglebetweentheirTipursuitsandtheirFefantasies.Oncetheybecomeintentonactualizing

theirFefantasies,however,thingsbecomealottrickier.ThissurgeofFefocusmayproveproblematicforINTPsinseveralways.ManyyoungandnaiveINTPs,forinstance,getluredintolong-termrelationshipstheylatercometoregret.BygrantingtoomuchweighttotheirFeinfatuations,theymakecommitmentsthat,inretrospect,theirTistrugglestojustify.AnidealizedFemayalsoleadINTPstoadoptasortof“grassisalwaysgreener”mentality toward their relationships.Sincenopartnercouldpossibly liveup totheirromanticfantasies,INTPsmayfindthemselvesperpetuallydissatisfiedandlookingforalternatives.Theymayjumpfromonerelationship(ormarriage)tothenextastheydesperatelyseekanelusiveFeideal.WhatmaybetheINTP’smostdifficultandrecurrentstruggleofallisbalancingthetimeandenergyinvestedintheirTipursuitswiththatoftheirrelationships.Inourupcomingchapteronrelationships,wewillexplorewhatIhaveframedasthe“LoneWolfvs.Mr.NiceGuy”dilemma,ascenariowhichcanplagueINTPsfordecades.Asifallthiswasn’tenough,theeffectsofahyperpolarizedFeisnotlimitedtoINTPs’relationships,butcanalsoinfiltratetheircareerdecisions.Forinstance,Fe may lure INTPs into characteristically Feeling-oriented careers, such ashuman services or helping professions. Unfortunately, it is rarely long beforeINTPsworkinginthesefieldsinstinctivelyrealizetheirworkistooheavyonFe.This,ofcourse,isessentiallythesameproblemthatoccurswhentheyenterintorelationshipsbasedonfeelingsalone.PhaseIIwoescanbeevenworseforINTPswhoexperienceasortofFe“doublewhammy,” falling prey to Fe traps in both their careers and relationships.Unfortunately,thisisnotasuncommonasonemightthink.SuchINTPsmaytryto assuage the resultant pain by drowning themselves in fantasies aboutmoreidealcareersorrelationships.Their Fe’s desire to accomplish something big and importantmay add furtherfueltoINTPs’PhaseIIfire.Likeothertypes,INTPscanbeconcernedwiththeadvancement and promotion of their own ego.Male INTPs seem particularlyconcernedwithmaking a name for themselves and leaving theirmark on theworld.Sowhentheircareersandrelationshipsfallshortoftheirego’sstandards,they may become depressed or fall into addictive or otherwise unhealthy

behaviors.PhaseIII:30s,40s,&BeyondIfPhase II is likeanemotional rollercoaster, repletewithemotionalhighsandlows,PhaseIIIislikebeingonemotionalcruisecontrol—acalmer,steadier,andmore tranquil state of being. It in many ways resembles a sort of Zen-likeexistence.Transitioning toPhase IIIcanbea“twosteps forward,onestepback” typeofaffair.Asistrueofothertypes,INTPsdon’tskipoverPhaseIIandmoverightinto Phase III. Most will enjoy their fair share of pursuing, indulging, andpromoting their Fe. Like other types, they need to dabble in “sin,” includingexperiencing some of its negative consequences, before they are willing toearnestlyexplorealternatives.Theyneedtoexploreandgratifytheiregobeforetheycanopenthemselvestotheprospectoflettinggoofit.Indeed, from the vantage point of Phase II, Phase III may appear somewhatuninterestingoruneventful,similartohowacollegestudentmightviewthelifeofanelderlyperson.PhaseIIINTPsmayfinditdifficulttoseehowitispossibletobehappyorstimulatedinPhaseIII.Theymayworryaboutfeelingboredordepressed,or that theywillbeforced torelinquish theircherishedpursuitsandinterests.Fortunately,thisistypicallynotrequired.ThechangesofPhaseIIIareprimarilypsychological,involvingagradualshiftinattitudeandapproach.Phase III INTPsare typically lessattached to theirwork in thesense that theyare less concerned with the advancement or indulgence of their Fe ego. Thisallowsthemtoenjoytheirworkforitsintrinsicvalue,ratherthanobsessingoverexternal “success.” They also come to value and understand truth (T) andmeaning(F)asaholisticexperience,awayofbeing,ratherthanmerelyintermsofabstractideasorconcepts.

3.NegativePotentialsandDisordersWe have already touched on certain INTP characteristics that might benegatively perceived by other personality types, such as their tendency to bealoof,self-absorbed,emotionallyimmature,orineffectivecommunicators.Tobefair to INTPs, however, all personality types are immature, childish, andincompetentwith respect tomatters involving their inferior function. It just sohappens that INTPs’ Fe weaknesses aremagnified in the interpersonal realm,makingthemmoresubjecttopublicscrutiny.In addition to bringing its own set of problems, the inferior function can alsoserveasasortofgatewaytoapersonalitytype’sdarksideorshadow.Moreover,individualsdisplayingahyperpolarizedrelationshipbetweentheirdominantandinferiorfunctionmayexhibitcharacteristicsofvariouspsychologicaldisorders.Inthischapter,wewillexplorewhatIwillrefertoasthe“negativepotentials”ofthe INTP personality type. This will include a discussion of the INTP’s darkside,aswellasvariouspsychologicaldisordersINTPsmaybedisposedto.Aswillbecomeevident in thischapter, Iamgenerallyuncomfortablewith thefrequencybywhichpeoplearediagnosedwithpsychological“disorders.”Ithasnever been entirely clear to me where “normal” personality ends and“abnormality” begins.With certain exceptions, I am inclined to envision suchmatters as existing along a continuum rather than in discrete categories.Consequently, theremay be timeswhen, rightly or wrongly, I am accused ofdownplayingabnormalityinfavorofinterpretingthingsaccordingtodegreesofnormality.TheINTP’s“DarkSide”INTPsaretypicallyfairlyeven-keeledandmild-tempered.TheyusetheirTi tofindstrategiesforminimizingstressandanxiety.Thisallowsthemtomaintainafairlyneutral, perhaps even slightlyoptimisticmood,muchof the time.Whenthings are running smoothly, INTPs can handle most problems with relativeease.Therearesituations,however,thatcauseINTPs’fragileandhypersensitiveFetofeel threatened or out of control. This may occur, for instance, when their

romantic partners are finding fault with or “picking on them,” rather thanaffirmingorotherwiseappeasingtheirFe’s“needtobeneeded.”Aswesawinthepreviouschapter,INTPsmayalsolosedecoruminsituationsinvolvingstrongexpressionsofnegativeemotions.BecauseINTPsarerelativelyill-equipped to navigate emotionally-difficult situations, their inferior Fe isinclinedtodoallitcantodefenditself.Hence,inemotionallyintenseorchaoticsituations, INTPs may suddenly be overwhelmed with feelings of rage andanger,which,leftunmitigated,mayquicklytransportthemtothedarkside.WhenINTPsareenragedorangry, they thinkandact in irrationalways.Theymay, for instance, suddenly and unexpectedly lash out against a perceivedperpetrator,suchasamate,child,orco-worker.Intheseunfortunatemoments,INTPs may say or do things neither they nor others would ever expect fromthem.Theymay look and feel like they are possessed by something evil, thattheyarenolongerthemselves.Inmanyinstances,INTPsmanagetocontaintheiranger,dealingwithitseffectson an inward basis. In contending with their own inner beast, they mayexperience any number of dark thoughts or urges. These may range fromsuicidal thoughts, to intense feelings of hatred, to fantasies of criminal acts.Generally,suchthoughtsarerathershort-lived, truncatedbyadiminishmentofthe emotion, effective distractions, a return of Ti reasonability, or somecombinationthereof.ButifINTPsdwellindarknessforanysustainedperiodoftime,theymayfindthemselvesinserioustrouble.Ofalltypes,theyareprobablytheleastlikelytoseekoutsidehelp,puttingthematgreaterriskforbecomingavictimoftheirowndarkside.Followingsuchdarkermomentsorperiods,INTPsmayfeelsomecombinationofguilt, confusion, fear, andconcern.Discovering theirdarkpotentials canbescary, as well as humbling. It forces them to acknowledge their weaknesses,including the fact that therearecertainsituations inwhich theyareapt to losecontrolofthemselves.Suchexperiencescanalsopromptthemtothinkdifferentlytowardothers.Itcanbe easy for INTPs to project their distaste for neediness or dependency,expectingotherstothinkandbehaveastheydo.ButonceINTPsacknowledgelapses in their own self-control, they may become more forgiving andempatheticinthisregard.Theyrealizetheycanbejustasmortal,justasfallible,

orjustasweakasthenextperson.SufferingthetraumaoftheirowndarksidemayalsocauseINTPstolosesomedegreeoffaithinthepotentialforhumanbetterment.Theymayfeelthatiftheylack the requisite self-control to respond appropriately to stress, then it isunreasonabletobelievethatotherswillfaremuchbetter.Tominimize the likelihoodof falling prey to their owndark side, INTPs firstneedtobeawareofthecausesandtriggersoftheirdarkemotions.Thisincludesrecognizing how their Fe hypersensitivity and insecurities may serve as agatewaytotheirdarkside.Second,INTPsneedtostoplisteningtotheirdarkemotions.AsThinkingtypes,theymustrecognizethat,outsideof“fightorflight”emergencies,theiremotionsare rarely good compasses for navigating life. This is because many of theiremotions, whether positive or negative, stem from the hypersensitivity orchildishness of their inferior Fe. So in many ways, an INTP listening to hisemotionsisakintotakingadvicefromanaïveorangrychild.IfINTPscanavoidtrusting and identifying with their dark emotions, they will incur far lesscollateraldamageandreturntoahealthierstateofmindmorequickly.Inlieuofbuying into their emotions, INTPs are better off gathering all the pertinentinformation (Ne) and enlisting their Ti reasonability before acting or drawingconclusions.DepressionLike other personality types, INTPs have the potential for depression. Theprecipitantsofdepression,however,willtosomeextentdifferamongthevarioustypes.From a typological perspective, depression can result from functioninginauthenticallywithregardtoone’stype.ForINTPs,thiswouldinvolvelivinginsuchawaythattheirTiandNearedeprivedofmeaningfulengagement.Atfirst,Ti-Ne deprivation may produce feelings of dissatisfaction, apathy, orrestlessness. But if this were to persist long enough, a more severe state ofdepressionmightensue.INTPsmayalsobecomedepressedwhentheyfeeltheyhavenothingimportantto contribute to the world or that the world doesn’t really need them (Fe).Repeated “failures” or a persistent sense of hopelessness or dissatisfaction in

their careers or relationships may prove especially difficult for INTPs tonavigate.Another common factor in INTP depression is their struggle withmeaninglessness, the sense that life in general, or their lives in particular, aredevoid of sufficient meaning. We will discuss INTPs’ struggles withmeaninglessnessingreaterdetailinournextchapter.

ADD

Inmyexperience,attention-deficitdisorder(ADD)ismostcommonlydiagnosedin NP types (especially ENPs), while attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) ismost commonly diagnosed in SP types (especially ESPs). In bothcases,itcanbedifficulttodeterminewherenormaltypecharacteristicsendandabnormal ones begin. After all, whenever individuals are immersed incircumstancesthatruncountertoorfailtostimulatetheirnaturaltendenciesandpreferences(e.g.,traditionalschooling),theyareboundtoappear“outofplace”or “abnormal.” For instance, when NPs are expected to perform rotememorizationortolearninalinearfashion,orwhenSPsareexpectedtositstilland take in abstract ideas, there is a clear conflict between the methods andobjectivesoftheeducationalsystemandthoseofthestudent.Typically, INTPs appear lessADD-like (orwhatmight be better described asmoreNe-like)thanENPs.AsdominantThinkers,theirabilitytofocusand“goinward”isgenerallysufficient toexemptthemfromtheADDclassification.Insome cases, ENTPs diagnosed with ADD may have mistyped themselves asINTPs,whichcouldleadtoanoverestimationoftheincidenceofADDamongINTPs.WhileINTPscanbesomewhatimpulsiveanddistractible,theytypicallyexhibitsufficient“executivecontrol”tobringtheirmindintofocus(Ti).Autism/AspergerSyndromeIf ADD represents a sort of extreme right-brainedness, autism and Aspergersyndrome would seem to fall toward the left-brain side of things. But if weroughly associateTiwith the left brain andNewith the right brain,wemightsuspect that INTPs would fall somewhere in the middle (assuming their Tiwasn’t overly dominant). It would therefore seem more likely that TJ types,

especially STJs, who in my view are more consistently and characteristicallyleft-brained,wouldcrossoverintoautisticterritory.Simon Baron-Cohen has framed autism in terms of a strong preference forsystemizing versus empathizing. If we use this criteria, we might be moreinclinedtoassociatetheINTPpersonalitytypewithautism.Butagain,mostofthe INTPs I have encountered seemmore socially skilled (presumably due totheir Ne and Fe) than certain ITJ individuals. This could of course becompromised in INTPswho strugglewith social anxiety, but social anxiety isclearlyadifferentanimalthanautism.In lightof theabove, Isuggest that INTPsmaybemoredisposed toautismorAsperger’s thansomepersonality types,butIseenoapriori reasontobelievethatINTPswouldbemoresusceptibletoautismorAsperger’sthanISTPsorTJtypes.NarcissismNarcissists arepreoccupiedwith themselves, including their perceived levelofpower, status, prestige, and success. Some researchers have suggested thatupwardsof75%ofthosewithnarcissisticpersonalitydisorder(NPD)aremale,whichseemsconsistentwithcommonperceptionsofnarcissists.Typically,narcissismisassociatedwithextraversion,sinceextraverts,especiallyESPs, seemmore conscious of their image and appearance. But in his book,MalignantSelfLove:NarcissismRevisited,SamVaknindistinguishestwotypesof narcissists: the somatic narcissist and the cerebral narcissist. While ESPnarcissists would typically fall into the somatic category, Intuitive types,especially IN types, would tend toward the cerebral variety. According toVaknin, cerebral narcissists seek to secure narcissistic supply by showcasingtheir knowledge, intellect, and intelligence. Thismight come, for instance, bywayofacademic,scientific,orscholarlyachievement.Ifwe accept cerebral narcissism as a valid phenomenon, there is no reason tobelieve that INTPswouldbe immune from it. Indeed, theymayevenbemoredisposedtoitbecauseoftheirinferiorFe,which,aswe’veseen,canmanifestasadesiretogainrecognitionandaffirmation.Vaknin also discusses how narcissists tend to devalue their romantic partnersonce the novelty of the relationship has worn off. This too would not seem

uncommonforINTPs,sincetheycaneasilylosetouchwiththeirfeelingsofloveandaffection.Insum, INTPsseemmore inclined towardcerebralnarcissism thanmostothertypes.WhileVakninseesthenarcissist’schanceofrecoveryasrelativelyslim,Itend to disagree, especially for thosewithmilder cases. Inmy experience, asINTPsmatureanddevelop,theirneedforegoaffirmationgraduallydiminishesandissupplantedbyahealthiersenseofself-worth.Moreover,aswewillseeinourupcomingrelationshipschapter,therearewaysinwhichINTPscanreframetheirrelationshipssoastomitigatetheirtendencytodevaluetheirpartners.Schizoid&SchizotypalPersonalityDisordersSchizoid personality disorder (SPD) involves a diminished interest ininterpersonalrelationships,emotionalcoldness,andapreferenceforasecretiveandsolitarylifestyle.Basedonthisdescription,onecanseewhyitisdebatablewhether SPD should be considered a disorder at all. Some have argued, forinstance, that SPDdiffers little from an avoidant attachment style.Or, from atypologicalperspective,onemightarguethatitcouldbeexplainedintermsofastrong preference for Introversion and/or Thinking. It should not surprise us,then,thatINTPsmayresonatewithmanyofthecriteriaanddescriptionsoftheschizoidcharacter.I tend to agreewith the critics of SPD that itmaynot represent a disorder somuchasalesscommonorlesssocially-endorsedpersonalitystyle.INTPsshouldthereforeavoidagonizingoverthedegreetowhichtheyfittheschizoidcriteria.What reallymatters is that theyare satisfiedwith their lives and their leveloffunctioning.INTPs seem less likely to fit the criteria for Schizotypal personality disorder,which involvesodd,paranormal,or superstitiousbeliefs.Thisdisorder ismorecloselyrelatedtoschizophrenia,whichoccurswhenindividualslosetouchwithconcrete reality. I see schizophrenia as more likely to affect INJs, whosedominantNandinferiorSmighttosomedegreedisposethemtoaschizophrenicbreak between mind (N) and body (S). While INTPs may at times seemoutwardly absent-minded, their tertiary Si typically keeps them sufficientlygroundedtotheconcreterealityofthebody.

4.QuestingforTruthandMeaningWeopenedthisbookwiththeobservationthatINTPsfeeltheyareonaquesttofind truth and meaning. After a fairly lengthy detour in Chapters 1 -3, thischapterwillpickupwhereweleftoff. In thefirsthalfof thischapter,wewillconsidertheroleofINTPs’inferiorFewithregardtotheirquestformeaning,aswellastheirmeaning-relatedfears.WewillalsoexploreINTPs’struggletofindconsistent sources of meaning. The second half of this chapter focuses onINTPs’searchforconvergenttruth.Thiswillincludeconsideringtheeffectsofthissearchontheirpsychologicalwell-being,aswellaswhatahealthyapproachtotruth-seekingmightlooklikeforINTPs.TheRoleofFeinINTP’sQuestforMeaningEarlier in this book, I suggested that INTPs’ concern formeaning is inmanyways commensurate to their concern for truth, forming two sides of the samecoin.InlightoftheirstatusasThinkingtypes,theirpenchantfortruthisclearlyunderstandable, but why meaning? Isn’t meaning more of an F issue? Hereagain,wemustturntotheinferiorfunctionforanexplanation.AlthoughTiandFeareoftenframedasopposingoroppositefunctions,theycanalsobe viewed as complementaryparts of awhole.From this perspective,wemight say that truth (T) without meaning (F) or meaning without truth isincompleteandultimatelyunsatisfying.ThisiswhyINTPsofteninsistthattheirTiworkfeelmeaningful.Withoutthemeaningelement,theyfeelthatacriticalpieceofthepuzzleismissing.In the previous chapter,we sawhowFe can serve as a portal to INTPs’ darkside.Here,Iwouldliketopointouthownegativemoodsandemotionsmayalsoinfluence theirperceptionsofmeaning.Namely,whenINTPsare inanegativemood,theyaremorelikelytostrugglewithconcernsaboutmeaninglessness.Onrare occasions, somemay even conclude that their lives have no potential foreverbecomingmeaningful.Onceagain,theproblemwiththissortofthinkingisitisfoundedonanirrationalplatform.WhenINTPsplacetheirmoodsandemotionsinhighregard,theytendtoget themselves into trouble.This isnot tosaythat it isbadorunhealthyforINTPstowanttheirlivestofeelmeaningful.Theproblemiswhentheygranttoo

much credence to extreme thoughts rooted in negative moods. And whileshieldingtheirthoughtsfromunwarrantedemotionalinfluenceiseasiersaidthandone,thisstapleofcognitivetherapyisonethatINTPs,ofall types,shouldbecapableofmastering.With that said, the prospect of meaninglessness can still be scary for INTPs.Indeed, this fear may be in large part what drives their quest for meaning.Without a sense of meaning and purpose, they may feel unmotivated anduninspired to seek truth.This is similar to anF typewho feels thatwithout abeliefintruth,shewilllacktheinspirationtoseekvalueandmeaning.

