Intellectual need is a specific form of intrinsic motivation; it has been defined as "a learner’s subjective need to address a problem by learning something new.
Mathematics professor Guershon Harel argues for a difference between motivation and intellectual need, stating that intellectual need does not have to do with one's interest or desire but rather epistemology and one's engagement in problems leading to learning.
"[5] A common critique of certain educational systems is that students are expected to learn facts and ideas in the absence of any intellectual need.
[citation needed] As a result, the teachers and educational system must provide extrinsic motivation for the students in the form of tests, grades, or other incentives.
This gives rise to a whole series of problems, ranging from boredom to academic dishonesty.