Beautiful Minds: The Enigma of Genius

Immanuel Kant, who coined the term genius in the 1700s, defined it as the rare capacity to independently understand concepts that would normally have to be taught by another person. Since then, the spectrum of abilities that we call genius has widened, but pivotal questions remain: What exactly is genius? Where do the remarkable abilities of genius come from? Is genius something that lives within all of us, or is it a categorically different way of seeing the world that is bestowed upon only a few? With the emergence of new imaging technologies and a fundamental shift in the understanding of how information is spread through our brains, we’re beginning to find some answers. We joined neuroscientists, psychologists, renowned thinkers, and special performers as they untangled the complicated nature of genius, creativity, and exceptionality.

This program is part of the Big Ideas Series, made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.

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Original Program Date: June 4, 2011
MODERATOR: Brian Greene
PARTICIPANTS: R. Douglas Fields, Philip Glass, Rex Jung, Dean Keith Simonton, Julie Taymor

"What is Genius" theatrical Introduction. 00:00

Brian Greene's Introduction. 08:27

Participant Introductions. 11:17

Who first defined genius? 14:55

What are polymaths? 19:00

Have you recognized genius when it is in front of you? 23:10

Is it a process that helps create genius? 31:04

The brain and what gives it the genius edge. 33:11

Would you scan your brain for science? 38:58

The white matter in the brain. 42:35

How glial cells in the brain work. 50:05

What was going on in your brain at a young age? 58:22

The difference of culture on the brain. 01:04:20

Half of what makes you a genius is genetic. 01:10:07

The mad genius, do you have to be a bit mad? 01:13:52

Is the only way to gain a "Rain Man" like level of genius to develop one part of the brain fully? 01:19:08

The smarter you are the greater interest in the arts. 01:24:12

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[habier.]

Talent hits a target no one else can hit, Genius hits a target no one else can see.

[ARS]

The one thing I've realised is that focused practice does wonders. When I started obsessively painting, a weird thing started to happen. Whatever I saw, my brain started breaking in colour and strokes. I would see a cloud and in my head I would know the exact strokes it would require to get that on paper. But I was a teenager back then and I was obsessed. Every waking moment I was with my watercolors even though I was a horrible artist. Brain works in mysterious ways

[drsomeone]

i must say brian greene presentation by far is the best, whenever i see him as the host i watch the whole thing, he lets the guest finish his words and doesnt interrupt much, asks the right q's, make jokes when its appropriate and not very often which will make the whole thing a joke, and he cares about what the guest says and understands it and not just ask q and sits there to ask the next, and he discusses with the guest in respectful way what has been said when we all feel we need more clarification.

[leometal]

Ok, so what do we have here:
* neuroplasticity - practice new skills and your brain will rewire;
* glial cells play a huge role
* extraordinary focus on your goal leads to extraordinary achievement

[DavidPace]

It is now 7 years later in 2022, and so much more has been discovered and learned, these topic deserves updated reviews. For instance, at approximately 1:22:20 where the Biologist makes the statement, (paraphrasing) "There's nothing that we can do about the genes we were born with..." we now know that with the study of Epigenetics, that statement is obviously false. I would love to hear the updated version of this along with most of the videos in this channel. It would be amazing to see the difference 7 years made and also proof in our lifetime that the authorities of any given topic are limited and are not always correct. (Which is why geniuses often create a paradigm shift)

[billilkovski]

Genius is the ability to bring forth and connect with information within the subconscious at will. The deeper and broader the connection, the more potent the information produced.

[garykuzminski]

Fantastic program. I love the fact that Julie Taymor opened with pulling her ideas from the threshold of dream and waking. The hypnopompic state is incredibly powerful tool/experience and has been used as an inspirational springboard for so much discovery throughout human history, yet it is so little (if ever) touched upon. The catch is that you have to be ready to capture it, before it disappears into the ether of the waking world.

[chineseboxer]

Imagine what the world would be like if content like this had been on cable TV or radio all along.

[FlockOfHawks]

Video + Comments = Great .

It'll take me ( not a genius ) some time to let bits sink into my brain, then visit again, then let sink again etc .

A shrine of knowledge, insights and creativity .

Utterly inspiring .

