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Is there a "genius" trait in us all?

Started by Jesus, July 11, 2013, 01:53:19 AM

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Jesus

I was sitting down, pondering the many wonders of life when it suddenly hit me like a hammer blow to the skull. It's never really occurred to me for I almost never have the time to indulge in such philosophical questions, but is there a genius in all of us? I mean, if we dig into the records of history we can find brilliant mathematicians, scientists, physicists. Einstein, Newton, Archimedes, Hannibal, etc. The list goes on and on, but ... what about us? The other people, the normal people.

So, I sat there wondering for who knows how long; I could have grown a beard and the trees could have grown fifty feet tall for all I cared. These geniuses are famous because of their achievements in renowned areas (such as science and architecture). Yet, the question I wanted to pose is: are we all geniuses? Not in a symbolic sense, but in a literal sense. For all we know, stromboli could be a genius at catching butterflies, or leo could have been a revolutionary in the arts of woodwork. We would never know because there are a plethora of different things a person could explore in this planet. There's painting, sculpting, sketching, animating, directing, gardening, broadcasting, researching, planning, cleaning, drinking, and more. We'll never discover such "genius" qualities because there are innumerable paths to choose from.

In other words, let's just say Einstein was pretty lucky he got in touch with the scientific field because that was where he excelled at the most.



What do you guys think? Is it an interesting point, or am I just a raving lunatic?
I like to appear in various forms, but my favorite is as a toast.

the_antithesis

Everyone is a unique and beautiful snowflake.

Which is why I'm always stuck shoveling their unique and beautiful shit.

Plu

I would say that no, for any useful definition of the word genius, not everyone is a genius.

the_antithesis


Jesus

Quote from: "the_antithesis"Writer posted a YouTube video



She makes a valid point, but each hero still have a power that is unique to him or her. Same thing when it comes to genius, no? You could have been a genius at (idk, landscaping), but would never know because it's incredibly unlikely you would ever go that route.
I like to appear in various forms, but my favorite is as a toast.

Plu

The first element of genius is passion. So you'd probably know the things you could become genius at. The second element is lots of and lots of hard work. So just do what you love for many hours a week and you should see in a few years (or decades) whether you'll become a genius at it or not. But probably not.

Not to mention that all the people who don't have an active passion won't be able to be geniuses in anything for the simple reason that they're not doing anything because they don't enjoy anything constructive.

Titania

Sorry, but no. We like to believe that everyone has the potential for genius, because we like the idea that everyone's born with equal prospects in life, but the sad fact is that your genes largely determine "how good your brain works". Your womb environment makes up another chunk of it, and your upbringing counts for almost jack shit. Some people are born with intelligence genes passed onto them, some aren't, and some get born developmentally disabled regardless of intellect genes, like people with Down Syndrome. There has never been a physicist, or even a doctor or lawyer, with Down Syndrome. I know of one famous Down's person who's an accomplished swimmer, got an AS from a community college and is fairly intelligible when she speaks publicly, but let's be real, she's no Einstein. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Gaffney

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heritability_of_IQ

Now, if you mean "genius" in the figurative sense of "someone who accomplishes something extraordinary", that's a whole different question, but also doesn't mean much.
"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." - Winston Smith, 1984

Shiranu

QuoteNow, if you mean "genius" in the figurative sense of "someone who accomplishes something extraordinary", that's a whole different question, but also doesn't mean much.

This. There is a difference between being good, even the best, at something and being a genius. Michael Phelps isn't considered a genius just because he is an amazing swimmer, nor Amrstrong for his biking abilities, or Christian Bale for his amazing acting.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Titania

Quote from: "Shiranu"There is a difference between being good, even the best, at something and being a genius. Michael Phelps isn't considered a genius just because he is an amazing swimmer, nor Amrstrong for his biking abilities, or Christian Bale for his amazing acting.
Exactly so. We, as a society sharing a language and having to agree on the definitions of words, agreed on the definition of "genius" as "intellectual exceptionality" , not "pottery skill" or "excelling at making people stop being sad" or any other version of "being good at this random thing."
"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." - Winston Smith, 1984

SGOS

Quote from: "Shiranu"
QuoteNow, if you mean "genius" in the figurative sense of "someone who accomplishes something extraordinary", that's a whole different question, but also doesn't mean much.

