How "smart" are the Jaffa?

[The Flyattractor]

Was just watcing some old SG1 and idally started to wonder . How much of the technology that the Gou'ald used did the Jaffa actually understand?
I mean since part of the Gou'alds trick of getting people to think of them as Gods was to keep them stuck in a primitive level. How much of that was the case with the Jaffa?
I know they could operate the ships and equpiment but did they really understand it enough to be able to do repairs and other things with it or did the Gou'ald really have to take care of that themselves?

[SaberBlade]

They aren't very smart. Teal'c was a First Prime and couldn't explain anything despite knowing how to use weapons, fly guilders, even the Cargo Ships and Alkesh.

We have seen that the System Lords did keep around engineers to do work. Anubis had one who worked on Naquadriah and later another who worked with the Kull Warriors, Kronos had a female Goa'uld while Baal had Neirus.

It's possible that every ship under the control of the Free Jaffa and the Lucian Alliance are limited but there is no real way to tell how idiot proof the Goa'uld shipyards were so they could be easy to replace with the right materials.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Actually, not knowing how the technology one uses works doesn't mean someone isn't smart. How many of us drive cars without being able to explain internal combustion engines? How many of us use computers without being able to explain those, either?

[SaberBlade]

Actually, not knowing how the technology one uses works doesn't mean someone isn't smart. How many of us drive cars without being able to explain internal combustion engines? How many of us use computers without being able to explain those, either?

That's the point he's trying to make. It's not a case of smart or stupid, but understanding. There is a big difference in being able to know how to use a car or use a computer but it's not the same as being able to build them, or the case of the Jaffa build intergalactic spaceships.

[SF_and_Coffee]

That's the point he's trying to make. It's not a case of smart or stupid, but understanding. There is a big difference in being able to know how to use a car or use a computer but it's not the same as being able to build them, or the case of the Jaffa build intergalactic spaceships.

Okay, agreed, but I was responding to what you said here:

They aren't very smart. Teal'c was a First Prime and couldn't explain anything despite knowing how to use weapons, fly guilders, even the Cargo Ships and Alkesh.

That made it sound like you didn't think they were smart... hence my comment.

[thekillman]

they're smart. just not educated

[escyos]

I'm sure they picked up enough to get by plus they don't really have to build any technology as they use all he old Goa'uld stuff.

[blueray]

i think like people it depends on the jaffa. and as said above most aren't educated on how the stuff is built, but that doesn't mean they aren't smart enough to learn. but they do know how to fly ships and use the weapons which shows intelligence.

[SaberBlade]

That made it sound like you didn't think they were smart... hence my comment.

I didn't mean they aren't smart, but they weren't "smart" in the context the word is being used for this discussion. They aren't taught to read (unless done in secret) so makes blueprints a bit tricky, and they aren't taught how to do anything beyond using the technology so they aren't "smart" as they don't have an understanding of what they use.

[thekillman]

smart is a measure of intellect.

it's wrong to talk about since all humans are of equal intellectual potential, and jaffa are offshoots. however some utilize it better. you have brainers and do-ers.

the Jaffa definitely have the capacity to -in the future- understand goauld tech, but since most can't even read, i can say that their development is hundreds of years behind us

[fems]

We have seen that the System Lords did keep around engineers to do work. Anubis had one who worked on Naquadriah and later another who worked with the Kull Warriors, Kronos had a female Goa'uld while Baal had Neirus.

But those aren't Jaffa, they were lesser/minor Goa'uld.

~

I think the Jaffa would be able to do small repairs, like military pilots know their way around a plane. But, we also have to take in account that they the Goa'uld/Jaffa mostly fight other Goa'uld/Jaffa, or attack less advanced societies. Even the Tok'ra solely relied on infiltration for intel gathering and possibly sabotage a Goa'uld's plan. The Tau'ri on the other hand seem to be the first ones to take the fight to the Goa'uld, by sabotaging their technology or blowing stuff up. Most of the Goa'uld technology is based on crystals and those are apparently very reliable and would probably only need to be replaced every couple of decades unless they are overloaded (ships being attacked and shields failing, might overload some crystals), damaged/sabotaged or removed. Other than that they will only take damage when fired upon by another ship and at those times the motherships are usually blown up or they win and go back to base for repairs, I assume. So, what I'm trying to say is that their basic understanding of ships was more than enough before the Tau'ri joined the war and changed the rules.

