Introverted Thinking or Ti, is one of the eight cognitive functions in Jung's theory.
It is a Judging function, meaning that it makes judgements about the data that is taken in by the Perceiving functions.
Since it is a feeling function, it focuses on logical reasoning.
Being an introverted function, it looks inwards and refines.
As with all introverted functions, it's more subjective than objective.
Ti in a nutshell: What makes sense?
I like to call Ti "subjective objectivity" and what I mean by that is that it's reasoning that belongs to the Ti user, but focuses on logic, which is objective by its very nature. It is an attempt to uncover an essence of pure truth by process of constant narrowing down. Ti is very linked with deductive reasoning i.e."My shoes are muddy, I must have walked in mud." However, this logic isn't absolute truth. Despite it being highly unlikely, it is possible that my flatmate stole my shoes and walked around in mud before putting them exactly where I left them so as not to arouse suspicion. Truly a dastardly deed...
Ti constructs a personal framework of all the subjective logical conclusions we arrive at through our personal experiences and so shapes our logical worldview. It then seeks to refine this framework until it is as systematic, neat and simple as possible. To reduce the truth to logical principles tailored to the individual, which they can then apply consistently across multiple scenarios. It's the very definition of "work smarter, not harder."
One of the most important things to Ti is logical consistency. If significant new information arises that leads to prior logic being suddenly inconsistent with this new addition, the entire framework must be re-arranged until it all lines up again. This is a core factor to consider when determining where might Ti fall in one's function stack.
The Counter-Balance Points of Ti
Symbiotic Extraverted Thinking - Both Judging functions, both oriented around logic and objectivity, but since Te is extraverted, it is expansive and accumulative. They align in what they focus on but have very different approaches. Te stops Ti from making too many subjective errors in the quest for truth.
Distorted | Balanced |
Within self, this results in 'falling in love with one’s own logic' in a sense; a tendency to view their own conclusions as fact without verifying or considering verification necessary. | Healthy Ti will work with Te to pair strong personal logic and an appetite for knowledge and truth, backed up by fact-checking and understanding the value in not limiting one’s perspective in knowledge. |
Towards others it will stubbornly impose personal logic onto others with a tendency to think they know better than even those with expertise on a subject. It will also judge Te as unable to think for itself. | Healthy Ti will recognise and appreciate Te's rigor in arriving at objective truth, as well as showing more respect for expertise. |
Action Points
Practise the zenith of Ti: awareness of what you don't know.
Train the 'Te muscle' by constantly checking your own logic against statistics, evidence etc. as well as deconstructing one's own logical train of thought.
Explore and become familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of Te, either theoretical, or practical via direct interaction if possible.
Learn from the Te philosophies.
Challenging Extraverted Feeling - Both Judging functions, but Ti has a logical focus while Fe has an emotional focus. In addition, Fe is extraverted and therefore expansive and accumulative. Opposing motivations but with different areas of focus that can align.
Distorted | Balanced |
With self, this results in a severe lack of understanding and ability to manoeuvre in social situations and pick up on social etiquette. May struggle to understand emotional data because emotions are inherently chaotic and present as not making logical sense. | Healthy Ti will work with Fe to be able to interpret external emotional data in order to make of sense of it, thus allowing for more ease in social settings. Even in the apparent unpredictability of emotion, there is reason. |
Towards others, it is a frustration and unwillingness to place themselves in social settings, or lack of concern for their behaviour in a social context. | Healthy Ti will recognise and appreciate Fe's capability in understanding and navigating the social world, since the long and short of it is: we are social creatures. It is unavoidable. |
Action Points
Train the 'Fe Muscle' by making oneself more aware of the values and norms of whatever social culture one is part of, then applying that in real social settings i.e. in Ireland it's common to strike up a friendship through insulting one another, but doing so in England might start a fight. Like it or not, we're part of a social narrative, if you want to navigate it, you need to know through information how first, and information is strong suit of Ti.
Understanding that social/emotional matters will never be their ideal situation, and this does not need to be “fixed” just because wider society views it as “weird”.
Explore and become familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of Fe, either theoretical, or practical via direct interaction if possible.
Learn from the Fe philosophies.
Dichotomous Introverted Feeling - The most difficult dynamic, because they are fighting for the same space, so to speak. Both are introverted and so are trying to refine from a subjective, inward place. Ti judges through logical reasoning, while Fi judges through emotional reasoning.