CrisesofMeaningINTPstypicallydon’tstrugglewithstrongconcernsaboutmeaninglessnessuntilwellintoPhaseIIoftheirdevelopment.Duringthattime,theyoftenexperienceasortof“crisisofmeaning”thathasalastingeffectonthem.ThisisexemplifiedinthefollowingexcerptfromRussiannovelistLeoTolstoy:Thequestion,whichinmyfiftiethyearhadbroughtmetothenotionofsuicide,wasthesimplestofallquestions…“WhatwillcomefromwhatIamdoingnow,and may do tomorrow? What will come from my whole life?” otherwiseexpressed—“WhyshouldIlive?WhyshouldIwishforanything?WhyshouldIdoanything?”Again, inotherwords:“Is thereanymeaning inmy lifewhichwillnotbedestroyedbytheinevitabledeathawaitingme?”HereweseeTolstoywrestlingwith themeaningofhisownlife in lightofhisfuturedeath.Ifdeatheraseseverything,islifereallyworthliving?Isitworthalltheeffortandstruggle?For many individuals, such crises of meaning arise in the throes of loss ormisfortune—a broken relationship, the loss of a job, an onset of illness, asuccessionofperceived failures,etc.Forothers, the crisis ismore insidious, aslow realization that their lives have not materialized as they originallyimagined.Thisoftenoccursaroundmidlife,asthewondermentandidealismofchildhoodgivewaytotherealitiesandchallengesofadulthood.For INTPs, intellectual exploration may be an equally potent factor inintroducingquestionsregardingmeaning,suchasthosepertainingtothenatureorexistenceofGod.At some point in my early twenties, after careful study and examination, Idisavowed the religion of my youth, concluding that its claims were self-contradictoryandlackingsufficientevidencetoearnmytrust.Thisforcedmetoredirectmyquestfortruthandmeaning,tolookbeyondtraditionalreligionforanswers tomy questions. This included exploring the topic ofmeaning on itsownterms.

FramingMeaningWhile there is certainly no consensus on how to deal with meaning-relatedconcerns, in his book,ExistentialPsychotherapy, IrvinYalomoffers a helpfulframework for exploring these issues. Yalom posits two basic categories ofmeaning—galacticandterrestrial.Galactic meaning, or what we might also call abstract meaning, is what wecommonlyhaveinmindwhenconsidering“bigquestions”suchas“Whatisthemeaningof life?”or“Whyarewehere?”Manyreligionshave tried toanswersuch questions through sweeping narratives about the origins, purpose, anddestinyoftheuniverseandhumanity.Terrestrialmeaning,bycontrast, involvesmoreconcretesortsofmeaning. It’smore about the experience of meaning than it is about answers to life’s bigquestions. Terrestrial meaning emerges naturally as we go about our lives,pursuingourinterestsandsatisfyingourneeds.It’snotthatterrestrialmeaningiswhollydivorcedfromitsgalacticcounterpart,since our beliefs and ideas invariably influence the way we experience life.Terrestrial meaning is important, however, because it reminds INTPs thatmeaning is not limited to grand ideas or meta-narratives. Even a completeabsence of galacticmeaning in theworldwould not preclude the existence ofothersortsofmeaning.While it is certainly possible for INTPs to experience both types ofmeaning,thosewhoarestrugglingtofindgalacticmeaningcanfindterrestrialmeaninganequallysatisfyingsubstitute.This isnot tosay that theprocessof transitioningfrom a galactic mindset to a terrestrial one is without its challenges, but itcertainlycanbedone.Related to this galactic-terrestrial dichotomy is the tension INTPs experiencebetween reflecting on life (N) and acting in it (S). While they can certainlyderive great pleasure from reflection and contemplation, there are timeswhentheyfatigueofthinking,feeltheyhavereachedadeadend,orjustwantto“getout of their own head.” When this occurs, INTPs may struggle to findmeaningfulalternatives.SincetheirpurposeandidentityoftenrevolvearoundNpursuits,theymayviewSactivitiesasessentiallypointlessormundane.Thiscancreateasituationinwhichtheirhappinessseemstohingealmostentirelyonthe

success of theirN affairs.And since periods of inspiration andN success arebound to ebb and flow, theymay find themselves trapped in a sort of bipolarexistence—ecstaticonemoment,downanddepressedthenext.Fortunately,suchN-S,galactic-terrestrialstrugglesareacentralthemeofmanyexistentialist philosophers, such as Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. Existentialistsapproach truth and meaning in a fairly terrestrial way, placing the burden ofcultivatingtruthandmeaningontheshouldersoftheindividual.Theyemphasizethe importance of living honestly and authentically, of passionately pursuingone’s interests and living out one’s values. For those interested in furtherexploring existentialist thought, I highly recommend William Barrett’swonderfulintroductiontoexistentialphilosophy,IrrationalMan,ColinWilson’sclassicwork,TheOutsider,andPaulTillich’sgem,TheCouragetoBe.Anxiety,Meaning,&“BeingOkay”To some extent, all INTPs struggle with anxiety. Anxiety may manifest asnervousness, muscle tension, worrisome thoughts, or various forms of socialangst.Excessiveanxietycanbementally,physically,andemotionallydraining,even debilitating. It can prove a real impediment to INTPs’ work andrelationships,nottomentiontheiroverallhappinessandwell-being.AmajorsourceofananxietyforINTPsistheirfearofmeaninglessness.Inordertoquellthisfear,INTPsworkhardtodevelopameaningfulphilosophyoflife,whilealsoseekingworkandrelationshipsthatbringmeaningtotheirlives.Anothercontributor to INTPs’anxiety iseverydayworries, includingconcernsaboutmoney,work, and relationships.To assuage these concerns, INTPsmayfind it helpful to develop a philosophy along these lines: “Regardless ofwhathappens,Iwillbeokay.”WhilethismayatfirstsoundabitfluffyfortheINTP,it actually has immense practical value. Inmanyways, believing theywill beokayisnodifferentfromthebelief that,regardlessofcircumstances, itwillbepossibleforthemtofindorcultivatemeaning.Withthatsaid,thereisadifferencebetweengivinglipservicetothe“Iwillbeokay”conceptandreallyknowingit.By“knowingit”Imeanadeeperlevelofknowing, one that extends beyond mere cognitive acknowledgement.DevelopingthisdeepsenseofassuranceempowersINTPstolivecourageouslyand authentically. It provides an antidote for fear, especially the fear of

meaninglessness.IfINTPstrulybelievetheyhavetheskillsandinnerresourcestobeokaynomatterwhat,life’strivialworrieswilllosetheirpoweroverthem.Tosomeextent,thisdeeperlevelofknowingemergesfromlifeexperience.Forinstance, as INTPs develop their niche skills and interests, they becomeincreasinglyconfidentintheirabilitytoconsistentlyprocuremeaningbywayof“flowstates.”Insuchstates,INTPsbecomedeeplyabsorbedintheirworkandexperienceasenseofmeaningfulaccomplishment.Astheydevelopinterestsandmethodsthatconsistentlyinduceflow,theynaturallywanttopracticethemmoreoften.Thisgeneratesacycleofpositivereinforcement,inwhichskills,interests,practice, and perceived meaning combine to produce more frequent andenduringflowexperiences.OnecanseethisemphasisonthedevelopmentofinnerresourcesinYogisandreligiousmystics.Theunderlying theoryof theirpracticesgoessomething likethis: “If I can train my mind and body to be a perfect vessel for satisfyingexperience, then I will be protected against the vicissitudes of life that mightotherwisethreatenme.”Thosewhosuccessfullyachievethisobjective,suchasJesusortheBuddha,canthenproclaimwithouthesitationthatthereisnoreasontoworry or be anxious.Andwhile there aremyriadways INTPs can developinner resources, the desired end remains similar to that of disciplines likeBuddhism.Although I have yet to embark on an exclusively “spiritual” path, I haveincorporatedcertaindisciplinesandpracticesintomylifethataremeaningfultome in their own right, as well as helpful for becoming a better vessel formeaningandexcellence.Forthosewhoareinterested,thesepracticesinclude:

Gettingadequatesleep(Irarelysetanalarm)Writingeveryday,typicallyforatleasttwohoursYogastretchesandFeldenkraismovementsMeditationReadingJogging/walking

Itmay beworthmentioning thatmost of these are done spontaneously ratherthanonascheduledbasis.Iperformthemregularly,butmainlywhenI’minthe

mood, which, thankfully, is fairly often.Writing is really my only scheduledactivity in the sense that I do it first thing everymorning (although I am alsoworking to incorporatemeditation intomymorning routine). Not only have Ifound the abovemind-body practices to bemeaningful in their own right, butalsovaluableforreleasingtensionandcurtailinganxiety.Inshort,IthinkitisbeneficialforINTPstodiscoverandoscillateamongseveraloptions for experiencing concrete meaning, including relationships (which Icouldhavealso includedonmylist).Thatway,after fatiguingofoneactivity,there are other meaningful options waiting in the wings. I have sometimesthoughtofthisintermsof“diversificationofmeaning.”WhyINTPsStruggletoFindConvergentTruthEven if INTPswere to relinquish their quest for galacticmeaning, theymightstill seek hard truth to satisfy their thirst for inner order as exemplified inEinstein’sfamousassertion:“Goddoesnotplaydice.”Despite their ostensible desire for convergent truth, INTPs find it difficult toconsistentlysubscribetoanysingletheory.IndeeditisnotuncommonforINTPstorequiredecadesofexplorationbeforemakingstrongorconsistentattestationsofwhat they believe. In addition to the general problems faced by any truth-seeker, there are several potential reasons INTPsmay struggle to “pin down”truth.Aswe’veseen,TiandNecanhaveadestabilizingeffect,sincebothareadeptatsniffingoutexceptions,inconsistencies,andpotentialflaws.NemayalsoinciteINTPstoseekmoreandmoreinformation,adinfinitum.Sointimeswhentheyfullysubmittoitswhimsanddictates,theyoftenendupfeelinglostandaimless,noclosertotruththanwhentheystarted.WhileprotractedexplorationofoptionsandalternativesmaybelessbothersometoENTPs,forwhomNeisdominant,itcanbeproveunsettling toINTPs,whoseTi (andFe)seeksastrongersenseoforderandconvergence.INTPscanalsoget into troublewhentheyallowthemselves to loseall faithatthefirstsignofanapparentexception.Inmyowninvestigationsoftypology,forinstance,Iwasinitiallydisillusionedbythelackofempiricaldatatosupporttheexistenceofthecognitivefunctionsandthefunctionalstack.Infact,forawhile,Iwasacriticratherthanproponentoftypetheory.Fortunately,Iremainedopen

longenoughtoseetheshortcomingsofmyinitialconcerns.INTPscanalsogetstuckwhentheyfeelobligedtoacceptthepronouncementsofthosetheyseeasrespectedauthoritiesonasubject.INTPsassesswhetheranindividualislearnedandintelligent,and,ifthisprovestobethecase,theymayfeel obligated, consciously or not, to accept his or her word on things. Forinstance,theymayendupsubscribingtomoralorepistemologicalrelativism,atleast in part, because it is embraced by many modern intellectuals andacademics. Unfortunately, INTPs who are too quick to sympathize withintellectual authoritiesmay loseconfidence in theirownpowersof reasonandlosesightoftheimportance(andpleasure)ofdevelopingtheirownperspectives.Inshort,INTPswalkafinelinebetweenbeingtooopenandnotopenenough.On theonehand, theywant to remainopenbecause theyenjoy theprocessofseeking and integrating new ideas (Ne). On the other hand, they can feelunsettled and disoriented when they become obsessed with seeking orquestioningtothepointoflosingcontactwiththeirownreason(Ti)orwithwhattheyalreadyknow(Si).IllusoryShort-CutstoTruth:JumpingtheStackINTPscanappearbipolarintheirsearchfortruth.Oneday,theymaybeflyinghigh,convincedtheyhavefinallyfoundtheanswer,onlytofeellostandaimlessthe next. This bipolarism tends to be most pronounced when INTPs set theirsights on quickly finding answers to big and difficult questions. In suchinstances, theymay feel incapableofdoinganythingelseuntil theycome toafirm conclusion about the issue at hand. And because INTPs rely on theirphilosophyoflifeasaplatformformakingdecisions,theymayalsoexperiencegreatconfusionandambivalencetowardtheircareersandrelationships.Indeed,when feeling lost as far as knowing themselves or their philosophy, theymayfeelparalyzedinallrespects.Theymayfeel theycannotfunctionauthenticallyuntiltheyhaveclearlydefinedwhotheyareandwhattheybelieve.When INTPs obsessively rush tomake a decision or reach a conclusion, theyare, in typespeak, in the“gripof their inferiorfunction.”ElaineSchallockhasalsodescribedthisas“jumpingthe(functional)stack,” involvinganattempt toquickly leapfromTi toFe,whileeffectivelyforegoingwhatmaybea lengthyprocess of Perceiving in the middle portion of their stack (Ne & Si). Whileproblematicformyriadreasons,theimpulsivenatureofgripbehaviorcanhinder

INTPs’effectivenessasrationalthinkersanddecision-makers.According toSchallock,ahealthierwayfor INTPs tooperate is tomovefromthe top of the functional stack downward, including spending ample time inPerceivingmode.InSchallock’sview,thereisnoquickoreasyroutetotruthforINTPs.Rather, theymust try on countless theories a laNe before it becomespossibleforthemtoreachanenduringdegreeofFeconviction.INTPs are wise to recognize the futility of impulsively seeking short-cuts totruth.AsSchallocksuggests,theyneedampletimetotestandexperimentwithabreadthoftheoriesandideas(Ne),nottomentionsufficientlifeexperience(Si),before forming anything resembling an enduring theory or philosophy (Fe).They can therefore benefit from exercising patience and learning to enjoy theseeker’sjourney,ratherthanfallingforillusoryshort-cuts.ItmayalsohelpINTPstorememberthattheyarenotJ-types.ItisthejobofJ-types toknoworprofferanswers (i.e.,bywayofTeorFe)earlier in life.TheINTPs’ role,asaP-type, is toexploreandprofferquestionsor ideas (Ne),notdeliver immediate Fe answers. But because their Fe compels them to seekconvergentanswers,itcanbeeasyforINTPstoassumethatFeanswersarewhattheworldwantsorneedsfromthem.Theymayassumethattheworldhasnousefortheirquestions,theirskepticism,ortheirNecreativity.Buttheseassumptionsaremerelyprojectionsoftheirinferiorfunction.Thetruthisthattheworldneedsthemtoaskprobingquestions,topokeholesinexistingtheories,andtoprovidecreative or explorative “food for thought.” Indeed, the INTP’s role, especiallyearly in life, more closely resembles that of the artist, skeptic, critic, orprovocateurthanthatofthesageorprophet.Remembering these things may help INTPs be more patient and comfortableleavingtheirideasopen-ended.Sure,theywillgraduallydevelopandrefinetheirunderstandingofthemselvesandtheirinterestareasovertime,buttheyarewiseto resist the allure of the “shotgun approach,” inwhich they try to get thingssettledallatonce.INTPs might also be wise to remind themselves that, even if they were toachievetheirdesiredanswers,theywouldsoonbelookingfornewproblemstoexplore.SoiftheoverallpointisforINTPstoengrossthemselvesinstimulatingandmeaningfulexplorations,whatisthepointoftryingtorushtoconclusions?

ClosingThoughtsINTPsarepronetoplacingbigdemandsonthemselveswhenitcomesto truthandmeaning.Thisisexemplifiedintheirquestfora“theoryofeverything,”aswellasforanidealphilosophyoflife.This,combinedwiththeirdesiretomakean impact and enjoy intellectual success, can make their quest a rather high-mindedandunrealisticone.Granted,INTPsstillneedsomesortofidentityanddirection in life.Withoutanorientingdirection, it iseasyfor themtofeel lost,aimless, and useless. For this reason, developing a suitable career or vocationcan seemof great importance to INTPs.But beforewe dive into INTP careerissues,wewillfirsttakesometimetoexploresomeoftheirpolitical,religious,andphilosophicalinclinations.

5. Political, Religious, and PhilosophicalPropensitiesPersonality type influences the way we see the world. It shapes our beliefs,values,interests,andaversions.Italsoplaysasubstantialroleindeterminingourpolitical, religious, and philosophical preferences. The study of the effects ofpsychology on beliefs and worldview is called psychoepistemology. Researchhas shown that different personality types display different“psychoepistemological profiles.”For instance, different typeswill vary in thedegreetowhichtheypreferametaphoricversusempiricalversusrationalstyleofknowing.In this light, INTPs, like other types, are typicallymisguided in viewing theirapproachas immune to subjectivebias.While it is true that certainbeliefsaremorevalidoraccuratethanothers,alltypesgravitatetowardcertainvaluesandassumptionsthatjivewiththefunctionsoftheirfunctionalstack.Wemightevensuggestthateachfunctionhasitsownsetofvaluesandpreferredwaysofseeingthings.In this chapter, we will explore some of INTPs’ political, religious, andphilosophical inclinations. This will include an assessment of the relativecontributions of their four functions to the way they see and understand theworld.

PoliticalPropensitiesTiandNemightwellbeviewedas“freedom-seeking”functions,contributingtothe INTP’s statusas themost fiercely independentofall types. Indeed, INTPsdeplorebeingtoldwhattodoorhowtheyshoulddosomething.Theywanttodothings theirownwayand in theirown time.Thiscan inspire them to resistorrebel against, even if only inwardly, various rules, laws, and authoritiesperceivedaspotentialthreatstotheirfreedomandautonomy.Thesethreatsmaycomeintheformofgovernmentalorcorporatepower;INTPsarewaryofboth.Consequently, almost all INTPs, at least at some point in their lives, willgravitatetowardsomesortofanarchistorlibertarianphilosophy.The fact that INTPs are Introverts and use Si can contribute to a propensitytoward material and fiscal conservativism. Like other Si types, INTPs arebothered by perceived wastefulness or squandering of natural resources(especially non-renewable ones). Therefore, many INTPs have a strongenvironmentalistorconservationiststreak.Fiscally speaking, INTPs are prone toward skepticism of social programs,althoughnotnecessarilyallofthem.Thismaystemfromaconfluenceofseveralfactors: their Ti distrust in the efficacy of collective programs, their Tipreferenceforindividual-drivensolutions,theirSifiscalconservatism,andtheirrelativelackofFisympathyfornichecauses.Therefore,inconsideringINTPs’topthreefunctions,wemightwellexpectthemtogravitatetowardsomeformoflibertarianphilosophy,perhapscombinedwithcertainenvironmentalandcorporateregulations.Butthereisonemorefunctionwemustdiscuss,which,aswe’veseen,oftenexertsmorepowerandinfluencethanwemight expect. Indeed, the influence of Fe on INTP political leaningscannotbeoverlooked.Fe can be understood as the function of democracy, as well as socialism.Einsteinhimselfwasasocialistatheart.Feisconcernedwiththecommongood,thewelfareofall.InINTPs,Fecanimbueanalmostmysticalsenseofloveandconcern for the generalwelfare of humanity. In fact, some INTPs seemmoreconcernedaboutthewelfareofhumanityingeneralthanthewelfareoftheirownfamily.Again,Einsteinwasanaptexampleofthis.With that said,most INTPsdon’t latchontodemocraticor socialist ideals and

neverlookback.Eventually,TiandNecreepbackinandstartquestioningthepractical merits of these collective, centralized systems. For instance, INTPsmayquestionthevalueofdemocracyinasocietywherepeopleassumea“herdmentality” and fail to think for themselves. Theymay come to see both top-down authoritarian rule, as well as bottom-up democratic processes, asinherentlyflawed.Intheend,manyINTPsfallintoastateofpoliticalcynicismorapathy,optingtogo about their business without much hope in collective solutions.Typologically,wemightinterpretthisastheirTiregainingcontrol,focusingonitsownaffairs,andplacinglittlestockinFesolutions.INTPsdifferfromINTJsin this respect. INTJs, such as Al Gore, are more likely to be consistentlypolitically active, since their Te is always looking for ways to make externalsystemsmorerational.