We know the Jaffa have a basic understanding about how the ships function, since Bra'tac for example knew how and where to disable the shield generators and that those had to be disabled before he could direct Apophis' en Klorel's ships to collide. Later on we have the Free Jaffa and Lucian Alliance that have ships at their disposal so presumably they could fix damages and perhaps (with time) get a good enough understanding to make new ones. After all, I doubt the Goa'uld's ships were handmade. They probably had their slaves, either Jaffa, normal humans or a different race to work on certain parts to eventually create a new fleet - we know Apophis and Anubis both made new ha'tak vessels.

Considering Teal'c can help Daniel with translations and assuming that Goa'uld technology has instructions in Goa'uld, we know they can read and probably write. We don't know if they can also read and write English, but considering how Teal'c adapts on Earth they probably have some understanding of the language or they are intelligent enough to comprehend a new language rather quickly.

[SaberBlade]

But those aren't Jaffa, they were lesser/minor Goa'uld.

~

He asked if the Goa'uld had to take care of it themselves, so that was my answer. They do take care of it themselves and we've seen it first hand.

As for building new ships, it looked like an automatic process to me when the Goa'uld decided to take over Cimmeria (i think, Thor's Hammer planet). The problem with keeping the Jaffa uneducated (for lack of a better word) is that in order to have them use such advanced technology it needs to be dumbed down (again, for lack of a better word). Something goes wrong, it's not a matter of doing major repairs but just matching colours by replacing crystals. We've seen how the Jaffa would rather break down a door than override the security (which Carter has done) so it's possible the Jaffa have enough understanding to get by without being able to be a threat to the Goa'uld.

It's also a good way to explain why Earth was able to build ships and such so easily, as the Goa'uld technology they ripped off over the years is designed to be easy.

[CMWriter]

I'm still very early in the series, but it's been my general impression that Jaffa are, naturally, about as smart as Tau'ri and most other humanoids. They seem to be quick learners, if anything, and very quick to pick up on things like battle tactics, weaponry, etc. Very "quick on their feet" in thinking.

The issue, however, is that they are (at this time in my viewing xD) a slave race and thus undermined by their superiors. It's all about mentality. I think the potential is certainly there.

[morrismike]

But those aren't Jaffa, they were lesser/minor Goa'uld.

~

I think the Jaffa would be able to do small repairs, like military pilots know their way around a plane. But, we also have to take in account that they the Goa'uld/Jaffa mostly fight other Goa'uld/Jaffa, or attack less advanced societies. Even the Tok'ra solely relied on infiltration for intel gathering and possibly sabotage a Goa'uld's plan. The Tau'ri on the other hand seem to be the first ones to take the fight to the Goa'uld, by sabotaging their technology or blowing stuff up. Most of the Goa'uld technology is based on crystals and those are apparently very reliable and would probably only need to be replaced every couple of decades unless they are overloaded (ships being attacked and shields failing, might overload some crystals), damaged/sabotaged or removed. Other than that they will only take damage when fired upon by another ship and at those times the motherships are usually blown up or they win and go back to base for repairs, I assume. So, what I'm trying to say is that their basic understanding of ships was more than enough before the Tau'ri joined the war and changed the rules.

We know the Jaffa have a basic understanding about how the ships function, since Bra'tac for example knew how and where to disable the shield generators and that those had to be disabled before he could direct Apophis' en Klorel's ships to collide. Later on we have the Free Jaffa and Lucian Alliance that have ships at their disposal so presumably they could fix damages and perhaps (with time) get a good enough understanding to make new ones. After all, I doubt the Goa'uld's ships were handmade. They probably had their slaves, either Jaffa, normal humans or a different race to work on certain parts to eventually create a new fleet - we know Apophis and Anubis both made new ha'tak vessels.

Considering Teal'c can help Daniel with translations and assuming that Goa'uld technology has instructions in Goa'uld, we know they can read and probably write. We don't know if they can also read and write English, but considering how Teal'c adapts on Earth they probably have some understanding of the language or they are intelligent enough to comprehend a new language rather quickly.

Pilots aren't allowed to touch anything mechanical, computer, electrical or hydraulic on their planes.

[The Flyattractor]

Pilots aren't allowed to touch anything mechanical, computer, electrical or hydraulic on their planes.

Maybe the Jaffa were kept segregated in castes or sects that were only allowed to be edgucated in certain things and given some malarkey about it being holy knowledge.