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How is a Genius Different from a Really Smart Person?

posted by azrael on Tuesday October 21 2014, @03:42PM   Printer-friendly
from the which-is-most-likely-to-do-dumb-things dept.

AnonTechie writes:

How is a genius different from a really smart person - an interesting perspective from present and past members of Mensa.

The most intelligent two percent of people in the world qualify for membership in Mensa, an exclusive international society open only to people who score at or above the 98th percentile on an IQ or other standardized intelligence test. Mensa’s mission remains the same as when it was founded in Oxford, England, in 1946: To identify and nurture human intelligence for humanity’s benefit, to foster research in the nature of intelligence, and to provide social and other opportunities for its members.

Nautilus spoke with five present and former members of the society: Richard Hunter, a retired finance director at a drinks distributor; journalist Jack Williams; Bikram Rana, a director at a business consulting firm; LaRae Bakerink, a business consultant; and clinical hypnotist John Sheehan.

Together, they reflect on the meaning of genius, whether it can be measured, and what IQ has to do with it.

 
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  • (Score: 2) by tibman on Tuesday October 21 2014, @06:40PM

    by tibman (134) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday October 21 2014, @06:40PM (#108335)

    That sounds similar to a "no true Scotsman" argument. But i get your point. No human being is perfect. Any genius will fail somewhere enough to look like an idiot (or a normal person).

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  • (Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday October 21 2014, @07:06PM

    by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Tuesday October 21 2014, @07:06PM (#108345) Homepage Journal

    Eh, not really. A genius doesn't just understand something; a monkey can understand something if you work with them long enough. A genius is also able to use that understanding and apply it to show us something we haven't seen or considered before. Normal people consume knowledge, geniuses create it.

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    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @07:32PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @07:32PM (#108357)

      Geniuses don't have to be adept at communication and you don't have to be a genius to create knowledge. A genius that isn't great at communicating is not equivalent to a savant.
      I will reinforce the Scotsman. Venn diagrams are your friend.

      • (Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:00PM

        by The Mighty Buzzard (18) Subscriber Badge <themightybuzzard@proton.me> on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:00PM (#108437) Homepage Journal

        Nope, no Scottsman for you. Genius is a fairly amorphous term; I just gave you my personal qualification for calling someone a genius. You're free to disagree but there is no fallacy.

        And yes, ordinary people have moments of genius too. What separates a genius from them is a genius makes a regular habit of it or drops something so big on us that it changes the world.

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        • (Score: 3, Insightful) by mcgrew on Wednesday October 22 2014, @03:29AM

          by mcgrew (701) <publish@mcgrewbooks.com> on Wednesday October 22 2014, @03:29AM (#108527) Homepage Journal

          And yes, ordinary people have moments of genius too.

          “Hold on,” I said. “No, it's way too dangerous and we won't have to. I have an idea the computer gave me earlier when Angel thought she lost her drops down the drain.” I pulled out my fone, forgetting I'd already ordered the computer to lock all the doors. I really needed some sleep! “Computer, lock and seal all doors, especially the door to the commons and my quarters and Doctor Winter's cabin and the pilot room.”
                  The computer replied “All doors have been locked for the last five minutes. Sealing doorways.” I was really sleepy... and scared.
                  “What good will that do, dumbass?” Tammy asked. “You might as well lock the doors against a herd of elephants that are holding sharks with friggin' lasers!”
                  “Huh?” I said.
                  Destiny laughed. “We haven't watched that one yet, Tammy. What are you thinking, John?”
                  I said “I'm thinking Tammy knows drug addicted whores but I know my boat and its computers. Now shush, both of you. I know what I'm doing.
                  “Computer!” I said into my fone, “replace all air in every room except the commons with nitrogen. And have robots bring three small oxygen bottles and masks to the commons.”
                  “John,” Tammy said, “you're not a dumbass, that was a stroke of genius! That's how you controlled Angel and the ones that attacked me. I wondered how you did that. Are you sure you haven't gone to college?”

          What separates a genius from them is a genius makes a regular habit of it or drops something so big on us that it changes the world.

          +5 insightful

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