Who is the most intelligent person you know of?

[GoC]

Which person you've heard of most made you think "Wow! That guy/girl's intelligent!"?
Which person you know?

Why? What makes a person seem intelligent?

[Dallas-Dakota]

Does the person have to be alive?:smallconfused:

Or real?:smallconfused:

[Optimystik]

Oba-

Nah, I'd rather not blow the thread up :smalltongue:

So far it's a tie between Randall Munroe (http://www.xkcd.com/) and the woman in the Large Hadron Rap. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j50ZssEojtM)

[charl]

Of people I actually know it's probably myself. ;)

Of people I've heard of... Ernest Hemmingway perhaps? Depends a bit on how you define "intelligence."

[GoC]

Does the person have to be alive?:smallconfused:

Or real?:smallconfused:

Must be real. If you think you know a dead person well enough to judge their intelligence then go ahead.

[Thufir]

Am I allowed to say myself?

My best friend has always struck me as very intelligent, probably because he is. It helps that he's very much a polymath, and as such will come out with random comments about a wide variety of subjects, which any other person in the conversation will probably only know anything about some of.

[Eldariel]

I can't answer the first or the second question easily; let me dwell on that. The third one though - ability to comprehend and acquire large quantities of new information quickly is the thing that strikes me as a defining characteristic here. As an extrapolation, the truly gifted can create new information (to them) quickly and from little base data.

This is why someone like Newton or Einstein (note, not answering question 1 or 2 here) amazes me so in this regard; you take a bunch of underdeveloped (or wrong) mathematics/physics (or basis in general; the quantity and the newness of work is easy to assess in these areas so I'm using them as examples here) and build up integral/differential math or the general theory of relativity with almost nothing to work off from. Basically just generate such crap out of thin air without anything as much as a computer.

[GoC]

Am I allowed to say myself?

If you truly believe you are the most intelligent person you know of then can you say why?

[Dallas-Dakota]

Then I will most likely say Tolkien.

[Mauve Shirt]

My sister. Not necessarily for her brains, but that's a part of it. Her confidence and her ability to balance work and social life is admirable. She graduated with honors and had both of her theses published.

[Dihan]

For someone I actually know - one of my friends is a big on the maths and science stuff. That's all he's any good at though.

In my group of friends I'm the fountain of useless knowledge. I prefer to say that everyone is intelligent in their own way... Except chavs.

[Thufir]

If you truly believe you are the most intelligent person you know of then can you say why?

No, I skipped the first question. That was for people I know. Know of is too broad a category, given there are a fair number of people famous for, in one way or another, being really intelligent.

[GoC]

Then I will most likely say Tolkien.
Why did you pick him? Where did you get information about him?


Who is the most intelligent person you know of?

My sister. Not necessarily for her brains, but that's a part of it.
:smalltongue:


I prefer to say that everyone is intelligent in their own way... Except chavs.
Any definition of intelligence that allows everyone to be intelligent is useless (silly PC-ness...). Pick the "type of intelligence" that you believe most fits. And if you say "physical intelligence" I will rip your head off.:smallyuk:

[Tequila Sunrise]

I've never met anyone that made me say "Wow, you're bloody brilliant!" but I do know a couple people who've suprised me. My best friend is a natural talent with anything creative; painting, guitar, computer graphics, singing, writing, you name it. Oh and he's the first actor who ever made me care that Romeo died, which is an epic feat in itself.

I worked with a YMCA handyman for a couple summers, and was surprised by his intelligence. He's the kind of guy who you meet and think "redneck!" but he has an incredible memory for names. He remembers new names even if he only sees the new person from across camp after hearing their name in passing. That's impressive to me, 'cause I can't remember names for anything. He could likely also make it to meeting Trebec, even if he didn't win.

[Optimystik]

Oh, for my two I forgot to mention why.

They both take an inordinately complicated subject and put it in layman's terms using a very entertaining and accessible medium. I never really understood the LHC until I watched that video, and even after xkcd I know very little about Sierpinski's Triangle besides what it looks like, but I still come away feeling like I learned something.

[Cicciograna]

As I am taking a specialization in Physics, I keep in contact with many really intelligent people. There are two that I would mention: my Elementary Particle teacher, Paolo Strolin, which is really one of the most intelligent men I ever met; he has been the spokesman for OPERA Experiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opera_Experiment) for a long time, and now he's in a joint project between Japan and Italy, a project called Mu-Ray (http://mu-ray.fisica.unina.it/collaboration.shtml), whose aim is to use neutrino's beams for volcanologic research.
The other person is Giovanni De Lellis, one of the youngest researchers in Italy, a really important member of OPERA Experiment, as well as other particle-related projects such as ATLAS and CHORUS: he's taken in great regard at CERN, as he's very, very competent.

