Psychologists still grind away (sometimes at each other) at explaining what genius is, and where it comes from. The effort, now weary and tendentious, was exciting in its earlier days. In 1920, Lewis Terman and Jessie Chase of Stanford University published a report called The Psychology, Biology and Pedagogy of Genius, summarising all the important new literature on the subject.
Those early 20th-century psychologists showed a collective genius for disagreeing about almost everything.
JCM Garnett, in a study called General Ability, Cleverness and Purpose, offered a formula for genius. Measure a person’s general ability; then measure their cleverness, then square both numbers and add them together, then take the square root. Genius.
We learn about CL Redfield, who “cites 571 specially selected pedigrees to prove his theory” that “rapid breeding inevitably leads to the production of inferior stock”, but that “inferior stock can be transformed into superior stock in 100 years, and into eminent men in 200 years”.
James G Kiernan wrote a monograph called Is Genius a Sport, a Neurosis, or a Child Potentiality Developed? Terman and Chase tell us that “Kiernan, after a description of the ability of various men of genius, arrives at the conclusion that genius is not a sport nor a neurosis”.
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Genius is something nobody is born, but potentially everyone can become. It’s a talent at any one particular aspect or area of your life. Which is why I like to describe myself as a genius!
All of us ‘have a genius’
http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html
Awww what a delightful picture, thats cheered me up immensely
This topic brings me back to the old Nurture vs Nature
I think the article is conflating the two questions “what genius is” and “where it comes from”. Some of the above answers seem to address “where it comes from” and imply a definition of genius as simply meaning high intelligence. That misses a more useful definition of what genius is. One that is closer to the origin and wider usage of the word. Genius is the ability to think originally; to generate new thoughts and ideas.
Some geniuses are also very clever; some are also very tall, but it has nothing to do with being a genius. Some very clever people are also geniuses; many are not. As for those ultra-intelligent people, I wonder whether the proportion who are also geniuses is any different to the wider population.
Surely Derren is the definition of genius.
As a psychology student myself, the definition of genius is different to everybody. it can be a subjective thing!
I’m a genius. I have a piece of paper that says so. It also says I’m dyslexic. But there we are, me and Einstein. Lol
According to Hollow Man (If i recall correctly), genius is the ability to get from A to C, while missing B. I’ve always liked that one.
Having an IQ over 180 I’m supposed to be a genius but there are times when I have be spectaculaly stupid.
I find it a meaningless term similar to beautiful, it’s all a matter of opinion.
B bbut i don´t understand…
ROFLMAO! youse guys are such shameless arse kissers, running a picture of derren under that headline!
- yup thats me all over – Phillis
I’m genius
I do think the term ‘genius’ is subjective. But then again, some of the things Derren can do I wouldn’t be able to do in my wildest dreams, so he’s a genius in my eyes!
LC x
Straws that bend, extra buttons sewed to the inside of your pants, and carl sagan. thats genius(to me).
Genius is also context and environment-specific, so we may not even recognise it in people from a different culture.
The development of fire-creating techniques was a stroke of genius from prehistoric people.
Maybe it is a question of semantics – we really need to break the word up into different definitions to prevent confusion and cross porpoises. (You wouldn’t like them when they are cross!)
I work with adults with learning difficulties and autism, some of whom are very high functioning in narrow areas but none of whom are capable yet of being fully self – caring. Is it genius if they exceed their own capabilities? What about if they can remember their own birth? What about memory feats? Or incredibly rapid arithmetic? These would be considered elements of genius if the people involved did not have any intellectual impairment.
Isn’t that Irish beer?
I reckon a genius is someone who seeks to and then achieves overwhelming mastery of multitudinous pursuits. One who achieves the skillset of a definitive Polymath.
Leonardo De Vinci is a good example, for he observed, recorded and manipulated accurately that which he surrounded himself without regard to the common opinion of the time (‘objective’ scientific progression), and my goodness he could paint too!
Unbelievable artistic talent, he painted/drew exactly what he thought he saw in his mind’s eye – take the Mona Lisa or his anatomical/scientific studies – as close to photographic as one could get – or his The Last Supper which he maybe imagined-no models?
Many consider Michael Angelo to be a genius, but he apparently said, “If only people knew how hard I had to work to achieve my talent then they wouldn’t think me a genius.
Geniuses (?) … evil genius .. that’s why this picture is not all incorrect ofcourse. I myself am a bit fed up with geniuses, IQ etc. It only takes the focus of some real stuff. A genius can be bloody morron in some areas well, maybe not just some. And a morron a bloody genius. The medijokers (?) might be bes of of all.
Don’t we all call ourselves a genius from time to time .. not always in the correct context ofcourse … solving a very simple thing or when someone helps you with something very simple …
Extremes trigger attention but will your recognize other extremes which are generally more accepted in so called normal society ..
I think that anyone can be a genius, comedians can be because they can trigger that thing that makes you laugh and scientists can be because they descover life changing medicines. Anyone can be a genius if they try.
P.S sorry if i’ve spelt stuff wrong
Thats one of my pictures that I took in London at the Garrick… were did u get it from?
xx
- we broke in to your house and stole it… why did we leave a trace? hmm not usually like DB to do that
– Phillis
Msg from Abeo: ooooor it’s the one that someone has put on wiki
So according to JCM Garnett – Amount of Genius = √(A^2 + C^2)
Well that clears that up.
Tom – you didnt even mention murphys law.
I’m also a Psych student, across the pond in USA. I will agree with another poster that although I have a very high IQ (which I was kind of astonished to find out) that it doesn’t imbue me with any special abilities: I still have to work hard at my studies and at my work, my relationships, keeping the house clean, etc. Since finding out about and being treated for ADHD, my motivation for completing things has gone up. I often wonder what good is a high IQ or genius for, why can’t I just pick things up and master them instantly, ala Good Will Hunting? The answer: that’s not how all genius works. There’s still a bit of effort, sometimes over years, that have to be put in. What I do notice that’s different is my ability to apply new information more quickly than my contemporaries at school and work, I think of alternatives much more quickly.
“what is genius?”
picture of Derren.
suggested answer much?