First Blog

  How to recognize intuition in others – even ourselves. People with great intuition seem to see a solution without an apparent train of thought. It may appear effortless, but usually, the understanding has much previous preparation. Intuition is one of about eight problem-solving techniques we use in all phases of life. Great advances depend on them. Great parents have intuition, often without knowing it. That excellent mechanic or craftsman we wished we hired has it. They know because they see deep patterns beyond treatises on procedure. The intuitive teacher knows from the slightest facial expression or words if the student is having trouble. Your intuition is best about subjects you know best. In geometry, they may see how the parts fit together; in literature, they may write just the right expression or turn of phrase. In personal relations, they may know just what to do without excitement or apparent revelation. In diplomacy, they may have an instinctive understanding of w

 Geniuses are Remarkable There is an aspect of these geniuses which is rarely discussed. It is certain they all have marvelous minds, capable of a depth of thought unknown to us all. They have remarkable memories and a profound intuition and knowledge of what they do. There is more, beyond knowing all the literature, all the techniques, and all the skills. It is  concentration . In fact, Isaac Newton said, "I keep the subject constantly before me and wait till the first drawstrings open slowly, little and little, into a full and clear light." What all these geniuses could do is exactly that. They could focus their brains upon a problem for weeks, months, even years until it was resolved. This requires phenomenal energy which few have. But this concentration takes the mind into unknown realms and depths, and it changes them forever. When they emerge, they are different. And it can take time to catch up with themselves. Some never do. Others, fewer in number, can plow t

The short answer is, “Who knows. Ask one.” However, there are markers I’ve noticed over many years having worked with and read about a few of them. a. Finding the “genius” solution is more than just picking up the right pebble on the beach. It is rejecting what doesn’t work. Researching a topic means sifting and winnowing idea after idea. The  genius can reject the bad ideas quickly  and move on. There is an anecdote about John von Neumann, who worked on the “Super,” H-bomb, and with the military. The report is that some engineers were working on a project for months, and one day handed it to von Neumann. He rifled through the pages for a few minutes, looked up and said it wouldn’t work. After months more of work, the engineers concluded, it doesn’t work. This is legend to the point that, “If Johnny says it will work or not, that is it.” BTW, Von Neumann was considered the best mathematician of the 20th century. Johnny had a great memory and one night at a party he got into an argum

It is almost foolish to speculate on why or how someone like Albert Einstein was a genius.   People like Einstein and Newton are essentially off the scale of human intelligence.   Yet, they live among us, make very human errors, and act in very human ways. So, we take them for humans, albeit just really smart specimens. As to Einstein, he told us his formula for discovery. That was through the thought experiment , wherein he would conceive of a physical situation such as what would happen as he looked in a mirror as both were accelerating toward the speed of light. This was, for Einstein, the beginning of relativity.   But what for you and I, had we been given this experiment? The implication is that Einstein dwelled on the problem endlessly until some ideas emerged.   Then, by sheer strength of will he managed those ideas into the beginnings of a theory.   Finally, it became a fait de complet. What is not mentioned is that Einstein also had an intense proclivity to indepen

Genius is one of those ephemeral items in the human inventory of gifts together with skills and talents, abilities and intelligence, proficiency and cleverness.  Hard to define, genius is both specific and contextual.  It is not generally abstract.  Genius can reveal itself everywhere, in science, business, politics, war, and literature though often along separate channels.   Some of our greatest philosophers were challenged by the concept and addressed it with notably interesting interpretations. Immanuel Kant in Part I of his Critique of Judgment tells us "Genius is a talent for producing something for which no determinate rule can be given, not a predisposition consisting of a skill for something that can be learned by following some rule or other." In his Twilight of the Idols , Nietzsche writes, "Great men, like great epochs, are explosive material in whom tremendous energy has been accumulated; their prerequisite has always been, historically and

Dear all, Right now, I'm listening to Mozart's Piano Concerto #18, KV 456, just one more example of this great genius' contributions to music.  As I listen, I ask, I always ask, if there is anything I've done that measures up to this or any other concerto, or for that matter any other work composed by Mozart. As usual, I come up with a resounding "No."  This brings me to a life's recurrent theme, and that is how great is the genius of Mozart that even my best of whatever I've done pales next to even his most mediocre work.  (In fact, nothing of Mozart is mediocre.)  Mozart provides for me the ultimate humility of creativity.   It demonstrates we, as a race, are capable of reaches simply beyond our own understanding. Make no doubt, this applies in philosophy, in physics, in mathematics, in psychology, and in almost anything of meritorious effort.    I am diminished by but enhanced by Mozart.  Don't get me started on Bach or Beethoven, both com