william james sidis, the smartest man ever, was an Aspie

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jonathandoors
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24 Feb 2007, 11:10 am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James_Sidis

Abraham Sperling, Ph.D., director of New York City's Aptitude Testing Institute, said after Sidis' death that according to his computations, he "easily had an IQ between 250 and 300" * and that there was no evidence that his intellect had declined in adulthood.[13][14] (His father once dismissed tests of intelligence as "silly, pedantic, absurd, and grossly misleading." [15])

* Probably referring to ratio IQ.[16]



Graelwyn
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24 Feb 2007, 12:50 pm

jonathandoors wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James_Sidis

Abraham Sperling, Ph.D., director of New York City's Aptitude Testing Institute, said after Sidis' death that according to his computations, he "easily had an IQ between 250 and 300" * and that there was no evidence that his intellect had declined in adulthood.[13][14] (His father once dismissed tests of intelligence as "silly, pedantic, absurd, and grossly misleading." [15])

* Probably referring to ratio IQ.[16]


Do you have a major interest with IQs out of interest? I notice this is not the only post today where you have mentioned IQ. IQ only measures certain things, anyway. It is not really, in truth, much of a measure as people with genius IQs can still have immense difficulty with things those with a lower IQ might be excellent at. I think intelligence could be better measured in how well someone manages to get through life with whatever challenges are placed in their path. But that is just an opinion.



SteveK
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24 Feb 2007, 1:37 pm

Graelwyn wrote:
jonathandoors wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James_Sidis

Abraham Sperling, Ph.D., director of New York City's Aptitude Testing Institute, said after Sidis' death that according to his computations, he "easily had an IQ between 250 and 300" * and that there was no evidence that his intellect had declined in adulthood.[13][14] (His father once dismissed tests of intelligence as "silly, pedantic, absurd, and grossly misleading." [15])

* Probably referring to ratio IQ.[16]


Do you have a major interest with IQs out of interest? I notice this is not the only post today where you have mentioned IQ. IQ only measures certain things, anyway. It is not really, in truth, much of a measure as people with genius IQs can still have immense difficulty with things those with a lower IQ might be excellent at. I think intelligence could be better measured in how well someone manages to get through life with whatever challenges are placed in their path. But that is just an opinion.


It's clear he DOES! I have to take umbrage at your claim of intelligence measured in how well someone manages life, etc.... I see some VERY smart people just getting by at jobs they HATE, and some VERY DUMB people making a FORTUNE! What about "Jackée Harry"? She once REGULARLY paid over $8000 a DAY for a hotel room! A LOT of success in life is often determined by who you know, and your attitude, and not on IQ, effort, or value you provide.

Steve



Graelwyn
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24 Feb 2007, 1:42 pm

SteveK wrote:
Graelwyn wrote:
jonathandoors wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James_Sidis

Abraham Sperling, Ph.D., director of New York City's Aptitude Testing Institute, said after Sidis' death that according to his computations, he "easily had an IQ between 250 and 300" * and that there was no evidence that his intellect had declined in adulthood.[13][14] (His father once dismissed tests of intelligence as "silly, pedantic, absurd, and grossly misleading." [15])

* Probably referring to ratio IQ.[16]


Do you have a major interest with IQs out of interest? I notice this is not the only post today where you have mentioned IQ. IQ only measures certain things, anyway. It is not really, in truth, much of a measure as people with genius IQs can still have immense difficulty with things those with a lower IQ might be excellent at. I think intelligence could be better measured in how well someone manages to get through life with whatever challenges are placed in their path. But that is just an opinion.


It's clear he DOES! I have to take umbrage at your claim of intelligence measured in how well someone manages life, etc.... I see some VERY smart people just getting by at jobs they HATE, and some VERY DUMB people making a FORTUNE! What about "Jackée Harry"? She once REGULARLY paid over $8000 a DAY for a hotel room! A LOT of success in life is often determined by who you know, and your attitude, and not on IQ, effort, or value you provide.

Steve


Manages life in terms of getting through in spite of the challenges they face, yes. Do you agree with intelligence being considered to be down to just IQ levels? I don't. I think intelligence should be measured by far more than the kinds of things they measure in IQ tests. It is true, for many, success is down to who you know, attitude...even luck, but it also depends on what you define as success?



TheMachine1
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24 Feb 2007, 1:51 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Michael_Langan

"smartest" man in America bouncer at a bar last I heard.

Interesting he left mensa and started his on high IQ group.



rabbit23
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24 Feb 2007, 2:05 pm

Yeah. Mensa, I feel, can quite easily be equated with intellectual bourgeoisdom. I'm not a member.