ReligiousPropensitiesThesamedynamicsholdforINTPs’religiouspreferencesaswesawwiththeirpoliticalones.Namely,theirfirstinclinationistoshuckallauthority.FormanyINTPs,thismakestheismanunacceptableoption,explainingwhyINTPsaresocommonamongatheistsandagnostics.ThisisnottosuggestthatINTPsforsaketheism without some rational justifications for doing so. There are plenty ofsound arguments, particularly those related to the problem of evil, against theexistenceofanomnipowerful,omniscient,and/oromnibenevolentgod.What Iwant toemphasize,however, is thatINTPs’personality typemakesthemmoreprone to seeking out and embracing these arguments. If we are being honest,INTPscanbesohell-bentonbeingfreeandindependentthattheydon’twanttobe accountable to anyone or anything, including an all-powerful deity.This isnot to suggest that INTPsare somehowamoralor immoral,butonly that theywanttobeinchargeofthemselves.Although there are plenty of INTP non-theists, many INTPs will, to somedegree,stayconnectedtoorganizedreligioninsomeway,shape,orform.Thistoo can be explained in terms of their inferior function.Aswe’ve seen, Fe isconcernedabout thecommongood. It is thereforenotdifficult toseehow, forinstance, Jesus’smessageof love,acceptance,and forgivenessmightappeal toINTPs’Fe.Thisisespeciallytrueifhismessageisinterpretedasentailinganall-inclusive and all-encompassing love, a love that is big enough to save all ofhumanity.UniversalloveandsalvationareclearlyFeideals.FemayalsoencourageINTPstocontinuereligiousparticipationforsocialandemotional reasons. The notion of “community” is another Fe ideal that canappeal to INTPs.The ideaofbeing intimately andemotionally connected to agroupofpeoplecanbeenticingandcomfortingtoINTPs’Fe.Addingtothisarefeelings of mysticism commonly evoked by religious settings. Music, inparticular,canhaveapowerfuleffectonINTPs,stirringtheirFeinwhatcanfeellikedivineandpowerfulways.Hence,organizedreligionhasmultiplechannelsforinducinganFeeuphoriapotentenoughtokeepthemcomingback.Moresubtlefeelingsofmysticism,orwhatINTPImmanuelKantreferredtoassenseof thesublime,arealsocommonamongINTPs.Einsteinoftendescribedhissenseofaweandwondertowardlifeandtheuniverse.AndbecauseINTPsareterrifiedattheprospectofmeaninglessness,theymayworktoaugmentsuchmystical feelings through spiritual practices, or roll them into some sort of

metaphysicalphilosophy,suchaspantheism.Indeed,manyINTPsaredrawntothe notion of an immanent spirit or force that animates the universe. Such aphilosophy has the advantage of not being coercive (i.e., not conflicting withtheir Ti), while at the same time seeming more meaningful than a spiritlessatheism. This is why many INTPs take interest in Eastern philosophies andpractices,suchasBuddhism.Buddhist practice, which for our purposes I will more or less equate withmeditation,hasmanyTielements. It requires independentpracticeandcarefulattention to one’s thoughts. It uses subjective experiences and observations tounderstandhowthemindworksonapracticallevel,particularlyitscontributionstohumansuffering(orhappiness).PhaseII INTPsmaydabble inmeditation,butoftendon’thave thepatience totake it seriously. Since meditation promises little in the way of extrinsic egorewards, it is really more of a Phase III endeavor. Phase II INTPs who domanagetomeditateregularlywilllikelyreachPhaseIIImorequicklythanthosewhodon’t.Regardless,IseemeditationasanidealpracticeforINTPs,providingthem a first-hand glimpse into the workings of the mind, not to mention apotentialpathtoenlightenment.

PhilosophicalPropensitiesModern philosophy is commonly divided into two main schools: analyticphilosophyandcontinentalphilosophy.Althoughthisdivisionisfarfrombeingclear-cut,IwillarguethatINTPsgenerallygravitatemoretowardthecontinentalcamp.Analytical philosophy is ahistorical. Its focus ismoreprecise andnarrow thanthatofthecontinentalilk.Namely,it isconcernedwithcarefullyanalyzingthelanguage, logic, and grammatical structure of sentences and propositions.Through theanalyticprocess, analyticalphilosophersbelieve that truthwillbelaidbare.Analytical philosophy can also be tied to logical positivism and science. Itspositivism derives from confidence in the analytic method, as well as thescientificmethod, to reveal certain truth.Considering its concern forprecisionandformalanalysis,anditsstrongsympathiestowardscience,wemightroughlyassociatetheanalyticalschoolwithExtravertedThinking(Te).The continental school, by contrast, hasmore of a Ti-Fe andNe-Si feel to it.According to The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, after World War II,continental philosophy was more or less synonymous with phenomenology.Phenomenologistsbelievethatcertaintruthscanbeknownthroughintrospectionandself-observation,whichcertainlyhasaTiringto it.Butevenbroader thanthat,continentalphilosophyrelatestoaninterestindevelopinga“philosophyoflife,” or what we might call a human-centered philosophy (Fe). This is alsowhere continental philosophy merges with existential philosophy, whichwrestleswithconcernsovermeaningandthehumancondition.Continentalphilosophyalsoentailshistoricalandculturalelements,namely,aninterestinthehistory(Si)andevolution(Ne)ofideasovertime.Thereisthusasense of openness, fluidity, and relativism, at times even tentativeness, in thecontinental school, which is less obvious in the analytic school. Continentalthinkersaremoredialectical in theirwriting (Ne-Fe), engagingand interactingwith the ideasofothers,as thoughhavinganimaginedconversationordebate.Forthem,truth,atleastthesortoftruththattheyviewasmeaningfultohumanlife, is worked out through a combination of individual reasoning (Ti) andhumandialogue(Ne-Fe).

Withthatsaid,INTPsarestillpredominantly innerJudgers(Ti).Aswesawinthe previous chapter, they are not always comfortable leavingmatters entirelyopen-ended. In this respect, they may be somewhat less inclined toward thefreewheelingmethodsofNe,preferringinsteadtotrytohammerdowntruthinthe spirit of the analytic thinker. Hence, the degree towhich INTPs focus onhardtruthsandmethodsversussofteroneswilldependontheindividualINTP,aswellaswheresheisatinherphilosophicaljourney.

6.Careers,Majors,andInterestsAsdominantThinkers,INTPsnaturallygrantgreaterprioritytotheirwork(Ti)thantheirrelationships(Fe).Indeed,itmaybeanunderstatementtosuggestthat,forINTPs,workisabigdeal.Unfortunately,perhapsmorethananyothertype,theroadtosatisfyingworkcanbearoughandrockyoneforINTPs.Aswe’veseen,INTPsoftenfeel theymust thoroughlyunderstandthemselves,aswellastheirtalentsandabilities,beforesettlingintoacareer.Butbecausepinningdowna sense of self or purpose canbe trickybusiness,matching selfwith career israrelyaseasyforINTPsasitmightseem.Another complicating factor is INTPs’ rugged individualism andunconventionalism. INTPs deplore doing things in standard, predefined ways.AsTi-Netypes,standardizationrunsagainsttheirgrain.INTPsthriveondoingthings their ownway, developing and employing their ownTi approach. Thismakesthemreluctanttofunctionasemployees,loathingtheideaofansweringtosomeone else. INTPs also struggle to embrace an organization’s vision andmethodsastheirown.Inmanyrespects,theyarecontrolfreaks.Theywanttobeinfullcontrolofthemselvesandavoidbeingcontrolledormanagedbyothers.INTPsarealsosensitivetowhattheyseeasmeaninglessormenialaspectsofagiven job.They can be resistant towhat they see as excessive or unnecessaryadministrativework,orwhatiscommonlycalledbureaucracyor“redtape.”Time is another factor. INTPs often need a great deal of time to explore andexperiment with their interests before anything resembling a clear vocationalvision begins to emerge.While geniuses like Einstein may discern their pathrather quickly, formost INTPs, it can take years, even decades, before thingscometogetherwithgreaterclarity.CareerChoice:JourneyorDestination?In light of the above, selecting a career or college major can be a scary andtenuous affair for INTPs. They may fear that making the wrong choice maydoom them to a life of misery performing uninspiring work. They may alsoworry that choosing a vocational directionmeans committing themselves to arathernarrowsetofinterestsandactivities.

Without downplaying the perceived importance of well-informed careerdecision-makingforINTPs,Iamgoingtogooutonalimbandsuggestthattheirinitial choiceof careeror collegemajormaynotbe as critical or confining astheymightimagine.Whydopeople ingeneral,andINTPs inparticular,consider itso important tochoosetheidealcareerormajorupfront?Inlargepart,thisbeliefrelatestoourtendency to thinkofourselves, aswell asour careers, in termsof fixed, staticcategories.Wemightthinkofourselvesashavingadefinedstructureandcareersas having their own particular structure. So oncewe feelwe have adequatelydefined ourselves, we go about searching for careers that are a good “fit” or“match.”As an INTP, I certainly understand the desire to find the perfect self-careercongruence.Buthavinglivedlongenoughtoobservehowindividualsoperateintheircareers,itseemsthattakingthefirststepinagivenvocationaldirectionismore likebeginninga journey than it isarrivingata finaldestination.Viewedthisway, the first career step,while determining one’s general direction (e.g.,north,west, east, or south), is often far less restrictive or prescriptive thanwemightthink.Furthermore, careers areoftennotwhatwe imagine them tobe.Again, this islargelyduetothefactthatwetendtoimaginetheminblack-and-white,abstractterms. In my view, most career fields are broad enough to accommodate abreadthofpersonalitytypes.ThereisnoapriorireasontobelieveINTPscouldnot findwaysof functioningauthentically inanynumberofcareer fields.Andeven if there isn’t an obvious, predefinedniche for the INTP, it doesn’tmeanthatonecannotbediscoveredorcreated.As INTPs gain experience in a given career field, they become increasinglycapable of functioning creatively within that field. Accrued knowledge andexperienceareprecursorstovocationalfreedom,ingenuity,andinnovation.Onlybyunderstandingwhat is does it becomepossible to effectively envisionwhatcouldorshouldbe.Suchisthebeautyofcombiningexpertisewithingenuity.Despite this,manyindividuals,especially idealisticNtypes(includingINTPs),opttoignoretheircurrentorpastcareercourseinfavorofdreamingaboutmoreidealalternatives.Theyfailtoseethatitisnotnecessarilythecareerthatismostimportant,butthewaytheyfunctionwithrespecttothatcareer.Givensufficient

background knowledge, INTPs could feasibly apply their Ti andNe to nearlyanything.Among INTPs’ signature strengths are creativity and ingenuity. While thesetraitsmaymakeitdifficultforthemtoreadilyconformtopre-existingstandards,theycanbeaboonforINTPswillingtothinkoutsidetheboxandcarveouttheirownniche.Buildingacareeraroundoneself,couldtherebeanythingbetterforanINTP?AllofthisisnottosaythatINTPsshouldorshouldnotobtainacollegedegree.Aswe’veseen,expertiseisinmanywaysaprerequisiteforcreativeinnovation.AcollegeeducationrepresentsoneviablepathforINTPstobeginacquiringthenecessaryknowledgeandexpertiseinagivendiscipline.INTPPersonalityFunctionsinCareerSelectionUnlikeSJandTJ types, INTPsarenotall thatkeenondesigningorexecutinghighly formalized experiments. Seeking hard facts through controlledexperiments is largely a Te enterprise. INTPs aremore interested in applyingreason to analyze or hone concepts, theories, or methods (Ti), as well as inmaking connections between existing theories and concepts (Ne). Here againEinstein’sexampleprovesuseful.EventhoughEinsteinwasascientist,muchofhisworkwasdoneindependently, inhisownmental laboratory.LikeEinstein,many INTPs prefer to use their own methods and “thought experiments” fordiscerningtruth,ratherthanfunctioningas“professional”scientists.Ne involves an open-ended exploration of ideas, lending itself to the arts,entrepreneurship, inventorship, as well as scholarship. As an open-endedPerceivingfunction,Neiscomfortablewithambiguity,seeingideasasfluidandcontextual. Consequently, many subjects in the humanities (e.g., religion,philosophy,history,literature,languages),aswellasjournalism,canbegoodfitsforNPtypes.Since Ti is paired with Fe in their functional stack, INTPs are often, thoughcertainlynot always, drawn tohuman systemsand subjects (Fe)—psychology,thehumanities, social sciences,etc.However, because they still seekwhatwemight call “harder” sorts of truth (static concepts, theories, frameworks, etc.),manyfailtofeelentirelyathomeinthemoreopen-endedhumanities.Femay also compel INTPs to pursue interests similar to those of ENFJs, for

whomFeisthedominantfunction.Namely,ENFJsoftenserveasteachersandcounselors.Theyloveprovidingcounselandadvicetohelpothersimprovetheirlives. Similarly, INTPs may fancy themselves wise philosophers. They maydreamofacareerwhere theycanseekwisdomanduse it tocounseloradviseothers.Unfortunately, INTPs obsessed with their Fe may overlook potentially goodcareer options because, on the surface, they seem too far removed from theirpreferred source of validation—people. Many INTPs cater to their Fe byselecting people-oriented work, such as healthcare, teaching, counseling, etc.Andwhilepeople-orientedcareersarecertainlyappealingtotheirFe,itisrarelylongbeforeINTPsrealizetheinherentstrainofconstantlyengagingwithothers.Therefore, they are typically better off selecting careers that heavily utilizeTiandNeanddon’trequiretoomuchinthewayofdirectFeengagement.

IndependentExperimentsINTPsenjoycollectinginformation,aswellaspersonallyexperimentingwithit,for the sake of discovering practical or theoretical truths. They often functionlikephenomenologists, learningby studying theworkingsof their ownminds.What follows is a sample of some independent experiments an INTP mightconduct:

Exploringtheeffectsofvariousmeditationtechniques

Experimenting with the workings of their own bodies (e.g., Feldenkrais,yoga,martialarts,etc.)

Engineering mindbody or cognitive-behavioral techniques for reducingpain,depression,oranxiety

Philosophicallywrestlingwiththemindbodyproblem

Considering unconventional ways of improving or enhancing theirrelationships

Synthesizing/exploring/orderinginformationthroughwritingorblogging

Many of these examples highlight INTPs’ interest in self-help and self-exploration. They are always looking for ways of optimizing and improvingthings, including themselves. As mentioned in the Introduction, INTPscommonly think of themselves as instruments. Byworking to understand andfine tune themselves (Ti), they feel they might also contribute somethingworthwhiletothecollective(Fe).Having established the fact that INTPs relish independent investigations, theloomingquestionishowtheycanmakemoneydoingso.Indeed,theremaybenothingINTPswantmorethantogetpaidfordoingwhattheylove.Towardthisend,manyworktodevelopandutilizewhatwewillcall“marketableskills.”

MarketableSkillsMuchtotheirdismay,INTPsdon’tgetpaidmerelyforthinking,questioning,orexperimenting.This leaves themwith twobasicoptions.Thefirst is toworkaday job for income and forgo commercializing their primary interests. Thesecondoption,whichwewillnowdiscuss, is todevelopmarketableskills thatcanbeusedtoenhance,market,orcommoditizetheirwork.Shaping their work into a marketable product or service can be a frustratingaffairforINTPs,sincedoingsocanmakethemfeeltheyarecompromisingthepurity of their work. At the same time, INTPs don’t want their work goingforever unnoticed or unrecognized,whichmay compel them to find a channelforbringingittotheworld.In many cases, one marketable skill is not enough. Unless recognized asunusually brilliant, an INTP writer may not only need to hone her writingtalents, but must also learn the ins and outs of blogging, publishing, emailmarketing, search engine optimization, etc. Viewed from the front end, thiscould easily be perceived as an overwhelming, and therefore unappealing,enterprise for INTPs. They might wonder how it is possible to develop theirdesiredlevelofexpertisewhilebeingforcedtofunctionasa“jackofalltrades.”Indeed, when forced to devote time and energy to too many things at once,INTPs can get weary and lose sight of their primary interest. It is thereforeimperativethattheyexercisepatiencetoallowadequatetimeforexploringtheirprimary interestsanddeveloping theirprimaryskills.Bystaying rooted in thisway,theycanavoidthesenseofoverwhelmthatcomesfromtryingtotackletoomanythingsatonce.WhatfollowsisanoverviewofthreetypesofmarketableskillsINTPsmayfindusefulacrossavarietyofsettings,whetherworkingasemployeesorfreelancers:

IT/ComputersBecauseoftheirgiftofintuitivelogic,mostINTPshaveaknackforlearningandunderstandingcomputersandinformationsystems.Withthatsaid,thosewithouta natural interest in computer science may drag their feet if they don’t haveanotherreasonforlearningagivenprogramorsystem.SuchINTPsmayopttodelaytheir learninguntilmotivatedbyareal-worldapplication.Nonetheless, itgoes without saying that technical know-how remains an invaluable skill in

today’smarketplace.

Writing/BloggingMost INTPs are better than average writers. Unfortunately, many fail torecognizethisaboutthemselves,sincetheyoftencomparetheirwritingtalentstothose of the more flowery F types. But not all writing needs to be flowery.INTPs are particularly skilledwithwriting in clear and accessibleways.Theyare good at discerning “what is essential” (Ti) and communicating thatinformationininteresting(Ne)anddigestible(Fe)ways.WritingisalsooneofthebestwaysforINTPstoexploreandsharetheirideas.Therefore,choosingacollegemajorthatdevelopsandenhancestheirwritingskills,suchasjournalismorthehumanities,mayprovebeneficial.BloggingcanserveasanexcellentplatformandmotivatorforINTPstowrestlewithandhonetheirideas,aswellastheirwritingtalents.ItcanbeparticularlyappealingtoINTPsbecauseablogisbynaturea“workinprogress.”Bloggingdoesn'trequireonetogeteverythingrightupfront(asmightfeelnecessary,forinstance,whenpublishingabook),butisamenabletocontinuedmodificationasnewinsightsandexperiencesunfold.Hence,withtimeandpractice,INTPscandevelopgreaterexpertiseintheirchosensubjectarea,whilealsobecomingmoreconfidentandproficientaswriters.Prospectivebloggersmightwish toconsultmy post, Tools & Considerations for Prospective Bloggers, for moreinformation.

Business/Marketing/EntrepreneurshipINTPsarenaturalentrepreneursinthesenseofwantingtoworkindependently.Thegreatthingaboutentrepreneurshipisitaffordscompletecontroloverone’swork. The potential downside, as we’ve discussed, is entrepreneurs may feelobligedtoweartoomanydifferenthats.SincemoneyisrarelyaprimarymotivatorforINTPs,theyoftenshyawayfrommajoring in business andmarketing. Interested in the abstract and theoretical,business can seem a bit mundane and commonplace for their taste. As withcomputer applications, INTPs may therefore avoid studying business andmarketing until it proves absolutely necessary. Fortunately, for modern-dayINTPs,marketingcanbeaccomplishedstraight fromtheir laptop,withouteverhavingtoleavetheirseatorpickupaphone.