Distorted | Balanced |
Within self, this results in severely favouring logic over emotion, viewing emotion as something without value and inferior to logic. Often resulting in suppression/repression of feelings until they come out explosively. | Healthy Ti will work with Fi to combine both logical and emotional reasoning to come to a more whole conclusion. |
Towards others, this results as intolerance or even contempt for people who are too involved with their emotions and approach matters from an emotional place. | Healthy Ti will recognise and appreciate Fi's capability in navigating the internal emotional landscape, which we all possess, no matter how logically inconvenient that truth is. It must internalise the maxim: All emotions are valid, because even emotions do not exist without reason. |
Action Points
Train the 'Fi muscle' by navigating the internal emotional landscape through journalling or simply acknowledging to oneself the existence of one's own emotions; challenging the impluse to repress/supress.
Encouragement to find hobbies that can allow for emotional venting, since talking about emotions is not preferable.
Explore and become familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of Fi, either theoretical, or practical via direct interaction if possible.
Learn from the Fi philosophies.
The 8 Attitudes of Ti
Hero - INTP | ISTP - Champions of analysis, systematization, invention, philosophy, radical breakthroughs in thought, deduction and more, Ti Hero is forever searching for the answers to all of life's greatest questions. Risk of becoming tyrannical, enslaving all other functions and demanding that everything be assessed through prioritised logical reasoning. Ti Hero requires no conscious input, it is first nature.
Parent - ENTP | ESTP - The Parent function keeps the Hero responsible. Fi Parent will support Ne or Se Hero by providing direction on whether it aligns with what makes logical sense to the individual. It won't be as concerned with the 'quest' for truth as Ti Hero. Risk of becoming authoritarian and helicopter-y, demanding and expecting others to be as responsible in their aspect, i.e. "You should think for yourself more, and come to logically reasonable conclusions."
Child - INFJ | ISFJ - The Child function wants to play, it's where we like to defer to when we're at ease. Ti Child wants to dive into rabbit holes of thought and find truth, it wants to be objective and systematic. It's just childish in the way it does so and is also strongly affected by the influence of the Hero and Parent. Developed Ti child can excel in these areas, but is unlikely to have the same natural internal alignment of Hero/Parent types. Risk of becoming bratty, using the aspects of Ti in immature ways and getting easily upset in matters that concern Ti. IXFJs have a tendency towards stubbornly holding on to their subjective logical conclusions and giving them way too much credence. We tend to feel deep shame when we fail in this function and this may lead to further defensiveness.
Inferior/Aspirational - ENFJ | ESFJ - Ti is the annoying little voice telling Fe to consider internal logic over external emotional data. If left unchecked, can sink into the unconscious and become deep-rooted insecurity. Ti inferior types can align themselves with external emotional data even more in an attempt to rebel against this nagging voice of critical thought. They also can become deeply insecure in this area, and are often secretly very worried that they are intellectually inferior, with no thoughts of their own. Can also become a source of jealousy when others display ease in this aspect.
Nemesis ENTJ | ESTJ - Ti tries to pull Te away from becoming too reliant on just accumulated data such as statistics and collectively agreed-upon facts as well as push Te to engage in subjective critical thought. This can become a source of irritation and stress, internally and externally and can also become a source of jealousy when others display prowess in the gifts of Ti.
Critic INTJ | ISTJ - Ti Critic acts as the superintendant to Te, making sure its being responsible in its role. The Critic is sort of like an overzealous advocate for its corresponding function so it treats its own associated function as trouble. So in this case it's saying: "Te has an important job, it's important to discern the truth through amassing data, but that pesky Ti keeps getting in the way, I must prevent this as much as possible by making sure Te is behaving properly and by pointing out Ti's flaws." This applies within self and towards others.
Trickster ENFP | ESFP - The Child wants to play, and whatever function is in the Trickster position interferes with that play by its nature of opposition. Therefore, the Child wants nothing to do with it. The Child will roll its eyes, stick out its tongue, ridicule the Trickster function, devalue it. So Ti Trickster will treat everything this function values as a rebellious child would. Search for truth? That's a lot of effort, I'll just defer to what the majority thinks is truth. Check my logical framework for inconsistencies? Who has time for that?! It's good enough!
Demon INFP | ISFP - The Demon function is the most suppressed aspect of the 8. It's deep in the unconscious and is the least comfortable aspect of life for us to interact with. Having to interact with it makes us unhappy and stressed, especially for long periods of time. However, the Demon is also akin to an over-protective guard dog and becomes our ally in times when we are being unfairly treated. It is actually the function that cares most about our well-being, a little too much even. It's extremely pessimistic and ultimately not very helpful usually unless directly addressed, but it is protective of our own psyche to a fault. One really important thing about that: it's not weak. Not at all. It's almost as strong as the Hero in whatever function it presents as, but we don't like that function, and so we suppress it, but when it does come out, it can wield its gifts like a weapon you might never expect. Ti Demon can systematically deconstruct the situation or environment that is causing stress so destructively that it cannot be put back together, or less severely, point out all the logical inconsistencies in their aggressor's points.
