Humans seem to be drawn towards extremes of accomplishment – whether it’s daring to explore new geographical locations no matter what practical challenges that presents or pushing our bodies to their limits in attempts to break sporting world records. The enigma of genius panel at the World Science Festival explored one end of the mental spectrum of humans; what makes some of us outstandingly intelligent or creative? And how do you spot a genius anyway?
A large and mixed panel including experts from both the arts and sciences led an interesting and wide-ranging debate, although one that raised many questions. Contributions came from:
Philip Glass – influential composer
Dean Keith Simonton – author of books on the topic of genius
Marcus du Sautoy – mathematician, resarcher, writer and radio presenter
“Rex Jung ":https://www.stgeorges.bc.ca/podium/default.aspx?t=204&tn=Dr.+Rex+Jung&nid=647886&ptid=146154&sdb=False&pf=pgt&mode=0&vcm=False – researcher into creativity
Douglas Fields – researcher specialising in neuron-glia interactions, brain development and the cellular mechanisms of memory
Julie Taymor – director of theatre, film and opera.
A history of genius
The panel discussions started with a brief history of genius; it was a term originally used by the Romans, who believed everyone had one as it was akin to a personal guardian. It was only later that the word came to refer to a subset of individuals with exceptional skills. Kant believed that genius could only be found in artists as scientists could teach their knowledge to others.
The tools needed to get the job done: technique, independence and stamina"
Next, there followed some personal definitions of genius from the panellists. Glass defined genius as the “tools needed to get the job done; technique, independence and stamina” while Taymor stressed the importance of being able to be simultaneously completely immersed in a subject, while also able to step back from it and see a bigger picture. She stressed the importance of needing to assimilate information quickly but then also quickly output something original from that information.
Genius is “language-changing”
Glass noted that genius discoveries or creations could be “language-changing” in that they may not be recognised or understood by many people, if anyone, initially, but when they are adopted they change the way a subject is subsequently seen. “It’s like seeing in colour after being in black and white” suggested du Sautoy. However, Glass cautioned that even geniuses may not know what they are doing at the time they are doing their best work as they are pioneering their own path, feeling their way in the dark. This requires an element of fearlessness.
Down-time, creativity and pathology
The debate then moved onto the science behind genius with a discussion of neuroscience, which included a focus on glial cells – specialised cells in the brain that sparked interest due to the observation that Einstein had a greater percentage of these cells than an average person.
One of the more interesting observations discussed was that lower levels of activity in the frontal areas of the brain can lead to greater creativity. Meditation has been shown to down regulate activity in this area, correlating with the idea that moments of inspiration often strike when taking a break after focusing hard on something. Taymor raised the concern that the constant multi-tasking that has become the norm in modern life may be inhibiting creativity because our brains don’t have this “down-time”.
Finally, the conversation moved onto whether genius correlates with mental instability. Glass acknowledged the obsession that can come with intelligence; a genius will often focus “laser-like” on their passion, diverting attention from other areas. He asked at what point does an obsession become pathological?
Overall, the evening was an entertaining look at genius from various different angles, raising some unanswered questions along the way. You can follow the Twitter commentary in the Storify of tweets that we’ve created below.
What do you think?
Do you know someone who’s a genius? Do you think you can know before some time has passed to assess their impact of what they’ve done? Are Nobel Laureates the true geniuses of science or are there other unsung heroes that don’t get the credit for the more tedious graft that provides the soil in which seeds of genius can grow? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
You might also be interested to read a related "post ":https://www.scilogs.eu/en/blog/lindaunobel/2011-06-16/reflections-on-genius-are-there-two-sides-to-every-success about this panel which asks how genius relates to Nobel Laureates in Science.
If you want to read more highlights from the World Science Festival, you can find a summary of all our coverage here.