TheValueofa“DayJob”WhileINTPsmaydreamofbeingfreedfromtheshacklesofscheduledwork,aday jobcanoftenbeablessing indisguise for INTPs. I’mnot suggesting thatINTPs shouldput theirnose to thegrindstone for60hours aweekand ignoretheirprimaryinterests.Part-timework,however,canserveasanicecomplementtotheirpersonalprojects.If we’re being honest, it is difficult for most INTPs to perform focusedintellectualorcreativeworkformuchmorethansixhoursaday.Sobyworkingadayjobforfourorfivehoursaday,INTPsaren’treallylosingmuchasafarasproductivetime.Infact,adayjobmayevenhelpfocustheirenergies,knowingtheyhaveasetblockoftimetodevotetotheirstudiesorcreativework.AdayjobcanalsoforceINTPstogetoutoftheirheadsandengagewithothers.Thiscanservetoelevatetheirmood,whichcantendtowardthedepressivewhentheyspendtoomuchtimealone.Periodsof“peopletime”canbeenjoyableforINTPs,stimulatingboththeirNeandFe.Ideally,anINTPdayjobwouldbefairlystress-free,butnotoverlymundane.Itmight involve some combination of light physical work and working withpeople.Itwouldalsoprovesufficienttopaythebills,whilegrantingamplefree-time to explore their passions. Potential options might include working as awaiter, barista, bartender,mechanic, constructionworker,UPS driver, etc.Or,forINTPswithaprofessionaldegree,workingasapart-timeemployeemightbeagoodoption.RecognizingthevalueofsomedegreeofscheduledworkcanhelpINTPsletgooftheideathatonlyfull-timesolitaryworkwillbeacceptable.Tothecontrary,INTPsaretypicallyhappierwhentheypartakeinavarietyofactivitieseachday,therebysatisfyingalltheirfunctionalneeds—T,N,S,andF.Granted,thereisapeckingorderforthesefunctions,butasP-types,INTPsneedvarietytoremainhappy,stimulated,andbalanced.Impulsivity,Achievement,&MasteryA commonly overlooked factor in INTP career issues is their impulsivity.Instead of waiting patiently for future rewards, impulsive individuals tend toseekquickerandmoreimmediategratification.Impulsivityhasbeencorrelated

withExtraversion,Thinking,andPerceiving.SoalthoughINTPsmaynotbeasimpulsive as say, ENTPs might be, many display significant levels ofimpulsivity.Another important factor in INTP careers is their desire for achievement andrecognition.Rightlyorwrongly, theymayfeel thatdoingsomethingbig is theonlyway tomake theirmarkon theworld, theonlyway toprove theirworth.Whencombinedwithimpulsivity,athirstforachievementcanengenderasenseof hurriedness and urgency in INTPs, the sense that time is working againstthem. Theymay feel that if they don’t work hard and fast enough, they willnevercontributeanythingvaluabletotheworld.Thisurgentpush for achievement isoften counterbalancedby INTPs’ concernfor mastery, expertise, and quality work. As Introverts, they are repelled byshoddy work whose primary purpose is to make money. They bemoan thepractices of “disposable culture,”where things aremade quickly and cheaply,without concern for quality or durability. INTPs prefer the idea of producingsomethingoflastingworth,rootedinmastery(oratleastcompetence)inagivendiscipline.So what are impulsive, achievement-oriented, and mastery-oriented INTPs todo?Howcantheybalancethesethingsinasatisfyingandeffectiveway?TherearemanywaysINTPscanreduceimpulsivityandimprovetheirfocusandperseverance. To some extent, developing and committing to meaningful andachievable goals will naturally enhance their powers of focus. They can alsoemploy various cognitive and behavioral strategies to reduce anxiety anddistractions,includingsimplepracticesliketurningoffthephone,foregoingthetemptation to check email or social media, and finding a work setting thatprovides optimal stimulation for creative work. INTPs can also benefit fromcraftinga lifestyle that routinelyaffords them largeblocksof time to focusontheirwork.An alternative strategy might involve reframing their career goals in light oftheir impulsive tendencies. Theymight, for instance, reimagine their career interms of a series of smaller, loosely related projects, rather than obsessivelysearchingforamoregrandiosecareerorproject.Doingsomightrequirethemtotakethemselvesandtheircareersalittlelessseriously,tweakingtheirself-imagetobetter reflect the realityof theirnatural tendencies.Ofcourse, settling for a

less grandiose career can be a difficult thing for many INTPs to swallow,especially for those with big ideals. Consequently, many will resist thisapproach,optinginsteadtocontinuetheirsearchforan“ideal”career.Subjectivityvs.ObjectivityinINTPCareersSincetruthandaccuracyareimportanttoINTPs,theyoftenstoptoconsider(orreconsider) thephilosophicalfoundationsof theirwork.Theirgoal is toensuretheyareapproachingthingsintherightwayandhaveclarifiedtheirtheoreticalandconceptualplatform.Unfortunately,discerningthe“right”or“ideal”philosophicalplatformisnoeasytask. Philosophers may spend their entire lives studying these issues withoutarriving at firm conclusions. This can be troubling for INTPs, who, as we’veseen,seekasolidplatformof truthfor their livesandwork.Theyare thus leftwiththechoiceofcontinuingtowrestlewithphilosophicalissuesversusmovingforwardinabsenceofcompletecertainty.INTPsmayexploredifferentwaysofcircumventingthisproblem.Theymayoptto focus more on the degree to which their work makes them happy versusfrettingoveritsobjectivevalueorvalidity.INTPwriters,forinstance,mayworktobalancethesubjectiveenjoymentofthewritingprocesswiththetimerequiredtoprovideaccuratecontent.Wemightalsoconsiderwhethertypologyprovidesanyinsightintotheseissues.Namely, are INTPs better off adopting a Ti focus, focusing primarily onactivities thatenhance theirownsubjectivehappiness?Or,should theykeepatleastoneeyefocusedontheobjectivity(Fe)oftheirapproach?Ifweadopttheviewthatitisbestforeachpersonalitytypetoworkfromthetopof the functional stack downward and to focus primarily on engaging thedominantandauxiliaryfunctions,itdoesnotseemunreasonabletosuggestthatINTPsarejustifiedinemphasizingthesubjectiveelementsoftheirwork.WhileTi is concerned with objective truth, it is characteristically subjective in itsworkings, doing things in its own idiosyncratic way rather than relying oncollective methods or endorsements. Ne also seems less objective and moredivergent in its functioning. So it appears that, according to the upper half ofINTPs’ functional stack, they may be wired to function more like artists orinnovatorsthanconventionalscientists.

Anotherwayofframingthesubjectivity-objectivityissueisrecognizingthatthegood life is comprised of the good, the true, and the beautiful. So rather thanfocusing exclusively on objective truth, INTPs might think of their work intermsofitssubjectivetruth,beauty,orgoodness.ThoselookingforachampionoftheaestheticapproachcanfindoneinNietzsche,whofamouslyframedlifeingeneral,aswellashisownlifeinparticular,as“aworkofart.”HollandInterests&CareersFormal career assessments generally include three primary measures:personality, abilities, and interests. In this section, we will explore some ofINTPs’commoninterestareas,aswellasvariouscareersandmajorsassociatedwiththoseinterests.Toaidandorientourdiscussion,wewilldrawonsixinterestthemesdescribedby John Holland. These include Realistic (R), Investigative (I), Artistic (A),Social (S), Enterprising (E), and Conventional (C) interests, or what arecollectivelydubbed“RIASEC."Afteridentifyinganindividual’stoptwoorthreeinterestdomains,theletterscanbe combined in a way similar to the personality types to form a multi-letterHollandCode(e.g.,IAS,RAI).Thiscanthenbematchedwithcareersassociatedwith that particular Holland code.Websites like, O*Net, for instance, have alargedatabaseofcareersthathavebeenassignedathree-letterHollandcode.

Realistic(R)Individuals with Realistic interests enjoy physical, hands-on work, ofteninvolving machines (e.g., repairing vehicles, tinkering with computers,construction). They typically prefer working with “things” more than withpeople.Itisthereforeunsurprisingthatthisinterestdomainiscorrelatedwithapreference for Thinking over Feeling. Sensing and Perceiving types are alsosomewhatmoreinclinedtowardRealisticworkthanareIntuitivesorJudgers.Realisticsareoftenvisualorkinestheticlearners,commonlyexcellinginspatialvisualization.Thosewithstrongspatial-visualizationskillstendtodowellwithschematic charts and diagrams, as well as envisioning and mentally rotatingthree-dimensionalobjects.

ThefollowingRealisticcareersmaybesuitableforsomeINTPs:•Mechanic•Forestry,parkranger•Computer/electronicsrepair•Electrician•Horticulture•Various“dayjobs”(seeabove)

Investigative(I)TheInvestigativedomainistypicallyatoppreferenceamongINTPs,involvinganalytic,scientific,academic,andrelatedpursuits.Investigativetypesmayenjoyworkingwith ideas, theories,ordata.TheyoftenpreferThinkingoverFeelingandIntuitionoverSensing.Theyperformparticularlywellon themathematicsportionofaptitudetests.WewilldiscussInvestigatecareersaccordingtofivegeneralcategories:thehardsciences, social sciences, computer science, scholarship, and freelanceinvestigations.The“Hard"SciencesWhilethereisnoabsolutedifferencebetweenthehardsciences(e.g.,chemistry)and the soft sciences (e.g., sociology), the hard sciences are presumed to dealwithmoreclear-cut,unequivocalfacts.This isdueto thefact that thephysicalworld,atleastintheNewtoniansense,islessvariableandlesscomplexthanthepsychosocialworldofhumanbeings,makingiteasiertostudyanddescribewithcertainty.OnehardsciencethatislikelytoappealtoINTPsistheoreticalphysics.Muchoftheoretical physics, particularly that involving quantum mechanics, seems nosimpleror easier todescribe thanhumanbehavior.Becauseof theelusiveandsomewhat unpredictable nature of the quantum world, INTPs may find it adeeplyinterestingfieldofstudy.Withregardtootherhardsciences,INTPsmaybelessenthusiastic.Onereasonfor this is the hard sciences seem relatively unrelated to INTPs’ concern for“how to live.” In other words, they may seem too disconnected from humanproblems. INTPsmay also find themethodologies of the hard sciences overly

tediousorexacting.Aswe’veseen,INTPswouldratherworkwithconceptsandideasthanfussoverprecisemeasurementsanddatacollection.Thisisnottosay,however,thatINTPscanneverfindasatisfyingnicheinthehardsciences,evenif itmeansfunctioninglargelyasinterpreters,synthesizers,orpopularizers.INTPsdoliketheideaofdiscoveringandpromotinghardtruth.Buttheyalsowanttheirworktobeinterestingandmeaningfulwhich,atleastforsomeINTPs,involvesworkthatsomehowlinksupwithhumanbeings.Hence,fields like biology, physiology, or neurosciencemaybeof greater appeal thanphysicsorchemistryformanyINTPs.TheSocial/MoralSciencesINTPs may also enjoy working in the social sciences (history, economics,psychology, sociology, geography, anthropology, archeology, political science,etc.). Unlike the hard sciences, the social sciences seem more conducive toINTPs’interestsinhumannature.Thesameis truefortheavant-gardefieldofmoralscience.While the disciplinary boundaries of moral science have yet to be clearlydemarcated,Iseemoralscienceasencompassingworkinpositivepsychology,various typesofethics (e.g.,populationethics,neuroethics),happiness studies,communicationandpeacestudies,etc.SomeofthemajorplayersinthisfieldareMihalyi Csikszentmihalyi,Martin Seligman, JonathanHaidt, DanielGoleman,theDalaiLama,and,morerecently,SamHarris.Moralscienceexistsat the interfaceofscience,psychology,andphilosophy.Itconsiders how human beings might live better lives, both individually andcollectively. Inhis recentbook,TheMoralLandscape,SamHarrisargues thatdiscussionsofmoralsandethicsshouldbeframedexclusivelyintermsofhumanwell-being.Healsosuggests thathumanwell-beingcanbestudiedempiricallyand scientifically, making it more than a subjective or religious topic. Byapproachingmoralitymoreobjectively,Harrisseesitpossibletosurmountmanyofthesubjectivedifferencesandbiasesamongindividualsandcultures,allowinghumanity to make moral decisions based on evidence rather than custom ortradition.Withthatsaid,INTPswilllikelyhavemixedfeelingstowardmoralscience.Onthe one hand, their Ti may balk at the notion of externally-prescribed moral

standards. They may worry that moral science could eventually impinge onhumanfreedom.Ontheotherhand,INTPsdobelievethatsomewaysoflivingaresuperiortoothersand,therefore,thatsomedegreeofobjectivitydoesapplytothemoralrealm.Aswith the hard sciences, INTPsmay be slow to invest significant time andenergy exploring a rather narrow set of social ormoral problems. Because oftheir Ne’s penchant for breadth of ideation, an overly narrow focus can feelconfining and uninteresting to INTPs.Exceptions to thismay occur, however,whentheyfeeltheyhavestumbledontoakeyinsightintohumanbehavior,suchasMihalyiCsikszentmihalyi’sworkonflowexperiences.Another potential hang-up for INTPs is the sentiment that social scientificfindings do little more than confirm what is already obvious to intuition orcommonsense.Onecouldseehowthiscouldhampertheirmotivationandcausethemtoseesuchworkasunimportantorunnecessary.Thismightevenpromptthem to reconsider the hard sciences, whose results seem less knowable orobvioustocommonsense.Becauseof theirambivalence toward formal research, INTPsoften think twicebeforestrivingforacademic tenure inanyfield.Theymayweigh theprosandconsofacademicworkversusfreelancingormoreappliedsortsofwork.Sincewewilldiscussfreelancingandtheacademicroutebelow,wewilldiscussonlytheappliedoptionhere.Unless approached in an entrepreneurial fashion, appliedwork can have somepotentialdrawbacksforINTPs.Oneoftheseisdealingwithredtapeandvariousorganizational rules. As we’ve seen, INTPs prefer to avoid functioning asemployees ifatallpossible.Moreover,many typesofappliedworkmayseemtoofarremovedfromtheconceptualrealm,therebymakingthemlessattractiveto INTPs.Hence, the best type of appliedwork for INTPswould both informandstimulatetheirconceptualinterests.Scholarship/HumanitiesScholarship, commonly associated with historical or humanities research, isanother Investigative route for INTPs.Unsurprisingly, it toocomeswitha fewpotentialdrawbacks.Amongthesearethedetailednatureofthework,itsrelativelackof“hard”or“eternal”truths,aswellaswhatcanseemlikealackofclearor

immediatebenefittohumanity(Fe).Scholarship requires a great deal of patience and devotion to a single subject,whichmore impulsive INTPsoften lack. Itcanalso resemblecertainscientificenterprises in its lackofclear importorapplication tohuman life.The ideaofinvestingagreatdealof timeandeffort intowork thatonlyahandfulofotherscholarswillreadcanbedifficultforINTPstoswallow.This is not to say that scholarship isn’t a great option for INTPs unconcernedwiththeapplicabilityoftheirwork.It isundoubtedlyanexcellentexerciseandchallenge for their Ti andNe, providing a near infinite amount ofmaterial towrestlewith.ScholarshipalsohasfewerTedemandsthanthesciences,allowingmuchof the exploration tooccur in the conceptual realm,without concern forexperimentalprocedures,researchfunding,etc.Soinmanyrespects,scholarshipseemsmoreconducivetoINTPs’toptwofunctionsthantheformalsciences.ComputerScience&SimulationsPrior to the information age, investigating problems relied heavily onobservation, data collection, and painstaking analyses. With advancements incomputer science and technology,we nowhave an array of new investigativeoptions out our disposal. One of the more intriguing of these is computersimulation.Computer simulations are used in the study of natural, as well as humanphenomena, aiding our understanding of systems (e.g., weather systems) toocomplexforothertypesofanalysis.Somethinkersbelievethatsimulationistheideal way to do science. In many cases, it is a cheaper and faster route. Soinsteadofhavingtofundandconductalaboratoryexperiment,onecouldsimplyprogramandrunacomputersimulation.Simulation begins with developing a model that represents the problem orsystembeingstudied.Afterdevelopingthemodel,thesimulationisruntogaininsight into the behavior of the system being studied. Simulations are oftendisplayed via computer generated imagery, as is now commonplace in theanalysisofweatherpatterns.ComputersimulationmaycaptivateINTPsforanumberofreasons.Itinvolvesanicebalanceofanalysis (e.g., identifying thebasic lawsor featuresofsystemsformodel building), experimentation (e.g., “Let’s tweak this variable and see

what happens.”), and interpretation (“What is this telling us?”), aswell as thepotentialforgeneralization(“Isthereageneralprincipleherethatmightbetrueof other systems?”). While similar things could be said of the traditionalsciences,simulationisattractivebecauseitisoftenlesstedious,lessmessy,andlesscostlythantraditionalexperiments.Some thinkers, such as philosopher David Chalmers, believe that usingcomputers to simulate natural phenomena, such as evolution, may allow for,among other things, great advances in our understanding of intelligence.PhilosopherNickBostrom,inhisprovocative“SimulationArgument,”suggeststhat intelligence acquired through simulation has huge implications forunderstandingourselves(e.g.,Arewelivinginasimulation?)andourfuture.The capacity of artificial/computer-based intelligence to surpass humanintelligence,whichmanythinkersbelievewillhappenwithinthenextcenturyorso,mayserveasastrongmotivatorforINTPs toworkwithin,orat leastkeeptabson,thisfield.Indeed,onemightevenarguethatourhighestR&Dpriorityistoenhanceourcomputationalpowerwhich,intheory,mightallowustotackleahostofcomplexproblemsthatextendbeyondthereachofhumanintelligence.

FreelanceInvestigationsThehardsciences,socialsciences,andscholarshipallrequireattentiontodetail,theadoptionofcertainstandardizedmethodsandpractices,and,inmanycases,partneringwith a scientific or academic establishment. In type speak, they allentailTepractices,whichinmanywaysrunagainstthegrainofTi.ThisiswhymanyINTPsopttofunctionasfreelancing,independentinvestigators.Freelancingallows INTPs toworkwithwhat I like tocall“gists.” INTPs lovediscerning thegist of agiven topicor argument, and then connecting that gistwithothergistsinaweblikefashion(Ne).Theyenjoyextractingandexplainingthebasicstorylinerunningthroughaseaofideas,aswellastranslatingtechnicaljargonintoeverydaylanguage.This iswhyINTPsoftenendupfunctioningas“popularizers.”Intranslatingcomplexconceptsintolayman'sterms,INTPsalsosatisfytheirdesiretohelpothers(Fe).Anotherpotentialupsideoffreelanceinvestigationisitslackofrigidstandards.Unlike those engaged in formal or academic research, freelancers aren’tbeholdentoahardsetofrulesorstandards.It’snot thatfreelancingisentirelydevoid of standards, but only that its standards aremore implicit and broadlydistributed across its target audience. In this sense, freelancing can be seen ashavingFe,ratherthanTe,sortsofstandards.Thenotionthatthetruthorqualityof one’s work will reveal itself through a bottom-up, democratic (Fe) sort ofprocesscanbeofgreatappealtoINTPs.With thatsaid, thereare timeswhenFeendorsementmayseemabit flimsyordubious to therational-mindedINTP.Thismay leaveINTPfreelancers feelingungrounded, isolated, or uncertain about the actual quality or validity of theirwork.Freelancing also fails to offer theputative financial stability ofworkingforascientificoracademicestablishment.

*HereisourlistofpotentialINTPInvestigativecareersandmajors:•Biology,neuroscience•Consciousnessstudies•Computerscience•Healthsciences•Researchassistant

•Socialsciences(psychology,geography,history,sociology,politicalscience)•Scholar:history,humanities•Nanotechnology•Environmentalscience/studies•Linguistics/semiotics,communicationstudies•Philosophy,theology•Populationethics,neuroethics,moralscience•Comparativereligion•Peacestudies•“Peopleanalytics”•Information/librarysciences•Interdisciplinarystudies•Actuary•Financialplanning/investing•Investigativejournalist,reporter,freelancer•Non-fictionauthor,writer,sciencewriter•Searchengineoptimization(SEO)expert/consultant•Environmentallaw

Artistic(A)Ifwe roughlyassociate the Investigativedomainwithconvergent thinking,wemight pair the Artistic domain with divergent thinking. Typologically, theArtisticdomaincorrelateswithapreferenceforIntuition,aswellas,toalesserextent,FeelingandPerceiving.Artistics tendtoperformespeciallywellon theverbalportionofaptitudetests.Artisticsarehighlyrepresentedamongstudentsstudyingtheartsandhumanities.Like those with Investigative-Artistic (IA) interests, individuals with Artistic-Investigative (AI) interests may gravitate toward the social sciences orinterdisciplinary studies, which tend to involve a combination of creative andrationalthinking.INTPs might do well to conceive of themselves as artists, or at leastsubjectivists,becauseof thenatureof their top twofunctions.ButasdominantThinkers, some INTPsmay be reluctant to do so.Writing is among themorepopularart formsamongINTPs,servingasanexcellentmediumforexploringand developing their intellectual interests. More visually-inclined INTPs maygravitatetowardarchitectureorwebdesign,whilemoretech-savvyINTPsmaytakeupworkinfieldslikesoftwaredesign.