Ti Demon can get very easily frustrated with having to deal with logic. IXFPs can also become deeply unsettled when Fi and Ti end up in a clash. The last thing to note about the Demon is its important relationship to the Hero. When the Demon takes over, it will use the Hero's own gifts to reinforce its negative outlook. Ti Demon will pull Fi Hero down and reinforce it's negative experience with flawed individual logic. "Look at all these logical reasons why we are justified in being so outraged!"
Common traits in high Ti types (INTP | ISTP | ENTP | ESTP)
Analytic
Autonomous
Inventive
Systematic, with a proclivity to systematic things such as the intricasies of video games, coding/programming or woodwork/metalwork, mechanical engineering etc.
They love to systematically explain things to others, there's a decent chance that "mansplaining" is actually just high Ti types (who are predominantly male) trying to capitalise on an opportunity to do something that brings them fulfillment, not a condescending assumption based on sex or gender.
Strong numerical reasoning
Intelligent (there's an undeniable correlation between high Ti and traditional metrics of intelligence)
Difficulty navigating emotions
Correlations with Openness to Experience (curiosity) in the Big 5
Notable Ti Philosophies/Worldviews
Scepticism | INTP
Epicureanism | ISTP
Surrealism | ENTP
Nihilism | INTP
Satanism | ENTP
Anarchism | ENTP
Pre-Socratic Philosophy | INTP
Libertarianism | INTP
Agnosticism | ENTP
Apolitcism | INTP
Sophism | ENTP
Redpill/Blackpill | INTP
Anarcho-Capitalism | ENTP
Cynicism | ISTP
Anarcho-Primativism | ISTP
Notable Figures with High Ti (Real)
John Locke | INTP
Epicurus | ISTP
Socrates | ENTP
Theodore Roosevelt | ESTP
Albert Einstein | INTP
Leonardo DaVinci | ENTP
Diogenes (the Cynic) | ISTP
Aubrey Plaza | INTP
Bo Burnham | INTP
Joshua Homme | ISTP
Musashi Miyamoto | ISTP
Alexander the Great | ESTP
Barack Obama | ENTP
Quentin Tarantino | ENTP
Bill Gates | INTP
Immanuel Kant | INTP
Ricky Gervais | ENTP
René Descartes | INTP
Thomas Edison | ENTP
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson | ESTP
Voltaire | ENTP
Alan Turing | INTP
Galileo Galilei | INTP
St. Thomas Aquinas | INTP
Niccolò Machiavelli | ENTP
Blaise Pascal | INTP
Alfred Hitchcock | ESTP
Eminem | ISTP
Bruce Lee | ISTP
Avicenna | INTP
Samuel L. Jackson | ESTP
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle | ESTP
Friedrich Engels | INTP
Slavoj Žižek | ENTP
Max Weber | INTP
Benjamin Franklin | ENTP
Émile Durkheim | INTP
Vladimir Putin | ISTP
George R. R. Martin | INTP
June Lapine (Shoe0nHead) | ENTP
Lindsay Nikole | ISTP
Joe Rogan | ESTP
Ernest Hemingway | ESTP
Notable Figures with High Fi (Fictional)
L Lawliet | Death Note | INTP
Toph Beifong | Avatar: The Last Airbender | ISTP
The 11th Doctor | Doctor Who | ENTP
Dante | Devil May Cry | ESTP
Bruce Banner | MCU | INTP
Joseph Joestar | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure | ESTP
April Ludgate | Parks and Recreation | INTP
Tony Stark | MCU | ENTP
Tsunade Senju | Naruto | ESTP
Sherlock Holmes | Sherlock Holmes | ISTP (INTP in 'Sherlock')
Levi Ackerman | Attack on Titan | ISTP
Thor Odinson | MCU | ESTP
Shikamaru Nara | Naruto | INTP
Abed Nadir | Community | INTP
Bojack Horseman | Bojack Horseman | ENTP
Kakashi Hatake | Naruto | INTP
Jotaro Kujo | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure | ISTP
Shrek | Shrek | ISTP
John Wick | John Wick | ISTP
Guts | Berserk | ISTP
Han Solo | Star Wars | ESTP
Rick Sanchez | Rick and Morty | ENTP
Ron Swanson | Parks and Recreation | ISTP
Rocket Raccoon | MCU | ESTP
Sirius Black | Harry Potter | ESTP
Wendy Corduroy | Gravity Falls | ESTP
Puss in Boots | Shrek | ESTP
Jolyne Cujoh | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure | ESTP
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