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What is genius?

arg-fallbackName="Doc."/>
Aught3 said:
Simplicity.
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one of my favourite film quotes

"simple, like everything genius" - Solaris (Tarkovsky)


That is pretty and partly true, but a bit sophistic view (sorry didn't find any more appropriate word), I'd just say simplicity is one type of genius.
 
arg-fallbackName="obsidianavenger"/>
the ability to make connections that no one else has thought of.

also an awesome feature of itunes that makes playlists for me :)
 
arg-fallbackName="5810Singer"/>
nasher168 said:
The ability to answer the phrase: "There has to be an easier way!"
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That really depends on who's asking the question, and on what topic.

When a lummox is trying to mend their watch with a forklift truck, and you happen to point out that the watch-menders is just across the road,.....it doesn't really qualify you as a genius.
 
arg-fallbackName="Jotto999"/>
Nice answers so far.
Doc. said:
Aught3 said:
Simplicity.
Click to expand...

one of my favourite film quotes

"simple, like everything genius" - Solaris (Tarkovsky)

That is pretty and partly true, but a bit sophistic view (sorry didn't find any more appropriate word), I'd just say simplicity is one type of genius.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's a good point. Genius manifests itself in different ways. So Genius is not "X, Y and Z", but X, Y and Z are genius, among others. I'm not sure if I worded the distinction very well but I think that makes sense. And a good example of a property that is genius is simplicity.
 
arg-fallbackName="Ozymandyus"/>
If I had to define it I suppose I would say its the ability to creatively combine ideas or styles into something that is both new and greater than the sum of its parts. Any fool can add together ideas and get something different, but not everyone can combine things in such a way that it is both different and More.

There is simplicity involved, in that one work of genius contains all the disparate ideas that went into it while standing above them and being even more.
 
arg-fallbackName="Nogre"/>
Using intelligence, skill, etc. in a way that is both new and far more effective than anything before. And it can apply to everything from playing a video game to a branch of science.
 
arg-fallbackName="nasher168"/>
The uncanny ability to solve problems through simple means that no one else thought of and actually get it right.
 
arg-fallbackName="obsidianavenger"/>
borrofburi said:
obsidianavenger said:
the ability to make connections that no one else has thought of.
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I think there are a lot of those in the insane asylum...
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true dat. connections then validated by some external source such as reality...

they always say theres a fine line between genius and insanity right? :p
 
arg-fallbackName="MRaverz"/>
The flawless ability to benefit those around you in a way they don't fully appreciate because they don't fully understand it themselves.
obsidianavenger said:
they always say theres a fine line between genius and insanity right? :p
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Painfully fine, yet there is also a fine line between religious ideals and insanity...
 
arg-fallbackName="Nogre"/>
MRaverz said:
obsidianavenger said:
they always say theres a fine line between genius and insanity right? :p
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Painfully fine, yet there is also a fine line between religious ideals and insanity...
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It's not the same line, though.
 
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