HereisourratherbrieflistofINTPArtisticcareers:•Graphic/web/softwaredesign•Architecture•Writer,blogger,Indy/self-publishing

Social(S)IndividualsintheSocialinterestdomainenjoyworkingwithpeople.TheyoftenpreferFeeling,aswellastosomeextent,Extraversion.INTPs may take interest in Social careers because of the influence of theirinferiorFe.Asmentionedearlier, Igenerallydiscourage INTPs fromchoosingcareers that routinely involvedirectlyhelpingor advisingpeople. If INTPsdoopttoperformthistypeofwork,theyareusuallywisetodoitinsmallerchunks,such as working part-time. On the whole, INTPs are better off influencingpeopleinlessdirectways,suchasthroughArtisticorInvestigativework.WhataboutCounseling/Psychology?We’veseenhowINTPsareinterestedinunderstandinghumanbeingsandhowthey might live better. It is therefore unsurprising that INTPs might considerpsychotherapyasapotentialcareer.Psychotherapyisahelpingprofession.Inmanyways,itcanalsobeviewedasanFi profession, involving the investment of significant time and energy into arelativelysmallnumberof individuals.This isa rather formidableproblemforINTPs,since,atleastintheory,Fiistheverylastfunctionattheirdisposal;itisburied deep in their unconscious, even farther than Fe.Moreover, because oftheir Ti preference for self-help and self-sufficiency, INTPs can be ratherimpatient with those they perceive as weak, needy, irrational, or otherwiseincapableofhelpingthemselves.InorderforINTPstoenjoytheirworkastherapists,theyneedtofindawaytokeep theworkstimulatingand interesting.So insteadof thinkingof therapy interms of the Fi individual, they may be better off reframing thepsychotherapeutic context as a sort of laboratory for mutual learning andexperimentation.Viewed thisway, theymight better appreciate and value thenovelchallengesofeachclientand,inturn,functionasmoreeffectivetherapists.Theirinterestinworkingwithpeople-oriented(Fe)ideas(Ne)andstrategies(Ti)

maycompensatefortheirrelativelackofemotionalempathyfortheindividual.Even then, INTP therapist would not be equipped to work with all types ofclients.Theymaystillhavelittlepatience,for instance,for thosepresentingashighlydysfunctional,neurotic,orotherwise“abnormal.”PresumablyduetotheirTi-Fepairing,INTPsaretypicallymoreinterestedinworkingwiththosewithamoreorless“normal”psychology.NTJs,bycontrast,whouseTe-Fi,oftenseemmoreinterestedinabnormalpsychologyandpsychiatricdisorders.INTPsmayalsostruggletoprovidesoundrelationaladvice,sincerelationshipsdonot comenaturallyor easily to them.Theyare typicallymore interested inindividual therapy, often using a combination ofmeaning-centered, cognitive-behavioral,andmindbodytechniques.CareercounselingmaybethesafestavenueforINTPs.Ithas theadvantageofbeing less emotional and therefore less taxing on the INTP. INTPs also enjoylearningaboutvariouscareersandknowledgeareas,includingtrends(especiallytheoreticalandmethodologicaltrends)withinandamongvariousdisciplines.Ontheotherhand,onecanseehowcareercounselingmightbecomelessinterestingfor INTPsover time, as it provides feweropportunities toprobedeep into thepsychethanothertypesofcounseling.In the end, I think it is reasonable to suggest that, in general, only the mostpsychoemotionallymatureINTPsshouldconsiderworkingaspsychotherapists.Even then, INTPs therapistsareprobablywise to limit themselves topart-timework, since dealing with others’ emotions in an extraverted fashion can beextremelydrainingforINTPs.CollegeTeaching/ProfessorshipBecomingacollegeprofessorisacommondreamamongINTPs.Theromanceofbeingensconcedinaknowledge-centeredenvironmentcanbeofgreatappeal.For INTP geniuses, reality may approximate this romantic ideal. Suchindividuals may be relatively absolved from the extraneous duties associatedwith obtaining or maintaining academic tenure. For those with more mortalminds, however, academic life is rarely as idyllic as common romanticconceptionsmightsuggest.While there are several routes forworking in academia,wewill take a broadapproachanddiscusstwomaintracks.Thefirstandmostcommonlyenvisioned

track,involvesbecomingatenuredfacultymemberatauniversity.Thisisbyfarthemorechallengingofourtwooptions,sinceitinvolveshighcompetitionforarelatively limitednumberofpositions.Thecompetitionmaybesomewhat lessfierce in some of the applied fields, such as health-related or applied sciencepositions,sincecandidatesoftenhaveadditionalcareeroptions(e.g.,practicingasanurse,attorney,engineer,etc.),manyofwhicharemorelucrativethantheacademicroute.In addition to fierce competition, becoming a tenured faculty member alsorequires considerable prerequisite legwork. This typically includes earning adoctorate leveldegree that includesadissertation, aswell aspublishingampleoriginal research ("publish or perish"). Requirements can be particularlystringent for “first-tier” schools, such asHarvard orYale.Moreover, inmanyfields, research can be costly, thereby requiring researchers to constantly seekout and apply for grants. This is to say nothing of the teaching requirements,whichcanbequiteheftyfornon-tenuredfaculty.Inshort,thepathtobecominga tenured facultymember, especially in thehumanities or basic sciences, is inmanywayslikerushingforafraternity,onlythatitinvolvesdoingsoformanyyears,ratherthanjustafewweeks.Our second academic track is a less strenuous one, involving teaching at acommunity college or part-time at a university. This route entails few, if any,publishing requirements andpositions aregenerally easier to comeby.This isbecause these positions are focused less on research and more on teaching.AlthoughINTPswhoarefluidoratorsmayenjoytheteachingelement,mostaredrawn to the academy for its intellectual atmosphere and the opportunity toconduct research.Therefore, INTPswithout thedrive, intellect,or resilience toobtainatenuredpositionmayviewcollegeteachingasasortof“middleoftheroad”careeroption.Theymayopttoteachforthesakeofpayingthebillswhileusingtheirfreetimetopursuetheirrealpassions.

*HereisourlistofpotentialINTPSocialjobsandcareers:•Restaurantserver/bartender(adecent“dayjob”forINTPs)•Collegeprofessor•Counselor/psychologist(?)

Enterprising(E)TheEnterprising domain entails the promotion of products, ideas, or services.Enterprisers tend to be persuasive and assertive, enjoying competitiveenvironments. Typical Enterprising careers include sales and marketing,business and management, politics, journalism, insurance, stock trading, andcertaintypesoflaw.EnterprisingindividualsoftenpreferExtraversion.AlthoughINTPsaretypicallynotdrawntoEnterprisingworkforitsownsake,theymay,aswe’veseen,opttopickupsomebusinessandmarketingskillsforthe sake of entrepreneurship. If they combine such skillswith somedegree oftechnical savvy and ingenuity, INTPs canmake a decent living throughweb-basedorothersortsofenterprises.HereisourextremelylonglistofINTPEnterprisingcareersandmajors:•Entrepreneur,web-based•Consultant,web/software/IT

Conventional(C)Individuals with Conventional interests enjoy administrative work. They areorganized and detail-oriented, typically doing well with manipulating data.ThoseinthisdomainoftenpreferSensing,Thinking,and/orJudging.WhiletypicallynotenjoyingConventionalwork,INTPscantypicallyperformitcompetentlywhennecessary.Butbecausethisdomainisrarelyamongtheirtopinterestareas,IhavenoConventionalcareersormajorstorecommend.WhatAboutMedicine?Medicineisahigh-statuscareer,asphysiciansareknownandrespectedfortheirknowledge,intelligence,andimpressivesalaries.ItisthereforeunsurprisingthatINTPsmightbecuriousaboutmedicalcareers.Medicinedoesn’tfitneatlyintoanyoftheHollanddomains.Dependingonthemedicalspecialty,itinvolvessomecombinationofI,R,andSinterests.Atleastin the United States, medicine takes a heavily Te approach to human health,seeingmanyconditionsinblack-and-whiteterms.TiandNe,bycontrast,tendtoenvision health along a continuum, which can make various diagnostic

categorizations seem dubious and arbitrary to INTPs.Moreover, since INTPs’extraverted Judging function (Fe) is low in their functional stack, they maystruggletomakefirmdiagnoses,whichmanypatientsexpectintoday'ssystem.What is more, the drug and procedure-orientation of modern medicine runscountertoINTPs’benttowardmorenatural(Ne-Si)orself-help(Ti)approaches.INTPsseethebodyaswell-equippedtohealitselfandbelievethatpeoplecaninlarge part manage their own health. They therefore gravitate toward thepreventionandself-caresideofthings.Forwhat it’sworth, TheMBTIManual indicates that INTPmed students areamongtheleastenthusiasticinclinicalsettings,joined,unsurprisingly,byINFPsandENTPs.ItspositsthatNPs’ruggedindividualismmaybelargelyresponsibleforthisfinding.INTPswhohavealreadystartedmedicalschoolmayfindmedical research themost promising avenue. Other potential specialties include psychiatry,behavioralmedicine,andneurology.PsychiatryandbehavioralmedicinearethemostobviousareasinwhichINTPscouldregularlyemploytheirTiandNe.

7.RelationshipsINTPsneedsomemeasureofhumancontact.Fewcanliveincompleteisolation.Indeed,becauseof theirFe inferior, INTPscanbeenergizedbyhavingpeoplearound,even ifnotengagingwith themdirectly. Ifcutoff frompeoplefor toolong,theymayfeellonelyorisolated.Aswe’veseen,engagingwithpeoplecangiveINTPs’Feanegoboost.INTPsoften hope to impress others with their charm, wit, and intellect. But whenINTPs identify too strongly with what we might call their “public persona,”therebycompromisingtheirTiselves,theycangrowdepressedandunsatisfied.PersistentlysacrificingTiforthesakeofFeisrarelybeneficialtotheirpersonalgrowthorhappiness.WhatINTPsperceiveasthe“magical”qualitiesofFecanmakethemgiddywithdreamsofloveandromance,especiallyearlyinlife.Theymayfindthemselvessmittenbytypesexudingwarmthandfeeling,sincethesequalitiesaretypicallyabsentfromtheINTP’sinnerworld.Theymayfeel thatpairingwithaFeelingtypenicelycomplementstheirThinkingandfurtherstheirsenseofpsychologicalwholeness.Pairingwith a Feeler can also function like a sort of psychological insurancepolicy,preventingtheINTPfromswingingtoofarinthedirectionofThinking.INTPsoftenlackconfidenceintheirabilitytosuccessfullyreconciletheirTandFoutside thecontextofa relationship.For some INTPs, thismay indeedbeavalidconcern.Thoseearlyintheirtypedevelopment,forinstance,maybemoreinclined to suffer from extreme or unstable thinking. For such individuals, arelationshipmayprovideasenseofsafetyandstability,asetoftrainingwheelsifyouwill,whichcanaidtheirgrowthanddevelopment.TheproblemwithINTPsenteringrelationshipsforFreasonsisthat,oncetheirFneeds are satisfied, their focus naturally reverts to theirT interests.When thisoccurs, they can easily get swept up in their T pursuits and completely losecontactwiththeirfeelingstowardtheirpartner.Theymaythenbegintowonderif theyreally love(or loved) theirpartner,evenquestioningwhether theywantthe relationshipatall. Inotherwords, they turn theirTi skepticism toward therelationshiptoevaluatewhetheritisusefulorsensible.

Reasons&JustificationsforRelationshipsIntroverts require less stimulation from the outside world than extraverts do.They look to themselves, to their own minds, for stimulation. Like otherintroverts, INTPs are typically good at entertaining themselves. But there arecertain things they can’t readily procure for themselves: sex, children, love,support, companionship,etc.Of these,havingchildren isprobably the leastoftheINTP’sconcerns,especiallyforINTPmales.AndwhileINTPscancertainlyenjoysex,ittoousuallytakesabackseattotheirotherinterests.Withregardtocompanionship,INTPscanexperienceastrongsenseofkinshipfrom reading the works of likeminded others. They derive great joy fromfollowinganauthor’slineofreasoningandengagingwithhisorherideas.Oneof thebeautiful thingsaboutwrittenworks is theycanbecarefully selected tomatchtheINTP’scurrentconcernsandinterests.BooksmaydoforINTPs’NewhatnewsexualexperiencesmightforSTPsormusicforFeelingtypes.Butwhataboutlove?Morethananything,INTPslovewrestlingwithideasandworkingontheirownprojects.Ascoldasitmaysound,lovingpeopleissortofan afterthought for INTPs. Indeed, INTPs often display a greater concern forhumanity in general (Fe) than they do for particular individuals (Fi). This isconsistent with type theory, which predicts that Fi is INTPs’ least used anddevelopedfunction(i.e.,theireighthfunction).What about the need to receive or be loved? As we’ve seen, one feature ofINTPs’inferiorFeisadesireforexternalaffirmation.Thisneedforaffirmationseemscloselyrelatedtotheneedtobelovedandvalidated.Therefore,“love”forINTPs,ofteninvolvesa“needtobeneeded.”Puttingaside,forthemoment,thequestionofwhetherthisisarealneedormerelyanindicatoroflowself-worth,thisneedmaybesatisfiedinafewdifferentways.PerhapstheidealwayforINTPstosatisfytheirostensibleneedtobeneededisthroughtheirwork.SinceINTPstendtoidentifywithandinvestsignificanttimeandenergyintotheirwork,theywanttheirworktobeexternallyrecognizedandvalidated.Whentheirworkisvalidated,theyfeelusefulandvaluable.AnotherwayINTPscanfeelneededisbybeingaprovider.Unfortunately,theymaycome to resent theprovider role if they feeldissatisfiedwith their lineofwork,whichcanputtheminabind.Ontheonehand,iftheyquittheirjob,they

risklosing,amongotherthings,theirvaluedroleasprovider.Ontheotherhand,iftheyfailtomakethenecessarycareerchanges,theyruntheriskofbecomingincreasinglydepressed, restless,andresentful. Inshort, theyare facedwith thedilemmaofriskingtheirFesecurityforthesakeofgreaterTisatisfactionintheirwork.AnotherissuerelatedtotheproviderroleisthisquestionofwhetherINTPsfeelneededfortheirTiandNe,whichtheyseeastheirauthenticselves,versusbeingneeded for financial (S) or emotional (F) reasons, which represent their lessauthenticselves.FriendshipsareanotherwayINTPscanfeelneeded.Sincefriendshipstypicallycomewith fewerSFduties andexpectations, theycanbeaneffectiveway forINTPs to feel valued for their true selves. But the same thing that isadvantageousaboutfriendships—theirlackofformalcommitment—canalsobeviewedasadisadvantagebyINTPs.Withoutaformalcommitment,INTPsmayfear, rightlyornot, that theywill fail tomaintain their friendshipsand therebyruntheriskofisolatingthemselves.Viewedfromwithout,thisallmayseemarathersillygame.Afterall,ifINTPs’goalisaselfishone(i.e.,tofeelneeded),thenrecruitingotherstohelptheminthisregardmightlookalotlike“usingthem.”ButtobefairtoINTPs,weshouldrecognizethatothertypesunwittinglyuseeachotherjustasreadily.Further complicating INTPs’ relational concerns is the issue of time. AsDonRiso and Russ Hudson have appropriately observed in their account of theEnneagramFive,INTPscanbehoardersandmisersoftime.Theirobjectiveistomaximize time to themselves for exploring and developing their interests. Sowhenever another person enters their personal space, INTPs may worry overwhatmighthappentotheircherishedtime.IfINTPsarehappyintheircareers,timemaybearelativenon-issue,since theywillhaveplentyof timetosatisfytheirTiandNeatwork.Ifnot,however,theymaycometoseetheirpartnerasapotentialthreattotheirtimeandfreedom.Withallthatsaid,whatwouldseemanadmirablereasonforINTPstoparticipateinarelationshipisoutofgenuineinterestintheirpartner.Thiswouldtypicallyinvolvealoveforhisorhermindandideas,thetypeofpartnerDavidKeirseyhas dubbed a “mindmate.” Even then, however, INTPs may wonder if arelationshipisreallyworththeirtime,consideringalltheforeseeabledifficulties

andcomplicationsitmaybring.In weighing relationship options, INTPs may consider less conventionalpossibilities, such as communal living or open relationships. These can beattractivetotheirNe’spenchantfornovelty,aswellastheirFe’sattractiontoabreadthofrelationships.Thenotionofanopen-endedrelationship,withoutanyhard commitments,may appeal tomany INTPs, at least in theory. Somewhatparadoxically,however,themoreopennessandfreedomINTPsexperienceinarelationship,themorelikelytheyaretovalueandcommittoasinglepartner.The prospect of foregoing a romantic relationship, or at least a conventionalromanticrelationship,canbequitescaryforINTPs.Oneofthescariestelementsis having a lack of Fe continuity or stability in their lives. They may lookaround,seeeveryonegettingmarried,andworryaboutneverhavinga lifelongpartner. Even INTPs who realize that most relationships revolve around fear,insecurity,andillusionsmaystruggletosomeextent.ThereisstillapartoftheINTP, even if less conscious, that embraces the idea of a long-term (Si)relationship(Fe).Atthispoint,itmaybeworthmentioningthatthereisnolawstatingthatINTPsneed to make a once-and-for-all decision about how they should approachrelationships. Indeed, thiswould seem togoagainst theirpreferredpositionofopenness. Nor is there anything suggesting that migrating in and out ofrelationshipsisnecessarilyabadthing.IfINTPsarefocusedonengagingthetopportionoftheirfunctionalstack,theywillnotbedevotingalotofconscioustimeorenergytoworryingaboutloveorFesecurity.Rather,theywillbeconcentratingontheirTi-Nework.If,indoingso, a good partner happens tomeander into theirworld, they can cherish andcelebrate whatever time they might have together. If not, they can work tosatisfy their Fe needs in otherways, such as through friendships, reading, co-housing,discussiongroups,etc.RelationshipsasaForumforLearning&ExplorationIfwe thinkabitoutside thebox,wemightviewINTPrelationshipsashavinglittle,ifanything,todowithlove(atleastinthetraditionalsense),andmoretodowithmutualexploration,sharing,struggling,andlearning.INTPsvalueandappreciateexperientialtruth.SincetheirNetendstolackmuch

asfarasconvictionordiscrimination,theyusebothreason(Ti)andexperience(Si)tohonetheirperspectives.SoifINTPsaretrulyinterestedinzeroinginontruth, theycanbenefit fromincludinganexperiential /empiricalcomponent intheir epistemology.For INTPchemists, thismight come from laboratory data.For INTPs interested in self-knowledge, human psychology, or moraldevelopment, relationships could serve as their laboratory for learning andexperimentation.Givenasufficientlyopenandwillingpartner,thereisreallynolimittothesortsof experiments INTPs might conduct in their relationships. They might, forinstance, entertain or trial less conventional practices, such as intentionallyrestrictingvariousactivities(e.g.,conversations,sexualencounters,etc.)soastoheighten the level of interest when they do partake in them. Or, they mightconsiderhavingseparatelivingquarters,orevenseparatehomes,toincreasethesenseoffreedomandintensityintherelationship.While creativity and experimentation can certainly make relationships moreinteresting for INTPs, even more foundational to their relational success areopennessandhonesty,orwhatIwillcallthe“O&Hpolicy.”TheOpenness&Honesty("O&H")PolicyTheO&Hpolicycanbesummarizedasfollows:Both partners will, to the best of their ability, be open and honest in theircommunication, especially with regard to their negative thoughts, feelings,experiences,concerns,andfears.Thisistobethecaseregardlessofhowsuchcommunicationisanticipatedtobereceivedbyone’spartner(i.e.,inapositiveornegativeway).TheO&Hpolicyiscriticalforseveralreasons.First,ithelpsINTPsvalueandfeel close to their partners. If INTPs’ partners can demonstrate their love anddevotion through even the most difficult discussions, INTPs will increasinglycome to value and respect them. INTPs cherish the rarity and maturity of apartnerwho iswilling tocourageouslyconfrontanddealwithharshorpainfulrealities,aswellasonewhocanloveandaccepttheINTPforwhoheorsheis—thegood,bad,andtheugly.IfO&Hrelationshipsareanything,theyarereal.Reallovemustbefoundedontruth, evenwhen it hurts.Whenpartners are completelyopen andhonestwith

each other, the roots of the relationship grow ever deeper as their problems,fears,andfrustrationsaresuccessfullyexpressed,analyzed,andintegrated.Whenever INTPs fail to adhere to theO&H policy and fail to express theirthoughts,theyputthecourseoftherelationshipingravedanger.Thisistrueforatleasttworeasons.First,themomentINTPsstopsharingcertainthoughtswiththeirpartnersisthemomenttheybegintodetachfromanddevaluethem.Atthatmoment,theINTPisnolongerrelatingtohisorherpartner,buthaschosentobecomeafreeagent.Second,when INTPs fail to share their thoughts, the relationship immediatelybecomes less interesting to them. Remember, the most honest and authenticreasonforINTPstobeinarelationshipistolearnandexplorewiththeirpartner.Soassoonastheyturndownanindependentpathandstartmovingawayfromtheirpartner,theyhaveforsakentheprimarypurposeoftherelationship.TheDangerofConcealingNegativeThoughts&AssumptionsINTPsharborazillionthoughtsandassumptionsaboutrelationshipsingeneral,aswell as about themselves and their partners. But the vastmajority of thesethoughtsareneversharedordiscussed, leadingINTPstofunctionaccordingtomental rules and assumptions of which their partners are relatively unaware.Eveninthemidstofconversations,INTPsformulatejudgmentstheyhesitatetoreleasefromthesafehavenoftheirminds.Unfortunately,whenINTPsconcealconcerns about their partner or state of the relationship, they do neitherthemselvesnortherelationshipanyfavors.HerearesomeexamplesofnegativethoughtsorassumptionsINTPsmayfailtosharewiththeirpartners:

“Idon’tthinkshereallyknowsorlovesmeforwhoIam.Sheonlylovesanidealizedimageofme.”

