Well, this doesn't so much define it as it narrows it down, but there's a bit from this one Miles Vorkosigan book... ah, here we go.
"You think he's a genius?" "I don't know him quite well enough, yet. But I suspect so, a part of the time." "Can you be a genius part of the time?" "All the geniuses I ever met where so just part of the time. To qualify, you only have to be great once, you know. Once when it matters." (C) Lois McMaster Bujold
I like Einstein's take on it - he thought imagination was more important than pure intelligence. I can't find the exact quote now, dammit, but it's running around somewhere.
I think genius is an ability to see a solution to a problem when no one else can. Having the imagination to see the problem in a new light is a necessity.
I think it's funny that everyone puts so much weight on IQ tests, but I've yet to see an imagination test become common. I knew a girl who had a very high IQ, and when it came to memorizing facts and formulas she was an ace. But she lacked imagination, so she really wasn't much fun to be with. She couldn't think of anything new and she was crippled, so to speak, by her lack of creativity. Pure intelligence is a dry, brittle thing. Imagination is what gives it the flexibility to fly. I think Einstein knew what he was talking about. :-)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2002-04-12 04:50 pm (UTC)Damn you for making me think! :P
no subject
Date: 2002-04-12 04:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-04-12 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-04-12 06:54 pm (UTC)"You think he's a genius?"
"I don't know him quite well enough, yet. But I suspect so, a part of the time."
"Can you be a genius part of the time?"
"All the geniuses I ever met where so just part of the time. To qualify, you only have to be great once, you know. Once when it matters."
(C) Lois McMaster Bujold
Anyway, that stuck with me. It feels... right.
no subject
Date: 2002-04-13 05:04 pm (UTC)I think genius is an ability to see a solution to a problem when no one else can. Having the imagination to see the problem in a new light is a necessity.
I think it's funny that everyone puts so much weight on IQ tests, but I've yet to see an imagination test become common. I knew a girl who had a very high IQ, and when it came to memorizing facts and formulas she was an ace. But she lacked imagination, so she really wasn't much fun to be with. She couldn't think of anything new and she was crippled, so to speak, by her lack of creativity. Pure intelligence is a dry, brittle thing. Imagination is what gives it the flexibility to fly. I think Einstein knew what he was talking about. :-)