[Dihan]

Any definition of intelligence that allows everyone to be intelligent is useless (silly PC-ness...). Pick the "type of intelligence" that you believe most fits. And if you say "physical intelligence" I will rip your head off.:smallyuk:

I don't count that as intelligence - that's just brawns. Not many people excel at everything. One person may be intelligent in a different area than someone else, even if that person is more intelligent overall.

[Thufir]

Actually, though I still don't want to pick a definite 'most intelligent person I know of', Einstein is a definite candidate (It helps that I've been revising relativity). But seriously, he recognised the incredible value in the concept of relativity, to the point where rather than dropping it, he instead introduced the then more-or-less unthinkable concept of relative time.
He also devised the summation convention, IIRC, which while not on quite the same level, is incredibly useful.

[Eldariel]

Alright, to question #1, talking only of people I know: Now that I think about it, my college math lecturer (I went into a mathematically specialized college); does military projects right now (coincidentally, I served in the place where he works), but easily whirls around programming, physics and math with his left hand and overall competes in those math competitions on global level. Among the best three mathematicians in Finland. He's the only guy who's actually "wow":ed me to my memory. Although my peers back then were pretty amazing too; the company there was the only company where I've ever felt of average intellect.

[GoC]

He also devised the summation convention, IIRC, which while not on quite the same level, is incredibly useful.

Don't forget his pioneering work in thermodynamics!

[DraPrime]

Of people I know, my dad. He isn't exactly a great father, but he is very intelligent. He had to be to get a PhD at MIT.

[Collin152]

I always lie when I'm answering this question. I tell people I like that they're smarter than me, and as they then point out to me, that's simply not true.

I guess without an objective means of measuring intelligence, though, it's simply not possible for me to supply an adequate answer.

[Berserk Monk]

Fictional: Ozymandias
Real life: my senior year science teacher

[GoC]

Fictional: Ozymandias

Fictional doesn't count.

Collin152: Think you're smarter than me?:smallwink:

[Arlion]

Intelligence is a very relative term.Whats intelligence?most people i know think that intelligence is about knowing a lot of stuff,or being good in maths,or getting good grades,but really most of that people arent really smart.In my opinion,someone intelligent is someone who can think by himself,and know how small he really is,and how little he knows about everything.Someone who can memorize a bunch of names,dates and things is not intelligent.And i think that someone who considers himself the smartest person they know ,is someone who actually knows very little,and think that things are actually simpler than what they really are.

[GoC]

most people i know think that intelligence is about knowing a lot of stuff,or being good in maths,or getting good grades
:smallconfused:
Only a fool could believe that. Getting good grades might indeed be a symptom of intelligence but your actual intelligence can probably be better aproximated by your level of understanding divided by the time you put into it.


And i think that someone who considers himself the smartest person they know ,is someone who actually knows very little,and think that things are actually simpler than what they really are.
It could actually be someone who looked at the data and realized that per his/her definition of "smart" he/she is the smartest person he/she knows.

[Je dit Viola]

I don't think intelligence should be understanding/time spent because nearly every intelligent person (that I know) realizes that they have to spend time to really be intelligent. Take, well, anything. The lightbulb. Created by Thomas Edison, spent forever trying to get it to work. Einstein: spent forever on the same subject, that didn't make him any less intelligent. In fact, he's one of the most intellingent people in history.

Genius: 2% (milk) inspriation, 98% perspiration. The way I see it, the more time someone spends on something, the more intelligent they are likely to be.

And I also think that true intelligence is being able to get things simplifed without oversimplifying it - anyone can write a 1 sentence introdution on water, but they'll leave stuff out. Anyone who needs a life can write a hundred page essay on water, but they'll also leave stuff out and bore their readers to death. The trick is getting it long enough to understand, but short enough to care.

[Szilard]

Probably me, as nothing my teachers and other adults I have known really done something that I would consider smarter-than-usual.

Well, there's a few of my friends, but we're all really smart, so it's not saying much.

[Rutskarn]

Probably a guy named Tandy Bozeman. The man is absurdly smart in a thousand ways. He's been a Major General in the air force, he's well-versed in archaeology, he's an excellent photographer, and he can answer questions on just about any subject you throw at him.

I'm jealous.

[GoC]

I don't think intelligence should be understanding/time spent because nearly every intelligent person (that I know) realizes that they have to spend time to really be intelligent.
I meant that it would be a better estimate of that type of intelligence. Learning/time is different to creating/time.


Genius: 2% (milk) inspriation, 98% perspiration.
I disagree. Genius is independent of the time you spend on things (though you mind can be improved by thought and use). But showing it's symptoms requires that large amount of prespiration.