“Thereshegoesbeingirrationalagain.Anotheremotionalrant.”

“I’m really not interested inwhat he is saying right now, Iwish I couldescapeanddosomethingelse.”

“Sheissoneedyanddemanding.Iwishshewouldjust leavemebeforawhile.”

“Idon’tthinkthisistherightrelationshipforme.Ineedtoworkonfindingawayout.”

“Icanonlygivehimaboutanhourperday.TherestofthetimeIneedformywork.”

“SinceIagreedtothismarriage,IguessI’mobligatedtodox,y,andz.”

In these instances, INTPs may carry on like everything is fine, giving theirpartners little indication they are having such thoughts.They adapt outwardly,whilegrowinginwardlydistantfromtheirpartners.ThismayevenoccurwithouttheINTPbeingfullyawareofit.When INTPs fail to share their negative thoughts, they also prematurely closethemselves to further information. For instance, by assuming their partner’semotionalexpressionsareirrational,theyprematurelyruleoutthepossibilityofthere being a rational basis for such expressions, even if it is not immediatelyevident.Byautomaticallyassuming theirsubjectiveappraisalsof theirpartnersare correct, without seeking further information or clarification, INTPs areclearlyinthewrong,actingpridefully,tyrannically,andegocentrically.Finally, unshared thoughts and assumptions can lay the foundation for analternate reality to which the INTP’s partner has no access. As this alternatereality grows, it becomes increasingly difficult for INTPs to truly love theirpartnersortoperceivethemfairlyandaccurately.

INTPCommunicationIssuesWe’vealreadyseenhowINTPsmay fail toexpress their thoughtsorconcernsout of fear of hurting their partner’s feelings. Considering their status asThinking types, this seems a bit strange, which suggests there may be moregoingonherethanmeetstheeye.Inreality,INTPsmaybelessworriedabouttheirpartner’sfeelingsthantheyareabouttheirowndiscomfortwithnavigatingemotionalsituations.Sobyfailingtobehonestanddirectintheircommunication,INTPsaren’treallyprotectingtheirpartnersasmuchastheyareprotectingthemselves;theyaren’tactingheroically,butcowardly.INTPs may also fail to express their relational concerns for fear of sayingsomething thatwill jeopardize the relationship (e.g., “If I tell herhow I reallyfeel,willshestilllovemeorwanttobewithme?”).Thisistypicallyrootedindeeperfears,suchasthefearofbeingalone,rejected,unloved,orunneeded.BecausetheirFeisinferior,INTPsmayalsogravitatetowardlessdirectmeansof self-expression. Theymay, for instance, enlist theirNe tomake a point bywayofquestions.Soinsteadofsaying,“IthinkweshouldtryX,Y,andZinourrelationship” theymightsay,“Whatdoyou thinkaboutcoupleswhodoX,Y,andZintheirrelationship?”Or,ratherthanasserting“I’mtiredoftalking”theymightasktheirpartner,“Areyoufeelingtired?”INTPsmay also self-express through actions rather thanwords. So instead ofexpressing their loveorapologiesverbally, theymaydoso through thoughtfulactsorgestures.Alesshealthyformofindirectexpressionispassive-aggressivebehavior.Passive-aggressiveness(P-A)involvestheexpressionoffrustrationinindirectandunderhandedways.Soratherthandealingdirectlywitharelationalgrievance, INTPsmight, for example, intentionally stay late at the office as apassiveactofrebellion.

ImprovingCommunicationAswith other IP types, it is important for INTPs to understand that relationalharmonyshouldnotbeequatedwithrelationalhealth.Whileexternalharmonyisoften part of a healthy relationship, it really has little to do with genuineintimacyoreffectivecommunication.In reality, developing genuine intimacy can be quite painful and difficult,requiringfrequentconfrontationsthefears,insecurities,andego/inferiorfunctionissuesofbothparties.Whencouplesareworkingthroughtheseissues,momentsofdisharmonyareallbutinevitable.Since intimate relationships are built on openness and honesty, they wouldideally implement the O&H policy from the outset, thereby eliminating theneedforyearsofuntanglingrelationalknotsintherapy.TheO&Hpolicymayalsoreducethetotalamountofpain,guilt,andshameaccruedinarelationship.InworkingtobecomemoreO&H,INTPsneedtobecomemoreawareofwhenthey are acting out of fear, which, as we’ve seen, typically involves their Fesensitivities or insecurities.Theymust also recognizewhen they are failing totellthewholetruth.Theycanlearntocatchthemselvesinsituationswheretheymighthabituallyavoidopenandhonestcommunication.The“Iwillbeokay”principle,whichIintroducedearlier,canprovideapointofconfidenceforINTPsastheygoaboutstretchingthemselvesinthedirectionofunmitigatedO&H.ItisparticularlyimportantforINTPstoknowthattheycanbe okay without the relationship. This is in no way intended to diminish thevalueoftherelationshipnortheINTP’sinvestmentinit.ButifINTPsfeeltheirhealthandwell-beingisdependentontherelationship,theywillbemorelikelytoactoutoffearandtherebyfailtobeO&H.Working to recognizeandunderstandone’s inferior function issues,aswellasthoseofone’spartner,isalsocriticaltoeffectivecommunication.Whenanissuecan be objectively identified as an “inferior function issue,” it becomesmucheasierforpartnerstobemutuallyempathetic,astheyremindthemselvesofthedifficultyofdealingwiththeirowninferiorfunctionissues.IdentityIssues:LoneWolf(Ti)vs.Mr.NiceGuy(Fe)The way INTPs approach and function in relationships directly relates to the

degreetowhichtheyidentifywiththeirTiversusFe.Aswe’veseen,INTPsmayuse Ne-Fe displays of wit, charm, and affability to ingratiate themselves toothers.Whendating,forinstance,theiraffabilitymayleadprospectivepartnersto see them as thoughtful, sincere, and endearing. Some INTPs may evenidentifywiththesequalities,seeingthemselvesas“niceguys”(orgals)whocaneffortlesslygetalongwith,oratleastadaptto,nearlyanyone.The problem is that INTPs are not nearly as nice as the nice guy personasuggests. Their extraverted side is more of a social façade than a truerepresentationoftheirinnerselves.ItthereforeseemsappropriatethatINTPs,aswellastheirpartners,takeanhonestlookatwhotheINTPreallyis(andisnot).Generallyspeaking,INTPsarenotsocialbutterflieswithstronginterestsinthelives of others. They are more like lone wolves, fiercely independent andabsorbedintheirownthoughtsandaffairs.Inmanycases, INTPs’“lonewolf” sidemaynot fullymanifestuntilwell intothe relationship.Andwhen it finallydoes,partnersmaybe takenabackby theINTP’sfierce independence.Theymayevenfind themselveswonderingwhichperson—theniceguyorthelonewolf—istherealINTP.ThosewhofellinlovewiththeniceguyINTPoftenrevoltagainst thelonewolf,hopingtheniceguywill soon regain control. They may use a variety of tactics—guilt, shame,pleading,etc.—tofacilitatethisprocess.Insomecases,thesetacticsmaywork,atleastintheshortterm,sincemanyINTPsreallywanttoretaintheniceguyaspartoftheiridentity.Unfortunately,whatINTPsandtheirpartnersmayfailtorealizeisthataslongas the lonewolf is repressed or “caged,” the INTP can never be an authenticpartner.Moreover, it is only amatter of time before their repressedwolfwillreemergeinastateofrebellion.Aslonewolves,INTPsneedanddesireagreatdealoffreedomandcontrol.Thiscanbefurtherenumeratedasfollows:

INTPswanttobeinfullcontrolofthemselves.

Theydon’twanttoberesponsibleforcontrollingothers.

Theydon’twantotherstocontrolthem.

InlightofINTPs’needforfreedomandcontrol,theirpartnersareleftwithsometoughdecisions.Assumingtheyarecommittedtotherelationship,theirpartnersmustdiscernthedegreeoffreedomandautonomytheyarewillingtoconcedetothe INTP.Manypartners are reluctant togrant themcomplete freedom,whichcan often seem too scary. Instead, they may use various tactics, evenunwittingly, to curtail or discourage the INTP’s freedom. This back-and-forthgame of Ti freedom versus Fe compliance may go on for years, or even alifetime.While it would be silly and unfair to suggest that partners should merelyacquiescetotheINTP'severywhimandwish,itisprettymuchaguaranteethatINTPs will be better partners when bestowed with ample Ti freedom. Ifendowedwith the freedom to love and participate in the relationship on theirownterms,theyaremoreapttoengagewithgenuineinterestandrespect.ThisistheparadoxofpairingwithINTPs.Namely,themoreoneavoidsthetemptationto reign them in or make them feel guilty, the more the INTP will love andcommittotherelationship.

FreedomtoDoubtSeasons of doubt and skepticism are part and parcel of being an INTP. Thisincludes doubting and questioning their relationships.And because Fe is theirinferiorfunction,theycanunfortunatelybepronetolosingfaithandconfidencein their relationships rather quickly. Theymayworry that each new relationalproblemorobstacleisirremediable,aportentofrelationaldoom.INTPs are especially prone to doubt their relationships when their partnersexpress criticism or negative emotions toward them. For instance, they maymisinterprettheirpartner’sdesiretodiscusstherelationshipasasignofpersonalfailureorrejection.WemightthinkofthisintermsofFemopingorinsecurity.While it is true that INTPsmust develop greater faith in themselves and theirpartnerwith respect tohandling relationalproblems, theirpartnersmust findaway to be okay with INTPs expressing their doubts and concerns about therelationship. For INTPs to remain fully committed to and invested in therelationship,therearetimeswhentheymustreviewthereasonsandrationaleforthe relationship.Of course, this can be extremely difficult and scary formostpartners.Feelingtypes,inparticular,mayfailtoseewhyINTPscannotsimplyrely on feelings to stay connected. Theymay struggle to see how the elusivenatureof INTPs’ feelingsmaycause themto losesightofwhy theyare in therelationship.ItcanalsobebeneficialforINTPsandtheirpartnerstoperiodicallyreviewtheINTP’sTireasonsforbeingintherelationship.Thismightinclude,forinstance,highlighting the value of the relationship with respect to mutual learning andexploration.IfpartnerscangrantINTPsthefreedomtodoubt,theyhaveafargreaterchanceof earning the INTP’s trust and respect. This can also serve as part of the Tirationale for the relationship.With each new problem or obstacle that INTPssurmountwiththeirpartner,theydevelopadeepersenseofappreciationforandcommitmenttotherelationship.AttitudestowardFamily&ParentingWe’ve already seen how INTPs can gravitate to a rather simple orBohemianlifestyle.Sincetheydon'thaveExtravertedSensing(Se)intheirfunctionalstack,they are less concerned with aesthetics or material comforts than other types

mightbe.AndwhileINTPsmightliketheideaofmakingagoodincome,moneyislessimportanttothemthanpursuingtheirinterests.For those partneringwith an INTP, thismay translate into a sort of financialrollercoaster. Thus, individuals seeking a consistent financial providermay bebetter off pairingwith another personality type. This is not to say that INTPsdon't have the potential tomake a solid or consistent income, but only that itshouldnotbetakenasagiven.Withregard tochildren, INTPsaren'tnaturally"kidpeople.” INTPs tend tobeinwardly serious and focused on their own interests. My guess is that manyINTPs (especially INTP males) merely defer to their partners with regard tohavingchildren, rather thanactingona strongpersonal interest.This isnot tosaythatINTPscannotordonotlovetheirchildren,butonlythatraisingchildrenisrarelyamongtheirtopprioritiesinlife.Unlessaskedtoindependentlycareformultiplechildrenforextendedperiodsoftime,INTPsaregenerallygoodatmodelingpatienceandtemperanceasparents.They tend to be more permissive than authoritarian, working to avoidcompromising their child's freedom, uniqueness, or expressiveness. In otherwords,theytendtotreattheirchildrenliketheywouldwanttobetreated.While not naturally playful, INTPs can enjoy limited periods of engagementwith children.Theymay,however, feel tornbetweenworkand "family time,”thelatterofwhichcanattimesfeelabitdull.Inmanycases,spousesmayfeeltheINTPis failing to investadequately in this regardandmay try topersuadethemtodomore.This,ofcourse,canopenthedoortoconflictiftheINTPfeelshisautonomyisbeingcompromised.

FinalThoughtsBecauseofthechallengesassociatedwiththeirFeinferior,relationalsuccesscanseem like an uphill battle for INTPs. As I’ve repeatedly asserted, vocationalsatisfactionseemsanimportantprecursortoINTPs’relationalsuccess.Ifstillincareer-developmentmode,theymayfailtoinvestthenecessarytimeandenergyinto their relationships. With that said, relationships can be an enriching andrewardingpartoflifeforINTPs.Throughopenandhonestdiscussionswiththeirpartners,theycanlearnalotaboutlifeandaboutthemselves.

8.CompatibilitywithOtherTypesINTPs can get along with a variety of types. But their ability to blend withsomeoneonasurfacelevelshouldnotbeconflatedwithlong-termcompatibilitypotential. INTPs should also avoid granting their emotions too much weightwhen assessing compatibility.Aswe’ve seen, INTPs can be prime targets forbeing unconsciously wooed or manipulated by Feeling types. It is thereforeimportant that INTPs giveTi the upper hand in selecting a long-term partner.This of course flies in the face of conventional wisdom, which suggests thateveryoneshouldjust“listentotheirheart.”For long-term compatibility, INTPs need a partner who allows them tofunctionalauthenticallyasINTPs,includinggrantingthemsufficientfreedomofactionandexpression.Theyseekapartnerwithsimilarintellectualinterestsandcapacities,orwhatDavidKeirseyhascalleda“mindmate.”Whenpairedwithamindmate, INTPs feel that, at anygivenmoment, there ispotentialforameaningfulexplorationofideaswiththeirpartner.INTPsmaybeespecially drawn to thosewith knowledge and interests overlappingwith theirown, making way for a sort of co-exploration of truth. Ideally, the INTP’smindmate would also be open to adopting the O&H policy. Such a partnerwouldtypicallyberatheropen-minded,withenoughmaturityandself-worthtohandletheinherentdifficultiesofanO&Hrelationship.Typically,suchamatewillcomeintheformofanotherIntuitivetype.Lifestyle is another important compatibility consideration for INTPs. WhileINTPs can be quite flexible when it comes to living arrangements, they mayworrythatarelationshipmayincreasetheirfinancialburden.SincemanyINTPsdreamofhavingmoretimetopursuetheirpersonalinterests, theytendtoseekpartners who are either financially independent or are content with a rathersimple lifestyle. INTPsmay come to resent partners that expect them toworkundesirablejobsorlongerhoursjusttohavenicerstuff.Withthatsaid,wewillnowexploreINTPs’potentialcompatibilitywithvariouspersonalitytypes.INTP-ENFJPairings

INTPsandENFJsaresimilar in thatbothutilizeadominantJudging function.This contributes to a shared tendency to be intentional, proactive, and goal-oriented.Thesetypesalsoshare theTi-Fefunctionpair,which,combinedwiththeirsharedpreferenceforIntuition,maycontributeasimilarityofinterestsandworldview.These typesalsodiffer insome importantways.Perhapsmost important is thefacttheirTiandFefunctionsfallatoppositeendsofthefunctionalstack.Whilethismayengenderafierceinitialattractionalathe“oppositesattract”principle,oncetheinfatuationhaswaned,itmaycontributetoanumberofdifficulties.ENFJshavestrongpersonalities.TheirFeassertionscanbedirect,intense,andemotionally-charged. Such judgments, especially when unsolicited, are notalwayswellreceivedbyothers,especiallybyindependent-mindedINTPs.ENFJs are also prone to function like teachers and counselors in theirrelationships. They love sharing their insights in order to help their partnersgrow and self-actualize. They enjoy having problems to solve and people tohelp. Consequently, their romantic relationships commonly take on a teacher-pupil(orparent-child)sortofpattern.Infact,anyrelationshipcomprisedofaJ-typeandP-typewouldseemtocarrythispotential.At least for awhile, INTPsmay like the fact thatENFJs can help them learnabout relationships in general and themselves in particular. As long as therelationshipservesasaplatformforlearning,INTPsarelikelytostayinterested,whiletoleratingoroverlookingwhattheymightotherwiseviewaslessfavorablefeaturesoftheENFJ.Notsurprisingly,theselessfavorablefeaturesoftenpertaintotheENFJ’sFe.Although INTPs may love the ENFJ’s Fe when it helps them learn aboutthemselves,theymaystarttofeeldifferentlyiftheyfeeltheENFJnolongerhasanythingneworvaluable tosay. Indeed,once the initialnoveltyhaswornoff,INTPsmaygrowcoldorresentfultowardtheENFJ’shair-triggerFe.Aswe’veseen, INTPs instinctively eschew or resist those they perceive as trying tocontrolormanagethem.Sowhiletheymayenjoy,oratleasttolerate,beingtheENFJ’spupilforawhile,iftheENFJcontinuestryingtoteachorcriticizethemwhentheyarenolongerinterested,theywilleventuallyrebelandthingswillgetugly.

INTPs may also struggle with ENFJs’ loquaciousness and tendency towardemotionality and melodrama. Since ENFJs “feel aloud,” INTPs may findthemselves looking for a quiet placewhere they can be alonewith their ownthoughts.Theymayfeel theycanneverrelaxandfall intoTimodewhentheirENFJpartner isaround.Accordingly, theENFJmaycomplainabout the INTPbeingtoodetached,aloof,oremotionallychecked-out.Lifestyle can be another point of contention between these two types. ENFJsoften have refined tastes with regard to their material surroundings, theirphysicalappearance,aswellastheirpalate.LikeINFJs,theycommonlydisplayatasteforthefinerthingsinlife—finearts,food,music,culture,etc.Theymayat times be perceived as snobbish or uppity (think of the sitcom character,FrasierCrane,forexample),takingthemselvesortheirsophisticatedtastesabittoo seriously. As we’ve seen, INTPs are exactly the opposite in this respect,gravitatingtowardalifestyleofearthinessandminimalism.Inlightoftheabove,itseemsfairlyunlikelythatINTPswouldenjoylong-termcompatibilitywithENFJs,at leastnotwithoutgreatstruggle.Tobesuccessful,both partners would need to be far along in their personal growth anddevelopment,inwhichcaseanENFJmightserveasasuitablemindmateandO&HpartnerfortheINTP.INTP-ENTJPairingsSincebotharedominantThinking types, INTPsandENTJsarebound tohavesome things in common. Both can be ambitious, for instance, although insomewhat differentways.ENTJs’ ambitionwill tend toward practicalmatters,suchasaheadingupacompanyorenterprise.Bycontrast,INTPs’ambitionsareoftenmoreabstractthanpractical,involvingthedevelopmentandrefinementofconceptsratherthantacticsorlogistics.SimilartowhatwesawwithENFJs,ENTJsoftenassumetheroleofteacherorleaderintherelationship.Inmanyways,ENTJscannothelpbuttaketheleadinwhatever circumstance they find themselves. The problem, of course, is thatINTPs are typically less than enthusiastic about being led.They are their ownleaders,instinctivelyrebellingagainstexternalcoercion.Therefore,establishingparityandmutualrespectislikelytobeoneoftheforemostchallengesforthistypepairing.