[gregoryburne]

I slept early and woke at about 1:30 am, intending to do some I did not. I listened to every word of this and loved every second. What a great bunch!

[jpic]

The best yet. Brian is the BEST moderator in that he lets the conversation go where it may and yet he can ask the questions that spur the panel with his understanding into the areas that are relevant and yet fascinating to the broad audience, Three Cheers!

[dgareandro]

How isn't that this vid doesn't have 1 billion views... 55:55 This is for me completely new inside of what happens inside our brain: what actually separate us from other animals. Truly amazing what humans can achieve fallowing the scientific method fallowed by joing forces with other minds to achieve a greater goal
This people really make me proud of my self and my kind.
If only some day genious would not be as necessary and we all share our deep understanding of how the universe works 😌👏👏👌👌

[maryhelenharris]

This way works for me better because I see patterns, colors, symbols, letters, numbers and they make words. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with about 12 different disabilities and I’ve had to work this hard as I possibly could on my life even though that I love school and I love learning. Thank you all your great amazing heroes for making this wonderful world work for me and being this imaginative beautiful piece of art. Especially string theory it’s real and it was absolutely gorgeous.💙

I was a child I was trying to get approval from my family and due to my disabilities my family always worried about me and I was trying to work as hard as possible so I never had to be a burden to them at the same time struggling with perfectionism because I didn’t think I could do the same thing as you or anybody else because of the disabilities. Religion played a big role in my household and because I was a child that you told me what to do I did it with no hands and butts along being brought up in like a military style household. My mother put me in as many sports and activities that she could think of to keep me out of trouble due to my siblings and found out that every single thing she put me in I did well that. And I just realize that I have a big heart and I care for a lot of things especially the world in the earth by Marriott and I just want to love and union.

[neilmcintosh]

Phillip Glass said the 3 things you need to be a genius are Technique, Independence & Stamina - He just described Lemmy from Motorhead.

[Numnutzvr]

Jung Ni, is a place to look for original creativity. INTJ, INFJ usually abstract people, often dismissed as dreamers or mad. many game changers are of these types.

[thepianoplayer]

Throughout history there are many people who can be classified as "genius" including many child prodigies. Some recent names include Alex Prior: (Russian-English) composer and conductor, Stephen Wiltshire: artist with a photographic memory with the nickname "human camera", Derek Paravicini the pianist with the nickname "human iPod", Kim Peek who has an incredible memory with an encyclopedia of facts and inspired the movie "Rain Man".
Many of us learned to play piano and other music instruments but only a small percentage get to the point of creating their own music outside of Beethoven, Mozart and others' music. Even someone like Brian May from the Rock group Queen can be considered a genius. He had a prolific career in music as a songwriter & lead singer and later astrophysicist with a degree in Astronomy.

[sherlockholmeslives.]

The difference between a highly intelligent person and a genius -
The highly intelligent person studies the rules that the genius creates!

[charki]

Interesting comments about brain development at an early period of life. I was in an Orphanage from 2 to 9 years of age. In that time I was exposed to Latin (spoke it fluently) theology (old and new testatment) played the piano and sang in the choir. Learned to read music and was submerged in what was a classical education. Fostered out at 9 years of age I consumed as much knowledge I could get my hands on. 12 yrs, I devoured books from Plato, Socrates to Micheangelo and read the family encyclopedia set of Funk and Wagnall A - Z in 2 years. My Foster father made me a playhouse and put a piano in it. I played and wrote music, drew art while I listened to MichelJean Jarre's Album Oxygen. I left them at 14 years. Ive done well in life and I consider myself a very lucky person. As an adult, Ive been an archeaologist, journalist, policy writer, teacher, activist, politician, mental health professional. Now at 50, I am embarking on being a writer. Its really all hard work, yeah a bit of talent but essentially hard work, ambition and belief.

[simonelaird]

Tesla was not included in the genius montage but it's not because he isn't recognized as one. The fact that so many people are leaving comments sharing their disappointment in his absence from the montage proves his genius is universally recognized and celebrated. Everyone knows that Tesla was undoubtedly a genius and they also know he wasn't recognized for being one until long after his death. The fight on his behalf has already been won but I'm sure he is still appreciating all your support in the afterlife