This. There is a difference between being good, even the best, at something and being a genius. Michael Phelps isn't considered a genius just because he is an amazing swimmer, nor Amrstrong for his biking abilities, or Christian Bale for his amazing acting.
I agree with both statements.  Technically, a genius is a person with an IQ of 180, as I recall.  That's pretty much where it ends.  The issue of accuracy of IQ tests aside, we are just talking about a person who scores somewhere in the 99th percentile on an IQ test.  To extend the definition of genius to celebrity scientists and great statesmen is commonly done, but it's playing with semantics, and not technically correct.  And to extend the definition of genius to anyone with a special skill, is even farther from the mark.

As far as Einstein and Newton, I would guess they would have blown the top off of an IQ test, but I don't actually know that.  They were brilliant for sure.  Genius?  Maybe.  Genius or not, you never would have heard of either of them if they weren't willing to get off their lazy asses and put their minds to work.  But their willingness to apply themselves has nothing to do with genius.

The old saying, "Genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration," is clever and all, and it gets a point across, but it takes liberties with definitions and is technically incorrect.

SGOS

I know a guy who claims to have an IQ of 170, although  I would estimate it's closer to 90, and I've known him for a very long time.  Granted, he's lazy, butt ass lazy as they come, but he lacks the ability to reason, and can't seem to understand that his foggy brained decisions are the cause of most of his problems.

On the other hand, I know a guy who has never once talked to me about his IQ, but I do know that he was placed in all the honors classes and gifted programs.  Just talking to him, I'd guess his IQ is up above 150.  Now he's a lazy ass too, but he knows this.  He has very little need for material gain, and chooses not to use his abilities for some greater purpose.  But he does understand what's going on around him.

Not sure why I posted that.

Titania

Quote from: "SGOS"Technically, a genius is a person with an IQ of 180, as I recall.
I recall differently; a genius-level IQ is variously seen as an IQ over 145, 150 or 160, but never above that. Also, many definitions of "genius" require that cutoff IQ plus some exceptional achievement. Example: Einstein was estimated by some sources to have a ~155 IQ, but his achievements make him universally regarded a genius, whereas people with IQs in the 160s and 170s who are also lazy and useless, like some friends of mine, would be regarded as intellectually gifted but not genius.
"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." - Winston Smith, 1984

surly74

Quote from: "SGOS"I know a guy who claims to have an IQ of 170, although  I would estimate it's closer to 90, and I've known him for a very long time.  Granted, he's lazy, butt ass lazy as they come, but he lacks the ability to reason, and can't seem to understand that his foggy brained decisions are the cause of most of his problems.

On the other hand, I know a guy who has never once talked to me about his IQ, but I do know that he was placed in all the honors classes and gifted programs.  Just talking to him, I'd guess his IQ is up above 150.  Now he's a lazy ass too, but he knows this.  He has very little need for material gain, and chooses not to use his abilities for some greater purpose.  But he does understand what's going on around him.

Not sure why I posted that.

not sure either but it illustrates something. The second guy (in the honours classes) has the ability and really nothing to prove. he's smart but it doesn't matter to him. He went through the programs and had the marks to prove it but that's the same with anything. I've known people that have been truly good at sports, those that are don't brag about it, it just is, no big deal. These are people that made money from doing it. There was never a "look at me, I've played professional hockey and I'm going to tell you all about it."

The people that make a show of it, they are the ones that feel they have to convince everyone that they are smart, superior at something but they forget that if they really were there would be evidence for it. I'm always wary of someone that has to give me their "resume" on anything or justify their intelligence because if they were that smart then there would be something to show it.
God bless those Pagans
--
Homer Simpson

Plu

QuoteI'm always wary of someone that has to give me their "resume" on anything or justify their intelligence because if they were that smart then there would be something to show it.

Isn't their resume basically the "something to show for it", though? :P
I mean; a resume is a list of their accomplishments, is it not?

surly74

Quote from: "Plu"
QuoteI'm always wary of someone that has to give me their "resume" on anything or justify their intelligence because if they were that smart then there would be something to show it.

Isn't their resume basically the "something to show for it", though? :P
I mean; a resume is a list of their accomplishments, is it not?

it is, it's also a sign of insecurity if used anywhere else other than a job interview.
God bless those Pagans
--
Homer Simpson