One potential benefit of pairing with ENTJs is they tend to be financiallysuccessful.ThiscouldbeaboonforINTPsifithadtheeffectofrelievingsomeoftheirfinancialstrains.AndsinceENTJsoftenenjoytheroleofprovider,suchanarrangementcouldfeasiblyworkoutquitenicely.A potential drawback might involve the ENTJ having little interest inintrospectionorself-awareness.If theENTJweretobetooconsumedwiththeextravertedapplicationofTandN,suchasinbusinessandenterprise,theINTPmayfeeltheyhavelittleincommon.On thewhole, ifan INTP-ENTJduocangetbeyond the initialpowerstruggleand avoid falling into teacher-pupil roles (which may be no small task), thispairingwouldseemtohaveamplepotentialforsuccess.INTP-ENFPPairingsINTPsandENFPscanbondintheworldofNe.Bothtypesenjoyabsorbingandconnecting circulating ideas and concepts. Both are open to unconventionalideas, values, and lifestyles, although some ENFPs (like ENTPs)may be lessopenthanexpectedduetothepulloftheirinferiorSi.INTPscanbedrawntotheBohemian,peripateticwaysofENFPs.LikeINTPs,ENFPs are seekers. The primary difference is that ENFPs are more apt tophysicallyfunctionasseekers,wanderers,andtravelersthanINTPsare.ENFPsenjoytravellingandexperiencingdifferentcultures.WhileINTPsmaybeabitlessinclinedoradventurousinthisregard,theymaynonethelessappreciatetheENFP’sopennessandfree-spiritedness.A potential drawback of this pairing is that some ENFPsmay lack sufficientdepth of thought or focus for the INTP’s taste. While INTPs certainly enjoyexploring a breadth of topics, there are also times when they want to talk ingreater depth about a particular issue. If the ENFP seems incapable of goingdeeperorsustainingconcentration,theINTPmaylosefaithinherpotentialasasuitablemindmate.Despite their shared Ne, these types may also struggle with differences ininterestsandworldview.ENFPsareoften interested inarts,culture, languages,andchildren.Whenitcomestopsychology,theyoftentakeaculturalornuture-basedperspective.INTPs,bycontrast,tendtobemoreinterestedinphilosophyand gravitate toward the nature side of psychological issues. So even when

INTPsandENFPsareinterestedinsimilarsubjects(e.g.,psychology),theymayfindthemselvestakingdifferentapproachesorarrivingatdifferentconclusions.Thisisnottosaythatdifferencesordisagreementsarenecessarilyabadthing,but there is something to be said for being on the same page with regard tovalues,beliefs,andworldview.Inshort,INTPsandENFPsoftensharemuchincommon,atleastonthesurface.With further engagement, however, theymay find their values andworldvieware too different to warrant a continuance of the relationship, especially ifinvolving disagreements over having children. Therefore, while some INTP-ENFPpairingsmayworkquitewell,othersmayfizzleoutratherquickly.INTP-ENTPPairingsINTPs are likely to findbetter compatibilitywithENTPs thanENFPs.This isduetothefactthatENTPsuseallthesamefunctionsasINTPs,onlyinaslightlydifferentorder.Despite the E-I difference, these two types tend to think along surprisinglysimilar lines,capableof findingcommongroundonabroadrangeofsubjects.As with ENFPs, however, ENTPs can be prone to hold tightly to certaintraditionsorreligiousworldviewsthatfailtoresonatewiththeINTP.Thisisnotalways a deal breaker, however, since these types typically have enough incommontosurmountideologicaldifferences.These types may also enjoy some measure of compatibility in their lifestylepreferences.WhileENTPsmaybeabitmoreworldlyintermsoftheirmaterialwants, this pairing can typically find common ground in the financial arena.With that said, ENTPs are more socially inclined than INTPs. Many enjoychildrenandwantagood-sized family.Likeotherextraverts, theyenjoybeingbusy and are undeterred by constant activity and commotion. Therefore,disagreements over family life could prove a potential sticking point for thesetypes.In short, the INTP-ENTP pairing has good potential for relational success, asthese types can enjoy great intellectual kinship and camaraderie. Differenceswithrespecttochildrenandfamilymayserveastheprimaryimpedimentstoanotherwisenaturalcompatibility.INTP-INFJPairings

HavingexaminedthistypepairinginsignificantdepthonPersonalityJunkie,wewillcontentourselveswithalessextensiveaccounthere.Despite their general love of people, INFJs may struggle when it comes tofinding a worthy and compatible romantic partner. They feel frustrated whenothers fail to see and appreciate them for their deeperNi selves.While othersmayaffirmandappreciatetheirFewarmthandpersonableness,itisNi,notFe,that servesas thenucleusof the INFJ’s identity.For this reason, INFJsseekapartnerwhovaluesandunderstandsthemonadeepermetaphysicallevel.Early in the relationship, INTPs may be particularly skeptical toward theworkingsandoutpouringsoftheINFJ’sNiandFe.WhileINTPstrusttheirownTi logic,Nicanseemarather foreign,even if intriguing,epistemological tool.WhereasTitendstothinkinbinaryterms(i.e.,“Itiseitherthisoritisthat.”),Niseemsmoreathomewithparadox(i.e.,“Thereisawayitcanbeboththisandthat.”).Ni can also seem a bit overreaching or unempirical for INTPs’ taste. For thisreason, INTPs may find better luck with INFJs who have grown into theirtertiary Ti, allowing INFJs to connect their intuitions with existing concepts,frameworks,ortaxonomies.INTPswho remain patient and open to the possibility ofNi being a powerfultoolforapprehendingtruthcaneventuallyseeandappreciateitsinherentvalue.In the INFJ, INTPs can find a wellspring of psychological perceptiveness,birthing insights they, in lackingNi,may fail to achieve on their own. INTPslove the fact that INFJs can see things that they, despite much introspection,have remained essentially blinded to. INFJs’ insights can serve to expediteINTPs’personaldevelopment,aswellastheirunderstandingofhumannature.Theuniqueway thatNiperceives theworldcan serveasaconsistentpointofattraction for INTPs. This is one reason why INTPs and INFJs can makewonderful companions. The INTP values the INFJ’s originality andperceptiveness, while the INFJ loves the fact that the INTP wants tometaphysically commune with her. It can be an utter delight and great reliefwhenINFJs,notoriouslymisunderstoodandunderappreciated,discoverthatoneof the most logical and intellectual personality types finds their insights bothvaluableandinteresting.

With that said, INFJs may struggle with the INTP’s relative dearth of Feemotional expressiveness. This is especially evident in emotional or romanticsituationswhere INTPs fail todisplaywhat the INFJconsiders theappropriatetypeordegreeoffeelingorexpressiveness.Like other types, INFJs may also struggle with INTPs’ fierce need forindependence. They may also become frustrated with INTPs’ tendency to bedistantordistracted,withtheirinabilitytoremainconsistentlyfocusedorpresentin a discussion. More than anything else, INFJs value long and in-depthconversationswiththeirpartners.SowhenINTPsseemrestlessordisinterested,theINFJwilleventuallybecomefrustrated.INTPsandINFJsalsousedifferentSensingfunctions(INTPsuseSi,INFJsuseSe), which can roughly be associated with lifestyle preferences. As Se types,INFJstendtobemoreliberalintheirexpenditures,especiallywhenitcomestowhat they consider “high quality” goods or experiences. Like their ENFJcounterparts,INFJstendtodeveloprefinedandculturedtastes,orwhattheINTPmight deem “expensive” tastes. INTPs operate at the opposite end of thespectrum,optingformoreSpartanlivingconditionsandlessrefinedtastes(withthe possible exception of good coffee!). INTPs aremore interested in refiningtheir logic and theories than their SF tastes. These differences may serve aspoints of contention for these types, although are typically not deal breakersshouldthecouplealigninotherways.SimilartowhatwesawwithENFJs,INTPsmayalsostrugglewithINFJs’strongand frequent Fe judgments, aswell as their tendency toward emotionality andmelodrama.EmotionallyyoungINTPs,inparticular,maystrugglewithwhatattimes may seem like a steady stream of criticism flowing from the INFJ.Consequently,theINFJmayfail tosatisfyINTPs’desireforFeaffirmation,ortheir“needtobeneeded.”WhatsuchINTPsmayfailtorecognize,however,isthattheINFJ’scritiquesmayactuallyhelpthemmovebeyondtheirunhealthyFehabits.Afterall,aslongasINTPsarerelyingonothersforaffirmation,theycannevertrulybefree.ThisisnottosaythatINFJsareneverofftargetorexcessiveintheircriticisms,northattheyshouldneverpraiseoraffirmtheINTP.Thekeyis to find the right balance, allowing both partners to function healthily andauthentically.On the whole, INFJs are probably one of the best matches for INTPs. Their

interestsareoftenquitesimilarandtheytendtocomplementeachothernicely.Theirsharedintroversionallowsbothtofeelateasewithaquieter,slower-pacedlifestyle.INFJscanalsoserveasexcellentexemplarsoftheO&Hpolicy,sincetheyarenaturallyinclinedtoopenlyexpresswhattheyarefeeling.WhileINTPsmay initially find the INFJ’s Fe pronouncements difficult to handle, they cancometorecognizetheirvalueindevelopingahealthy,O&Hrelationship.INTP-INTJPairingsSinceINTJsdonotextravertFeeling,INTPsarenotenergeticallydrawntotheminthewaytheyaretocertainFtypes.Especiallyonfirstencounter,INTJsmayseemtoocoldandunfriendlyfortheINTP’smoreneighborlyFe.Butaswe’veseen, it is not advisable for INTPs to judge prospective partners by way offeeling.Hence,pairingwithanINTJshouldnotbeprematurelyruledoutbasedoninitialimpressions.As with INFJs, INTPs can find much to value in INTJs’ Ni. They may beimpressedandinspiredbyitsabilitytopenetratedeeplyandperspicaciouslyintovarious topics.And since INTJs are predominantlyPerceivers (Ni), they oftenpick up on things that INTPs miss. Hence, INTJs can make fascinatingconversationpartnersforINTPs.Thesetwotypesmaybeespeciallycompatibleiftheysharesimilarinterests,whichisoftenthecase.Withthatsaid,INTJscanbeterseandbrutallyhonest.AswithotherJ-types,itcantaketimeforINTPstoacclimatetotheirstarkdirectness.Intime,however,INTPs can come to appreciate, even aspire to, such directness of expression.Afterall,ifINTPsareseekingarelationshipfoundedonopennessandhonesty,whynotpairwithaJ-typewhoalreadyexemplifiesthesevirtues?Another potential benefit of pairing with INTJs is they may be relativelyuninterestedinhavingmultiplechildren.ThismakesiteasierforINTPstofocusontheirwork,whilealsofreeingupmoretimefortherelationship.In short, although INTPsand INTJsarenotprone to“loveat first sight,” theycan often enjoy good compatibility through shared interests, stimulatingdialogue,andhonestcommunication.INTP-INFPPairingsINFPsareamongthemorecommonoftheIntuitivetypes.Theycanreadilybe

foundlingeringin(orworkingat)coffeeshopsandbookstoresaroundtheworld.While INFPswith a strongNe can be attractive to INTPs, the sense of initialattractionbetweenthesetwotypesistypicallymodestatbest.INFPsarelessapttoembellishtheirappearance(e.g.,tousemake-uporotheradornments)thanFJor SFP types, which, for better or worse, may influence the INTP’s initialimpressionof them.Their lackofexternalwarmthmayalso fail to impressorinspiretheINTP’sFe.Butagain,it isgenerallyunwiseforINTPstoputmuchstockintheirfirstimpressions.AmoreseriousconcernforthispairingismanyINFPs,especiallyINFPfemales,see having children as one of their primary objectives in life.A deep love ofchildren(especiallytheirown)isoneofthemorecommonfeaturesofFitypes.Consequently, many INFPs are looking for a reliable provider and family-oriented individual, which, as we’ve seen, is typically not one of the INTP’smostauthenticpriorities.With that said, INTPs do have potential for compatibility with some INFPs,particularly thosewhoarehighly intelligentand idea-oriented.These typesarealso likely to enjoy strong compatibility with respect to lifestyle preferences.BothhaveminimalistandBohemiantendencies,contenttolivewithlessratherthanmore.BothtypesalsoenjoyreadingandexchangingideasalaNe.Theremaybesomeclashes,however,whentheINTP’sTistepsontheINFP’sFitoes,causingtheINFPtofeelhurtoroffended.Evenmoreimportantly, thismayhavetheeffectofdissuadingtheINTPfrombeingopenandhonest,whichmayalreadyprovedifficultinarelationshipcomprisedoftwoIPtypes,whoarelesscommunicativebynature.IPpairingswhofailtobeO&Hmayfindthemselvesentrenchedinapassive-aggressivepowerstruggle.SinceINTPsandINFPsarebothinnerJ-types,theycan be stubborn and insist on their own way of doing things. And withouteffectivecommunication,theymayendupdoingtheirownthingwithoutreallydevelopingtherelationship.ThisseemslesslikelywhenINPsarepairedwithJ-typesor,tosomeextent,withE-types.In short, the relative incompatibility of Fi and Ti, as well as foreseeablecommunication issues,makes the INFP-INTPpairingaprecariousone.This isnot tosay that twohighlydevelopedINPscouldnotenjoygoodcompatibility,

but a lot of things would have to fortuitously come together for such arelationshiptothrive.INTP-INTPPairingsAswithINTP-INFPpairings,INTPcouplescanbeplaguedbycommunicationissues.UnlikeINFP-INTPcouples,however,theyaren’tforcedtocontendwithFi-Tidifferences.ThefactthattwoINTPsshareallthesamefunctionscanhelpthemnaturallyreadandunderstandeachother.Thismaybeaplusinthesenseofbeingabletoempathizewithandforgiveeachother.Butitmightalsodetractfromthelevelofinterestandintriguethatcomesfromtypedifferences.On the whole though, I think INTP-INTP pairings have good potential forsuccess.INTPcouplescandefinetheirrelationshiphowevertheywant,withoutconcern for traditionorconvention.Theycanencourageeachother tobe theirmost authentic selves, figuring out, together, what the “good life”might looklikeforINTPs.

PairingwithSensingTypesThereasonI’mlumpingtheSensingtypestogetherisIgenerallyfeelINTPsarebetter off pairing with another Intuitive type. As David Keirsey points out,similarity in the S-N domain seems especially beneficial. Inmy experience, asharedNpreferenceisparticularlyimportantforINTPs.Withthatsaid,itisnotatalluncommonforINTPstopairwithSPtypes.Thisisdue,atleastinpart,tothefactthatSPsareextremelycommon,especiallyintheUnited States. SPs are action-oriented, your proverbial “doers.” This isespeciallytrueofESPs,whoarethemosthands-onandactiveofalltypes.INTPs often find ESPs physically attractive, while also being drawn to theirspontaneous and fun-lovingdemeanor.Unfortunately, because of their inferiorN,ESPsoftenfailtosatisfytheINTP’smindmatecriteria.ISPscanalsobequitephysicallyactiveandattractive,withtheaddedbenefitofbeingsomewhatmorereflectivethanESPs.Unfortunately,INTPsmaystrugglewithsimilarcommunicationissues(orperhapsevenworse)withISPsastheydowithINPs.Moreover,withtheexceptionofcertainhighlyintelligentISPs,mostISPswillproveunsatisfactorymindmates for INTPs.Thismakes itdifficult torecommendSPs,ingeneral,asgoodpotentialmatchesforINTPs.When it comes to STJs, INTPs are unlikely to find much as far as initial orultimate compatibility. SFJs, however, have this magical function called Fe,which can readily tug on the INTP’s unconscious heart strings. The magicalpowers of Fe may be particularly prominent in ESFJs, who use Fe as theirdominant function. Unfortunately, INTPs and ESFJs are likely to encountersome of the same problems as INTP-ENFJ pairings. Among other things, thestrengthandfrequencyoftheESFJ’sextravertedjudgmentsmaybeoff-puttingto the INTP,while the INTP’s lack of Fe expressivenessmay leave theESFJwanting. And like other S types, ESFJs, unless highly intelligent,may fail tosatisfytheINTP’smindmaterequirements.ISFJsmay bemore authentically appealing to INTPs because they tend to bemorereflectivethanESFJs.LikeESFJs,theyalsohaveallthesamefunctionsasINTPs,onlyinadifferentorder.AlthoughtheirNfunctionisinferior,thismaybecompensatedfor,atleasttosomedegree,bytheirintroversion.IhaveknownseveralISFJs,especiallyISFJmales,whoenjoyfairlyabstractdiscussions.And

becausetheyshareall theINTP’sfunctions, theymayenjoydiscussingsimilarsubjects.WhetheragivenISFJwillproveaworthymindmateforINTPsishardtopredict. It is alsodifficult topredicthow the ISFJmighthandle the INTP’sforays into unconventional, dark, or nihilistic territories. If the ISFJ provescapableofmeetingthesecriteria,heorshemayinfactproveaworthypartnerfortheINTP.Wemightthereforeconcludethat,ofalltheSensingtypes,INTPsmighthavethebestchanceoflong-termsuccesswithISFJs,withISTPsservingasalikelyrunner-up.

9. Distinguishing INTPs from RelatedTypesAtfirstblush,determiningone’spersonalitytypemightseemfairlysimpleandstraightforward.But formany folks, especially INP types, this is not the case.Many labor for months, even years, before feeling confident in their typedesignation.The reasons people struggle to identify their type aremanifold. Lack of self-knowledgeisamajorfactor,asisdeficientunderstandingofthetypes.Anotherchallenge is the paradoxical nature of the psyche itself, the fact that eachpersonality type iscomprisedof twopairsofopposingfunctions.Andbecausethe psyche desperately wants to feel whole, the less conscious functionsmayunduly influence questionnaire responses, leading Feelers to test as Thinkers,SensorsasIntuitives,andsoon.Furthercomplicatingmattersistheindividual’slevelofpersonalgrowth.Aswegetolder(sothetheorygoes)wedevelopourweakerfunctionsandthingsbegintobalanceout.Thisiswhytypingatayoungeragemayinsomewaysbemoreaccurate than doing so in adulthood. It’s worth remembering, however, thatgrowthandmaturitydoesnotchangeourbasictype.Whilepersonalgrowthmaymake it trickier todiscernouractualpreferences, theessential structureofourtypeisimmutable.The purpose of this chapter is to highlight and clarify some of the commondifferences between INTPs and related personality types—ENTPs, ISTPs,INFPs,andINTJs.WewillbeginbycomparingandcontrastingINTPswiththeirENTPcounterparts.INTPvs.ENTPENTPs’ functional stack is as follows: Ne-Ti-Fe-Si. From this we learn thatENTPsuse all the same functions as INTPs,only in a slightlydifferentorder.Consequently, they may appear quite similar in both their presentation andideation. Upon closer examination, however, it is possible to identify somenoteworthydifferencesbetweenthesetwotypes.

