Savant Syndrome - Daniel Tammet

illisanantexico Says:

Oct 9, 2011 - The question is not what amount of our brain we use, but what we don't use. We don't know how much we are capable of until we push past our own limits. We limit ourselves by not caring, not trying, and by doing other things that are more entertaining and with less thought-involved. Google a video on Neuro-Plasticity sometime that dispels the rumor that we lose brain power b/c we age. Our brain ability is a function of "Use-Or-Lose".

illisanantexico Says:

Oct 11, 2011 - (in addendum) Here's the link: ^^^^ /watch?v=FkXtz72hjDI&list=PL726C7D79518975FE&index=1

yumeybaconcutout Says:

Nov 19, 2011 - he said his iq is 150. genius, but not high genius.

Unrealistix Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - Well to be honest I think the whole IQ measuring stick breaks down after 135 or so. It depends on what skills he has that someone measured as brighter does not..For example I'm really good at math but I'm pretty average in other areas.. Someone who scored lower might do better there! My quotient therefore is primarily memory and math and compensates for all the areas I score low in...Does that really make me brighter?It just seems meaningless above a certain point..

MumblingMickey Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - Agree... its pretty much a dick measuring contest after say the top 5%.One of my most interesting experiences was being beaten at chess by a 12 year old,Now I'm not good at chess, and not a great fan of the game either. Yet that same 12 year old (who is now in his mid 20's) dropped out of his physics course claiming it was simply beyond him. Which is odd when you consider it wasn't for me.One measurement of core intellect is way too simplistic.

MumblingMickey Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - I think he might actually be synesthetic...which gives him the ability to experience numbers through his other senses... he can smell and hear numbers or they might have textures or taste and are therefore a lot more easy to conceptualize for him...than you or I.I don't think we know enough about intellect to classify people like him....But if a cat scan says he's a savant...then assuming 'savant' is defined, an an accepted trait, (not sure if it is) he's a savant.

MumblingMickey Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - As evidenced by children abused by their parents by being locked in a basement etc. Their brain ends up actually physically smaller, their intellect is crippled, and all from lack of using it.It's like any other part of the body.... you really can get dumber sitting looking at a computer screen, or watching TV... In addition to that physical exercise and diet are also major variables.FYI /watch?v=FkXtz72hjDI is sufficient just up to the '&' (not sure if you knew that)

MumblingMickey Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - tut tut tut... c'mon now... stupid people have their uses...and they are usually quiet a happy bunch of folk....I'd absolutely hate to live in a world where I actually had to work hard for a living due to a lack of people who weren't too bright... Who'd get me my coffee? who'd answer the support call? who'd serve me my bagel at lunchtime? who'd stuff meaningless flyers through my letterbox? (scratch that last one)You seriously underestimate the importance of the stupid!;)

MumblingMickey Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - the c16... man that brings back memories.... I had simons basic on the c64 before i took up assembly... then processors just got too complex for assembly.... or rather I got too lazy and learned C instead...Ahh distant memories of the 1980's...when nerds were real nerds... when it was unfashionable to be bright....not like the 'plastic' nerds you get these days! ;)

MumblingMickey Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - The 'meat' processor and the 'solid state' one aren't really comparable... for one thing the computer processor runs calculations in a linear fashion.A brain however can carry out millions of instructions concurrently. Theres even evidence it uses quantum mechanics... so its not really the sort of thing one can make a speed comparisons of.A brain will still win for sheer ability to crunch data whether its his brain, yours, mine or a mouse!Which might change soon, who knows?

yumeybaconcutout Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - most people with iqs of 180 are considered more intelligent than those with 150. of course you make a good point, that intelligence is not easily quantified, and that there are different forms of smartness. but still, you can tell the difference between 150 and 180.

Unrealistix Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - No disagreement.... I'd be delighted to hear that all my own students had taken psychometric tests and scored in the 170-80 range.. rather than 150...it'd make my job a shit load easier....But only on average... I know from experiences I'd still get some crazy crap produced by people who are top of that list!I just think we need to drop the single score mentality... its just not relevant.

hardstyle905 Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - At floating point calculations, humans always have, and always will lose against the stupid CPU. But, in my 10 month-old comment I didn't say the brain wasn't powerful at all. I just replied to the comment comparing human brain to a i7 processor.

hardstyle905 Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - Assembly is still useful for optimization. But you're right about the "plastic nerds". That's why today, I'm designing my own CPUs, own instruction set, own games ;)

Unrealistix Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - But I can tell you where it IS relevant... it's relevant in the average and low scoring samples...where its important to address educational needs.Anyway intellect is not the summit of living a productive life. I often wonder why it carries such value. Most well respected, productive and wealthy people that aren't very bright at all, and are also pretty nice people.The entire 'intelligence' debate leaves a bad taste in my mouth... I find it an 'uncomfortable' subject.

hardstyle905 Says:

Nov 23, 2011 - If by "getting dumber sitting looking at a computer screen" you mean using the computer makes dumber as a general statement, I definitely cannot agree. I've taught myself numerous skills on the computer that many university graduates could only dream of. Programming, electronics, engineering, music production & mastering to list a few. People coming from a university are often just "theorists" with no practical skill whatsoever.But watching TV definitely makes dumber, I concur.

Unrealistix Says:

Nov 24, 2011 - CONT. Conversely I have also noticed a common phenomena for bright people to be somewhat arrogant... and I can understand why that might be, specifically bright teenagers and young adults.And this does cause them to be unhappy... which to my mind is the entire purpose of being.Yet if you look at people who generally aren't too bright the arrogance level falls through the floor... and happiness increases.Although I'm not obviously advocating lobotomy for the gifted! ;)

MumblingMickey Says:

Nov 24, 2011 - Well no having been a devotee of all things techno since I was a kid...and first sitting at a usable computer in 1980 I'm not saying that productive use of technology is not exercising your brain...so long as you get up off the chair and do some physical exercise during the day.I'm referring to the other several billion people who just vegetate in front of facebook or play computer games.. Not that I'm not a fan of both...but you get my drift...

MumblingMickey Says:

Nov 24, 2011 - yeah i seen the age of the comment after I pressed reply and the original comment.I think something really has to be done to educate the public as to what technology is and what it is not., otherwise they'll end up like my mother...who at 84 argues over the phone with voicemail and computer answering services. We gave up explaining it to her.You'd laugh your head off at my voice mail messages in work...she comes in half way through a sentence arguing with the phone system...

yumeybaconcutout Says:

Nov 24, 2011 - i agree.

LanRous Says:

Dec 3, 2011 - does he say the method he does this,i mean the way he thinks

mckseal Says:

Dec 15, 2011 - Effectively, each number appears to him like a shape, when he multiplies for example, the two shapes are placed next to eachother and the gap in between is his result.

TheDaviderek Says:

Feb 22, 2012 - 1+1=3

Thales880 Says:

Apr 26, 2012 - he should become a physicist

MrFlibble2011 Says:

May 17, 2012 - Correct, when observed from different precepts.