The chapter delves into the perception of genius and exceptional talents, examining the tendency to attribute such abilities to sources beyond human understanding. It discusses the historical context of the term 'genius' and the perception of extraordinary individuals as divinely gifted or ahead of their time. The conversation explores the idea of innate talent versus environmental factors in shaping exceptional abilities, aiming to dispel initial feelings of awe and mystery through deeper understanding and analysis.
In this episode, we are exploring the complexity of the concept of "genius" with two experts on the topic. First you’ll hear from David Krakauer, the president of The Santa Fe Institute, a research institution in New Mexico dedicated to the study of complexity science, and then you'll hear from professor Dean Keith Simonton, one of the world’s leading researchers into the psychological mechanisms and influences that generate the phenomenon we so often refer to as "genius."
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