BecauseNe is dominant forENTPs, they tend to bemore talkative, assertive,anddemonstrativeintheirpresentation.Theyalsotendtohavebroaderintereststhan INTPs. To illustrate the breadth of their interests, consider the life of anENTPfriendofmine.Heownshisownmediacompany,supportsalargefamily,isactivelyinvolvedinrevivinglocalartsandculture,ownsaboatforweekendfun,playsacoupledifferentinstruments,dabblesinpaintingandbeerbrewing,andalsofindstimeforrunningandkayaking.Heisalwaysexperimentingwithsomething new.Those seeking a historical examplemight consider the life ofENTP Benjamin Franklin, whose interests and vocations were even moreextensiveandmorediversethanthoseofmyfriend.While INTPsmayenjoya fewdifferenthobbies, they typicallydon’thave thephysicalenergytosustainthefreneticlifestylecommontoENTPs.INTPstendto invest the lion’sshareof their timeandenergy inoneor two interestareas,whichareoftenmoresolitary innature. INTPsarealsomore likely to identifythemselves primarily as intellectuals, whereas ENTPs may be reluctant tonarrowtheiridentityinsuchaway.Generally speaking, ENTPs display less patience for writing, but tend to bebetteroratorsthanINTPs.Becauseoftheirextraversion,ENTPsarealsomoreathomeinleadershippositions.ENTPsalsohavea“funloving”streakthatcanbeabsentinINTPs.AsdominantPerceivers, they love to laugh and play games. I once administered a valuesinventoryandwasabitsurprisedwhenacoupleENTPsmarked“havingfun”asone of their top priorities. ENTPs aremore genuinely easygoing than INTPs.While INTPs may appear easygoing in the company of strangers, those whoknowthemrealizetheyaremorefocusedandagenda-driven(Ti),aswellaslessspontaneous,thantheymayoutwardlyappear.Philosophically,INTPsandENTPstypicallythinkalongsimilarlines.Inmanycases, their differences can be attributed to their respective inferior functions.For example, ENTPs’ inferior Si may compel them to latch onto certaintraditions or periods of history that they find personally meaningful. I knowseveral ENTPs, for instance, who feel strongly connected to the history andtraditionsoftheirreligiousfaith.Studyingrelatedrituals,archaeology,artifacts,culture, and geography seems deeply meaningful to them, since these thingsostensibly serve to marry their Ne (religious ideas/ concepts) and Si (thephysical/ historical embodiment of those ideas). Granted, some ENTPs (e.g.,

BenjaminFranklin,WaltDisney)mayopttomarryNandSinalternativeways,suchasthroughinvention,innovation,orvariousartisticenterprises.INTPs, by contrast, are more concerned withmarrying Ti and Fe, making Sihistorical traditions and artifacts less important than the pursuit of essentialtruths.INTPsaremorewillingtoshedwhattheyseeasdispensablehistoricalorculturalelementsinordertoextractwhattheyseeastheessentialconceptsandideas.Forexample,INTPsmayseethehistoricalfactsofJesus’slifeasfarlessimportantthantheideasheespoused,whileENTPsmaybeenamoredwiththehistory,culture,anddetailsofhislife.INTPvs.ISTPINTPsalso sharemuch incommonwith ISTPs. In sharing the samedominantand inferior function, these types struggle with many of the same inferiorfunction issues.Where they differ, of course, is in themiddle portion of theirfunctionalstack—theirauxiliaryandtertiaryfunctions.ISTPs use Extraverted Sensing (Se) as their auxiliary function. While Si isconservative with respect to sensations and the material world, Se is morematerially liberal and novelty-oriented (although this may be somewhatattenuatedinISTPsduetotheirdominantTi).Consequently,ISTPsoftenhavebroader tastes and stronger interests in food, sex, and physical activities thanINTPs.Se is also more “hands on” and concrete than Si. This makes ISTPs moreinclined toward physical activity in general, and hands-on work in particular.ISTPsarelessopposedtohardphysicallaboror“gettingtheirhandsdirty”thanINTPs tend to be. They often enjoy hands-on technical work, functioning assurgeons, pilots,mechanics, and the like.They alsomake excellent craftsmen,using their Se to attend to the finest physical details. While INTPs areideationallycreative,ISTPsaremechanicallyandkinestheticallycreative.Seattunestotheconcretedetailsandsensoryinformationoftheenvironmentbyway of the five senses. This compels ISTPs to scan the environment forinteresting sensory novelties, allowing them to notice details that other typesmightmiss.ISTPsmayutilizethisattentiontoexternaldetailinanynumberofways.OneofmyISTPfriends,forinstance,enjoysscavengingnearbyfieldsforarrowheads.Ashesauntersabout,hescanstheenvironmentinhopesoffinding

another lost treasure.After locating an arrowhead, he further enlists his Se toexploreitsshape,texture,andotherfeatures.Se also differs fromNe in that it is not an abstract function. Sowhile INTPsenjoysittingbackanddiscussingideas,ISTPswouldoftenprefertobe“doing”something.Evenwatching sports ormovies can bemore stimulating to ISTPsthan conversation, since it stimulates their Se and allows them to vicariouslyparticipateintheaction.Whenitcomestoworldview,ISTPstendtobemoreconventionalandtraditionalthan INTPs. This is especially true of ISTPs raised in traditional-mindedhouseholdsorcommunities.ISTPs’tendencytowardconventionalitystemsfromthefactthattheirSeislessideationallyopenthanINTPs’Ne.Inshort,INTPsandISTPsareprimarilydistinguishedbythedifferinginterestsand propensities of their respective auxiliary functions. For this reason, ITPswhohavefailedtoadequatelyexerciseanddeveloptheirauxiliaryfunctionmaystruggletodiscerntheirstatusasanINTPversusanISTP.INTPvs.INFPSince this type comparison involves T-F differences, gender may play aconfounding role. Ihave found that INTPand INFPmalesareoften strikinglysimilar inmanyways.Both are ruggedly individualistic anddeeply concernedwithprotectingtheirpersonalautonomyandfreedom.Theyevendisplaysimilarbodytypes,tendingtowardectomorphy(i.e.,longandlean)combinedwithmildmesomorphy (i.e., lightly muscled). They may also dress fairly similarly,prioritizingcomfortandminimalism(althoughINFPsmaybeabitmoregrungeor hipster). Both may buck conventions when it comes to personal care andgrooming,althoughthiscanvarywidelybysocialcontext.INTPs and INFPs may also opt for similar living conditions, typically alongminimalist,Bohemian lines.Both like the ideaof living lightly,granting themthefreedomtopickupandrelocateatthedropofahat.Bothtendtodownplaythe importance of bourgeois comforts, fearing that too much comfort mightbeget boredom and apathy. To cultivate an intense and meaningful life, bothtypes arewilling to forgoSe comforts in favor ofmore time doingwhat theylove.INTPs and INFPs are also prone to adopting a rather romantic viewof nature

andprimitiveliving, inspired,at least inpart,bytheirdistasteforconventionalwork.Ofthetwo,however,INFPsaremorelikelytoactuallytaketothewoods.It’sraretomeetanINFPmalewithnointerestinhikingortheoutdoors.Itisnotatalluncommonforthemtoescapetonatureforweeks,evenmonths,onend.WhileINTPs’Ne-Siduomayinspiresomedegreeofinterestinnatureorhiking,INFPs’Fi-Ne-Sitrioconfersadeeperandmoreauthenticloveoftheoutdoors.PresumablyduetotheirinferiorFe,INTPscanseemabitmorereliantonotherpeople than INFPs, even if merely for background noise. Whether they arewilling to admit it or not, INTPs are afraid of being isolated and cut-off frompeople.Similarly,becauseoftheirinferiorTe,INFPsmayharborfearsofbeingcut-offfromtheTesystem.INFPsandINTPsalsoshareinterestsandpreferencesthatwecanascribetotheNe-Sifunctionpair.Academically,forinstance,bothtypesmighttakeinterestinbiology and environmental studies, stemming from their Ne-Si interest in thenaturalworld.INFPs,however,seemmoreapttoactuallybecomebiologistsorenvironmental scientists, due to their dominant Fi, aswell as their Te love ofscience. Their Fi-Te combo also disposes them to take interest in fiction andsciencefiction,whereasINTPsaremoreinclinedtowardnon-fiction.INTPs and INFPs are also alike in their indecisiveness. Both are constantlymakingnewplans,which is theirwayof trying to imposeorderon their lives.Moreoftenthannot,however,theyendupdivergingfrom,orevenjettisoning,their plans, in favor of a promising alternative. This can be attributed to theirsharedNe,whichproducesanabundanceofnewideas,butisalsonotoriousforquestioning the ideas it just produced.Other typesmay find it humorous howoftenINPsseemtohaveanewgrandplanfortheirlives.AsFdominants,INFPsaremoreauthenticallyinclinedtowardthearts,culture,andmusicthanINTPs.INTPs,bycontrast,aremostengagedwhenresearching,philosophizing, discussing ideas with others, or working on their personalprojects. INFPs also display more F tendencies with respect to caring foranimals,plants,theneedy,orthosewithspecialneeds.AlthoughINTPfemalesmay be more nurturing and interested in children than INTP males, INFPfemales display particularly strong interests in children.Most want their ownchildrenandseechildrearingasoneoftheirprimaryaimsinlife.INFPsarealsomoreapttotakeupcookingorgardeningthanINTPs.

INFPs are less likely than INTPs to struggle with thoughts and fears aboutmeaninglessness. As F dominants, a sense of meaning and value is readilyaccessibletoINFPs.Insteadofmeaning-relatedconcerns,INFPsmayworrythatlifeortheworldwillsomehowproveirrationalornonsensical(Te).Thisiswhysomany INFPs end up studyingmath, science, computers, etc. Through suchpursuits,they,wittinglyornot,strivetomakesenseofandbringgreaterordertotheworld.Similarly,INTPs,wiselyornot,mayturntohumanstudiesasawayofbetterunderstandinghumanityandthehumancondition(Fe).INTPvs.INTJDespite having no functions in common, INTPs and INTJs have notablesimilarities. Both are deeply skeptical, philosophical, and penetrating in theirthinking.Sincebothtypesseekanaccurateunderstandingofthemselvesandtheworld, they can enjoy extended discussions and find common ground on anumber of topics. But they also differ in some important ways. At times,however, these differences can seem subtle and require careful analysis tounderstandtheirorigin.Outwardly distinguishing INTJs from INTPs can often be fairly easy. SinceINTJs extravert Thinking (Te), an outsider quickly encounters their rationalnature. They are measured, articulate, and direct, even blunt, in theirpresentation. They see themselves as strong debaters and are undeterred inchallenging those making dubious assertions about truth. It pains them to letspuriousstatementsgounchallenged.INTPs,bycontrast,extravertIntuition(Ne)andFeeling(Fe).AndassumingtheINTP is not overly awkward or anxious, these functions allow him or her toblendmoreeasily intosocialsituations.Moreover,because theirFe is inferior,INTPs are generally less comfortable directly challenging others’ assertions.Theyaremoreselectiveinassertingtheirviewsandindisplayingtheirrationalside.Theyaredisposedtoposingquestionsorpositingpossibilities(Ne)ratherthanmakingstrongassertions(Fe).BecauseNeismoredivergentandditheringthanNi,INTPsalsotendtoexperienceanddisplaylessconvictionaboutthingsthanINTJsdo.Since their Ni and Te work convergently, INTJs are rightly understood assystematizers.Testrivestoseetheworld’ssystemsandoperationsbecontrolled,orderly,and rational. Itpushes forastandardizedsetofcollectivemethods for

evaluating and implementing what is rational. This is why INTJs are oftenchampionsofscienceandthescientificmethod.TheirTeismorepositivisticandforward-movingthanINTPs’Ti.OncetheirNivisionisclear,INTJsuseTetoformulatedefinitions,classifications,plans,orprocedures.While INTPsmay find a fair amount of philosophical resonance with INTJs,theyareaversetocertainTepropensities.Namely,whenINTJsproposeexternalformalizingand structuring, INTPs tend to resist it. In lieuofmakingexternalsystemsmorerational,TiorientsINTPs’rationalitytowardthemselvesandtheirown ideas. INTPs are largely concerned with ensuring that their own lives,worldview,andpersonalphilosophyarerational.TheiraversiontoTemethodsalso explains why INTPs can be less enthusiastic toward science and itsmethods.INTJs make excellent troubleshooters, consultants, analysts, mathematicians,physicians, and scientists. INTPsdiffer from INTJs in this respect. INTPs canreadilygenerate ideasorpossiblewaysofaddressingaproblem,butseemlesscapableofformingfirmconclusionsaboutwhatishappeningorwhatshouldbedone. If someone wants a firm opinion or direct advice about resolving acomplexissue,theyarefarmorelikelytogetitfromanINTJthananINTP.Despitetheirknackforproblemsolving,INTJsmaystruggletofindtheirnichein theworld because of their strong idealism.Many INTJs don’t justwant tosolveanyproblem,buttoidentifyandaddresstheworld’smostpressingissues.Thisisnotalwaysabadthing.Ifthereisapersonalitytypethatcanseethebigpictureandzero-inonitskeyissues,itisprobablytheINTJ.AnINTJfriendofmine is always talking about “leverage points.” His goal is to identify keyleverage points, issues he feels are the most foundational to the world’sproblems.OnceINTJsdiscernwhattheyseeaskeyinsightsorleveragepoints,theymay,atleastforatime,functionasadvocates,activists,orreformers(thisiswhy some INTJs test asEnneagramOnes).Theymay continue in such a roleuntil they encounter what they see as insurmountable resistance or until theydiscoverabetterwaytoeffectchange.Since their Ti is directed inwardly, INTPs tend to be more interested inunderstanding themselves and their pet interests than directly changing theworld.AsistrueformanyINFPs,theself—its,nature,health,andidentity—isaconstant reference point for INTPs. This may shed light on the origin of thenotionthatINTPsareinterestedin“knowledgeforitsownsake.”SinceINTPs

applytheirknowledgeinwardly(Ti),othersareblindedtotheprocessandmaytherefore consider themmere “idea hedonists.” But the fact is that INTPs doapply their knowledge. They apply it to their quest for self-betterment andoptimal living. Thus, the notion that INTPs are leisurely and aimlesslyconsumingideasformerepleasuremissesthemark.Infact,thiswouldprobablybe truer of INTJs, who, because of their Ni dominance, are predominantlyPerceivers.While INTJs may also display an interest in self-knowledge because of theirintroversionandtheir tertiaryFi, it isoftentoalesserdegreethanistypicalofINTPs.SinceTecomesbeforeFiintheirfunctionalstack,INTJsare,wittinglyornot,generallywillingtosacrificesomedegreeofself-understanding(Fi)forthesakeoftheirrationalpursuits(Te).Withthesethingsinmind,wecanseehowINTJsandINTPsworkindifferentdirections. INTJs focus more directly on external systems (Te) and, in theprocess, come to better understand themselves (Fi). INTPs, by contrast, focusfirstonunderstandingand regulating themselves (Ti) and then seek toexpressthatunderstanding increativeways(Ne).This isnot tosay that INTPsmerelyignore what is happening in the outside world (although they may be lessconcernedwith it than INTJs are).Rather, they analyze itwith an eye towardfurtheringtheirunderstandingofthemselves(Ti)andthehumancondition(Fe).BecauseINTPshaveFeratherthanTeintheirfunctionalstack,theyaredrawntoexploringFe sortsof information.This iswhy they sharemuch incommonwith INFJs (whoalsouseFeandTi)and tend tobemostcaptivatedby thingslikephilosophy,psychology,andreligion.TheTinformationINTPsdomanageto collect (e.g., scientific or historical facts) is often done with hopes offurtheringtheirunderstandingofthemselvesandhumannature.While INTJs excel in careers involving real-world evaluation and problemsolving,INTPswilloftengravitatetowardmoredivergentorexpressivesortsofwork. They enjoy using theirNe tomake broad connections among ideas, anendeavor they find deeply interesting andmeaningful.Again, their goal is notnecessarilytosolvetheworld’sproblems(althoughthismightoccurindirectly),but toclarifyconceptsandconceptual relationships inaway that ispersonallyapplicable or meaningful. This too may contribute to their "idea-hedonist"reputation.BecauseoftheirFi,INTJsalsoseemmorepronetoemphasizetheuniquenessof

individuals (including themselves) than INTPs are. Like other Fi types, someINTJsarequicktodismiss typology,at least inpart,becauseit isperceivedasoffensiveto theirconvictionsabout individualuniqueness.Fimayalsodisposethem to latch onto certain negative childhood experiences. They may spendsignificant time trying toanalyze their childhood inorder todiscernhow theircircumstances impacted who they are as individuals. In such INTJs, one canoftentraceaconnectionbetweentheirFisentimentsandtheirNi-Teobjectives.Inmanycases,thethingsthatmostdisturbtheirFisenseofjusticearethethingstheyhopetounderstandandremedyviaNi-Te.Inotherwords,suchINTJsaremotivatednotonlybyperceivedshortcomingsinexternalsystems(Te),butalsobytheirownnegativeexperiences(Fi).ThedegreetowhichFiplaysaroleinagivenINTJ’sconcernsandinterestsmightlargelyexplainwhetherhescoresasanEnneagram5w6(lowerFiinvolvement)or5w4(higherFiinvolvement).INTPs,bycontrast,generallyfocuslessonnegativefeelingsorpastexperiences.They are less likely to hold grudges or attribute causality to childhoodcircumstances.ThismightbeunderstoodasaTi-Fidifference.

10.ClosingThoughtsLifeasanINTPisnotwithout itschallenges.Itmaytakeyears,evendecades,forINTPstoclarifytheiridentityanddesiredvocation.It isrelativelyrarethatthey find an easy or immediate fit into an existing career field. Part of theproblem is their disdain for authority.They are naturally averse to rules (savethosetheymakeforthemselves)andresistanttotakingordersfromothers.Notonlyare INTPs themost independentpersonality type,butalsooneof themost restless. They are constantly searching and experimenting, whilesimultaneously dodging and resisting external obligations to ensure adequatetimeandspacetothemselves.INTPs are seekers of both truth andmeaning. From a typological standpoint,theyareseekingtheirinferiorF,whichrepresentsasortofholygrailofmeaningand value for Thinking-dominant types. Indeed, INTPs can be terrified at theprospectofmeaninglessness,sincewithoutasenseofFmeaning,alloftheirTendeavors can seem empty and futile. Paradoxically, however, it is largelythrough consistent use and development of their T that INTPs cultivate ameaningfullife.Thisagainiswhytheirworkcanseemsoimportant,providingacontextforemployingtheirTandexperiencingtheFrewardsofdoingso.AlthoughINTPsmayclaimtobeinterestedinfindinghardorabsolutetruth,weshould not always take this claim at face value. After all, if INTPs were tofinally discover whatever it is they are looking for, they would soon becomebored and start searching for new questions to explore. So what INTPs areactually seekingmay be right under their nose—the process of seeking itself.Thisisnottosaytheywillneverdrawsomeconclusionsorfeeltheyaremakingprogress, but only that what is most important is that there always be morequestions awaiting them. They want to explore questions that are interesting,meaningful, and somewhat open-ended. They want enough truth to feelconvinced they are somehow getting at the reality of things, but not somuchwheremattersseemtooeasyorclear-cut.In light of the above, we should also consider whether INTPs’ fear ofmeaninglessness might be a fear of lacking new or interesting questions toexplore. Put differently, INTPsmay be afraid of finding answers to or losinginterest inwhat they see as life’smostmeaningful questions. If, for instance,

theyweretofinallydiscover“howtolive,”wouldtheystillfindlifeinterestingandworthliving?It is here we encounter a difference between Phase II and Phase III ofdevelopment, as well as the difficulty and resistance associated with thetransition. In Phase II, INTPs are literally addicted to asking questions andseekinganswers.Thismaybefueled,atleastinpart,bytheirdesiretoadvancein their careers and secure anticipated ego rewards. Hence, from the vantagepointofPhaseII,PhaseIIImayseemrathermundane,sinceitentailsareductionof the intensity and adrenaline associated with ego-related pursuits. Phase IIINTPs may find it difficult to see how happiness is possible without thecontinuedpursuitofintensehighs.INTPswhodomanage tomake the transition toPhase IIIexperienceadeepersense of peace, wholeness, and satisfaction. With diminished tension anddisparitybetweentheirTiandFe,theyfinditeasiertoenjoyabroaderswathoflife, including their relationships,with lessurgencyandanxiety.With theego-centeredrollercoasterofPhaseIIbehindthem,theydevotelesstimeandenergytofeverishstrivingandmoretosavoringandbeingpresentineachnewmoment.

AdditionalResourcesFormoreinformationonINTPs’(andothertypes')personality,careers,relationships,etc.,IencourageyoutovisitPersonalityJunkie,includingitsrecommendingreadingpage,whichcontainsannotationsformanyoftheworkscitedinthisbook.Besttoyou!A.J.Drenth

TableofContents

Introduction1.ProfileandFunctions2.GrowthandDevelopment3.NegativePotentialsandDisorders4.QuestingforTruthandMeaning5.Political,Religious,andPhilosophicalPropensities6.Careers,Majors,andInterests7.Relationships8.CompatibilitywithOtherTypes9.DistinguishingINTPsfromRelatedTypes10.ClosingThoughtsAdditionalResources