Most of us stand in awe of the great intellectual giants who exemplified, or even created, the character of the eras in which they lived. Newton, Einstein, Euler, J. S. Bach, Beethoven, Botticelli, Picasso, and Shakespeare are just a few of these individuals who are well known around the world. There are many others whose achievements are outstanding, but whose eminence is narrowly recognized to a particular society, time, or field of endeavor. This book seeks to describe the phenomenon of human genius by investigating questions like: How do these people arise? What is special about them? Can geniuses be made?
“Genius” is an imprecise descriptor. It is one of those terms where “we all know it when we see it,” but it is often applied in debatable circumstances and to questionable people. Recognizing genius is important in benchmarking cultural and intellectual achievements. Was Alan Turing a genius? Unquestionably. Is the guy in the third cubicle from the window a genius? Perhaps. Is the composer of whatever is coming from your kid’s music player a genius? Probably not (unless it is Mozart).
Recognizing genius is important in the general culture, as well as in practical decisions when deciding from whom we want to learn, with whom we wish to work, or whom we want to teach and mentor. In my decades in academia, I have been continually aware of the incredible range of talent and motivation in my teachers, colleagues, and students. What set those at the highest level apart from the rest?
Computing is an enterprise in which the range of talent and performance is enormous, and it is an area where intersections with problem domains are always anticipated. The best are not only skillful in finding and developing computational solutions, but also have a critical understanding of the problem area in order to define the problem sufficiently well and to frame the completion of the solution.
The book is divided into nine chapters. The first four chapters are foundational, laying the historical and scientific bases for studying the genius phenomenon. The first chapter is on the history and concept of genius--ranging from the classical interpretation of inspiration by the gods, to contemporary descriptions of genius using psychology and neuroscience. The second chapter develops the psychological aspects of genius, that is, the phenomenological characteristics of intelligence, creativity, charisma, talent, and so on. The third chapter segues into a Darwinian theory of the evolutionary origins of genius in the human species. The argument is based on biology, not philosophy. The fourth chapter’s emphasis is on what neuroscience can reveal about what happens in the brains of geniuses.
The remaining chapters focus on more detailed issues. In the fifth chapter, Manzocco focuses on two major open questions in the study of genius: genius/madness (that is, mental illness) and the nature/nurture controversy. Is there a connection between genius and, at least, a lack of mental balance? Is genius in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or can it be trained? A focused study of genius in the natural sciences is the topic of the sixth chapter. Manzocco grapples with a “psychology of science” in this chapter, as well as the phenomenon of multiples--concurrent and apparently independent breakthroughs by different individuals (for example, calculus or evolution or the telephone). The question of how do you achieve genius is the topic of chapter 7. The secret appears to be focus and hard work. Not all of us can become an Einstein or a Mozart, but we can become very good at what we do. (Even Mozart studied Bach’s works.) The last chapter of the book is an essay speculating on whether machines can become geniuses. This essay is not a simple polemic on a “yes” or “no” position, but rather a critical review of the arguments for and against.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced a set of issues centered on the replacement of software designers, engineers, and programmers by a big program with a bigger training base. Stripping away the hype uncovers several questions: Is what most people do so routine and trivial that it can be automated? Can the AI engine really demonstrate a version of “genius” in that it can recognize a problem, engage curiosity (how do you program that?), and do the experimentation (both numerical and physical) required? Could it write the libretto and compose the music for a work comparable to the Ring cycle, or even care enough that it would want to? If it is so challenging to describe and foster genius in human beings, how is it even possible to hypothesize that it can be captured in software?
This is a book worth reading and savoring. The writing style is energetic. The scope is comprehensive and covers all of the issues and debates. The author’s selection of reference materials, and especially his summation of them, illuminates the issues and disagreements, where they arise, that pertain to the topic. The arguments are thoroughly developed to allow the reader to form his or her own opinion. It is a fun read.