Funnier still is the International High IQ Society.



SteveK
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24 Feb 2007, 2:31 pm

Graelwyn wrote:
SteveK wrote:
Graelwyn wrote:
jonathandoors wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_James_Sidis

Abraham Sperling, Ph.D., director of New York City's Aptitude Testing Institute, said after Sidis' death that according to his computations, he "easily had an IQ between 250 and 300" * and that there was no evidence that his intellect had declined in adulthood.[13][14] (His father once dismissed tests of intelligence as "silly, pedantic, absurd, and grossly misleading." [15])

* Probably referring to ratio IQ.[16]


Do you have a major interest with IQs out of interest? I notice this is not the only post today where you have mentioned IQ. IQ only measures certain things, anyway. It is not really, in truth, much of a measure as people with genius IQs can still have immense difficulty with things those with a lower IQ might be excellent at. I think intelligence could be better measured in how well someone manages to get through life with whatever challenges are placed in their path. But that is just an opinion.


It's clear he DOES! I have to take umbrage at your claim of intelligence measured in how well someone manages life, etc.... I see some VERY smart people just getting by at jobs they HATE, and some VERY DUMB people making a FORTUNE! What about "Jackée Harry"? She once REGULARLY paid over $8000 a DAY for a hotel room! A LOT of success in life is often determined by who you know, and your attitude, and not on IQ, effort, or value you provide.

Steve


Manages life in terms of getting through in spite of the challenges they face, yes. Do you agree with intelligence being considered to be down to just IQ levels? I don't. I think intelligence should be measured by far more than the kinds of things they measure in IQ tests. It is true, for many, success is down to who you know, attitude...even luck, but it also depends on what you define as success?


I was SO close to finishing this, and the power went out. 8-( You, I , and Noctivagus have IQs within a point or two of one another! That doesn't say one of us can even do a thing the others could. And yeah, I HAVE been able to take care of some things, that others couldn't, because of my abilities.

As for me? 1-10, 10 best. 5 being average.

Intelligence? 8.5
Income? 8
Happiness? 6
Feeling of success? 6

Steve



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24 Feb 2007, 4:57 pm

I wonder if those who don`t like IQ tests have merely scored low themselves.
Mine is 137 :D



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24 Feb 2007, 5:11 pm

Actually, Graelwyn and I tested higher than you! And, for the record, I didn't say I hate them. I guess I kind of like them! Kind of like simple puzzles, etc... I just said I didn't think they were 100% valid. All the people I have really liked that revealed their IQs had ones of like 130+(And NO, I don't keep records or ask), so I guess the tests aren't all that bad. But I have met too many people I thought were STUPID that, I guess, tested somewhat normal.

Steve



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24 Feb 2007, 5:24 pm

I used to curse my intelligence actually, as it meant my parents, especially my mother, put very high expectations on my performance at school...which incidentally became poorer and poorer once I went into secondary school. I also found it a curse to find myself constantly analysing everything I could...it got tiring to be thinking oneself into knots all the time.



SteveK
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24 Feb 2007, 6:30 pm

Graelwyn wrote:
I used to curse my intelligence actually, as it meant my parents, especially my mother, put very high expectations on my performance at school...which incidentally became poorer and poorer once I went into secondary school. I also found it a curse to find myself constantly analysing everything I could...it got tiring to be thinking oneself into knots all the time.


SAME HERE! On my first job I tried to work to my potential. I never even got thanked. Even my fantastic work ethic went south. If I had it to do over, I would have paced things better. BTW SIDE NOTE! I NEVER met my equal as far as work ethic or capability. I guess AS explains that, since it was my interest at the time. I let it slide, and it isn't my interest anymore. On my last technical interview, only a few months ago, the interviewer was impressed saying I answered everything correctly and was faster than anyone else. MOST others couldn't answer even one question, and no other answered them all. And that was about 9 years after I no longer considered it my interest.

As for my perfomance at school? I found it boring and/or without application. Early work was ridiculously simple, and I got straight As, later, I let things go down. At one point, I fell for false advertising, and figured a boarding school would help me break out of my shell, and my mother said I couldn't get out unless I had GOOD grades. I got on a list that had like the top 20 students in the school, and my name was close to the top. So I got out of there.

Steve



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24 Feb 2007, 11:21 pm

TheMachine1 wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Michael_Langan

"smartest" man in America bouncer at a bar last I heard.

Interesting he left mensa and started his on high IQ group.



I'm pretty sure this is where the movie "Good Will Hunting" came from. The plot line of the movie fits Langan's life exactly,i.e. the beating; self-taught ,etc..; except for the uncertainty of Will's future at the end of the movie.