Genius

Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for the future, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabilities of competitors. Genius is associated with intellectual ability and creative productivity. The term genius can also be used to refer to people characterised by genius, and/or to polymaths who excel across many subjects. There is no scientifically precise definition of genius. Howard Gardener identified at least eight distinct categories of intelligences, that are publicly generalized within the one noun 'Genius'. Those categories include linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic intelligence. Though many researchers have seen no evidence supporting his proposal for independent brain-based intelligences for different types of cognitive abilities. Experts like Visser argue that the multiple intelligences (MI) hypothesis is wrong and that the general intelligence factor (g) is observable in non-verbal, non-quantitative, and non-paper-and-pencil tasks regardless of whether tasks are timed or untimed. When used to refer to the characteristic, genius is associated with talent, but several authors such as Cesare Lombroso and Arthur Schopenhauer systematically distinguish these terms. Walter Isaacson, biographer of many well-known geniuses, explains that although high intelligence may be a prerequisite, the most common trait that actually defines a genius may be the extraordinary ability to apply creativity and imaginative thinking to almost any situation. In the early-19th century Carl von Clausewitz, who had a particular interest in what he called "military genius", defined "the essence of Genius" (German: der Genius) in terms of "a very high mental capacity for certain employments".