The problem of genius to this day is one of the unsolved mysteries.
What is genius?
Genius is the highest level of personality abilities and its creative manifestations. A man gifted with genius is very important for the development of society, because he can create a new era or make important discoveries.
It is important to note that a specific set of properties that a genius must possess does not exist. A person can be brilliant in one area and completely stupid in another.
By Coleridge's definition, genius is the ability to grow. The question remains whether genius is a superpower of the mind or is it a feature of the physical brain.
A true genius is distinguished by the fact that he never copies anyone, all his thoughts are unique and original. However, this is possible only if we have a real genius, and not a person with disabilities.
Genius is a rather rare occurrence. According to Lafater’s estimates, one genius per one million people. However, psychologists consider genius only a kind of madness.
What exceptional abilities are endowed with brilliant people?
It is important to note that the abilities endowed with geniuses are also peculiar to the obsessed. These are abilities such as increased sensitivity, unconsciousness of creativity, quick change of mood from euphoria to apathy, strong distraction, enormous vanity, alcohol abuse, and suicidal tendencies.
Is genius and insanity equivalent concepts?
Do not forget that among the geniuses have always been and are crazy. Many crazy people also showed brilliant abilities. But do not make hasty conclusions that all geniuses are crazy. Indeed, such brilliant personalities as Columbus, Galileo, Michelangelo, Napoleon did not show signs of insanity.
Lunatics have a lack of qualities such as perseverance, concentration, strength of character, diligence, accuracy, memory. However, it is these qualities that are inherent in all gifted geniuses.
In addition, craziness usually manifests itself after 35 years, and genius in a person has been noticed since childhood. Madness is usually inherited and intensifies with each generation, and genius dies with its bearer. If geniuses are usually men, then insanity is equally common in both women and men.
Talent and genius. Are these two concepts equivalent?
Talent and genius are the qualities of a person that can simultaneously occur in one person. However, this is a very rare occurrence.
Talent is usually called the outstanding abilities of a person, a high degree of his giftedness in a particular area.
And genius is the highest stage of talent development. It involves the creation of new inventions, creations, discoveries. Genius is the absolute opposite of imitation, it is always something new and great.
Scientists claim that each person has a huge number of opportunities and abilities, however, not all of them use, and if they use, it is usually 1% of all opportunities granted from above.
Geniuses have always recognized those people who are endowed with superhuman abilities and inclinations. And such a concept as “talented children” implies only potential development opportunities for a person. Lombroso wrote that genius differs from talent in that it always manifests itself unconsciously and quite unexpectedly. Talent works rationally, according to a well-thought-out plan of action. Geniuses are usually referred to as creative people, and talented people to intellectuals.
Be that as it may, according to Rubinstein, all the specific abilities of a person are in fact different manifestations of his general ability to work and learn. Talent and genius are two ambiguous concepts, although they have much in common.
Correlation of the concepts of "giftedness", "talent", "genius"
For a long time, "giftedness" was considered a synonym for the word "ability". However, domestic psychologists believe that giftedness is a certain number of abilities that ensure the success of a particular activity.
What features are endowed with gifted individuals?
These are:
- non-standard perception;
- vivid imagination along with attention to detail;
- unconscious mind, intuition, ingenuity;
- divergent thinking ;
- imagination;
- courage and courage.
Some researchers see giftedness only as the natural basis of ability, along with creativity. They identify this concept with the term "talent." Others see talent as a high stage in the development of special abilities.
Teplov believes that talent is always multi-faceted, which is why many poets and writers painted well, and sometimes wrote music.
And genius is a high stage in the development of giftedness, which manifests itself in the final result, which carries cultural, social, scientific and historical value. Geniuses break all norms and orders and thus open a new era in the field of their activity.
Summing up, brief conclusions
In order for giftedness (talent, genius) to be able to find manifestation and begin to develop, individuals need to have high efficiency, motivation, dedication, knowledge and skills in a specific field of activity. Given these factors, scientists are trying to distinguish between these three concepts. Abilities, genius, talent are in every person, they just need to be discovered and developed.