I'd say a possible type of intelligence could be the ability to translate a sentence into logical form and adjust your expectations based on the new information (essentially "learning" it).

[Flame of Anor]

It could actually be someone who looked at the data and realized that per his/her definition of "smart" he/she is the smartest person he/she knows.

Well, yes, though such a person should consider the possibility that the definition s/he is using could be personally skewed.

[Starscream]

I'm going to say Stephen Hawking for person I've never met. Einstein as well, although I'm more familiar with the effects of his discoveries than his actual work. With Hawking I've actually read his books and they are brilliant.

I'm in a scientific major at one of the largest universities in the world, so probably one of my professors would be the smartest person I've met. I can't simply choose one though, there have been multiple people who have astounded me with their ability to solve complex math or physics problems in their head.

They have also convinced me that mad scientists are very much real. I could easily see some of these guys cackling while assembling a death ray that comes out of a volcano.:smallwink:

[GoC]

Well, yes, though such a person should consider the possibility that the definition s/he is using could be personally skewed.

But that does not render the conclusion invalid.

Starscream: Which uni do you go to? I still lament not being a bit smarter with my uni applications...

[Collin152]

Collin152: Think you're smarter than me?:smallwink:

If you'd like me to answer that, I'm afraid you're going to need to be more specific.

[GoC]

If you'd like me to answer that, I'm afraid you're going to need to be more specific.

Compare the minds of GoC and Collin152.:smalltongue:

[Lupy]

Compare the minds of GoC and Collin152.:smalltongue:

I think at least one watching demigod will spare us all the horror and end the world now! :smalltongue:

I would say the smartest person ever is someone no one knows something about, only what he did. And what he did is decide to try and make a fire by himself. :smallamused:

[Collin152]

Compare the minds of GoC and Collin152.:smalltongue:

The words etch themselves into the base of your skull:
"Very well."
Collin:

http://www.summeroflovecraft.com/images/cthulhu-6.jpg

GoC:

http://www.iconsoffright.com/Godzilla/godzilla_203300.jpg

[Starscream]

Starscream: Which uni do you go to? I still lament not being a bit smarter with my uni applications...

Ohio State. Although I must admit, there are some dumb professors as well. And a few TAs who stay about one lesson ahead of the class they are teaching.

But I'm a senior now, so the teachers I get tend to be real experts in their field (Computer Science & Engineering).

[GoC]

The words etch themselves into the base of your skull:
"Very well."
Collin:

http://www.summeroflovecraft.com/images/cthulhu-6.jpg

GoC:

http://www.iconsoffright.com/Godzilla/godzilla_203300.jpg

My comparison:
Collin: (screen stretcher)

http://img2.gelbooru.com/images/378/50cbd92f8eb094e9fa4cae851e8d646f8737cd32.jpg

GoC:
http://perso.ens-lyon.fr/florent.bouchez/discworld/images/death.jpg

[Rutskarn]

Are we posting glamor shots of ourselves? I want to join in!

[GoC]

Are we posting glamor shots of ourselves? I want to join in!

Umm... ok, as long as you actually contribute to the thread as well.

[Collin152]

My comparison:
Collin: (screen stretcher)

http://img2.gelbooru.com/images/378/50cbd92f8eb094e9fa4cae851e8d646f8737cd32.jpg

GoC:
http://perso.ens-lyon.fr/florent.bouchez/discworld/images/death.jpg

Okay, now explain your metaphors.
I chose mine because, like Cthulhu, I have the potential for worldshattering cataclysmic levels of X, but until then, all there really is is excessive talk of it by other people. You, on the other hand, have metaphorically destroyed Tokyo a couple times--but it always gets rebuilt.

[Recaiden]

My comparison:

Collin152
http://www.notcliche.com/lbw/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/s_haruhi.jpg

GoC
http://www.deviantart.com/download/80474514/Zero_Lelouch_by_SetoKakashiluver.png

For most intelligent, I would say Einstein is a strong contender, but I'm not sure. I would determine it by ability to learn and ability to develop new ideas.

Clearly, death represents logic and consciousness, while the kitten is knowledge. The chair is the universe. While the other picture,.... I have no real idea.

[Collin152]

My comparison:

Collin152
http://www.notcliche.com/lbw/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/s_haruhi.jpg


!
Guess what Anime I've been watching for the first time all of today?
Guess who made the same comparison?

My new metaphor:
Collin:

http://www.rbhs.w-cook.k12.il.us/mancoff/tiresias.jpg

Now if I could just hear your reasoning, that'd be great! You know, for like, the records and such.

[Hadrian_Emrys]

I think it's important that everyone is speaking the same language:

Knowledge: Information.
Experience: The amount of exposure one has had to various knowledge.
Intelligence: The ability to aquire and retain knowledge from experience.
Wisdom: The ability to utilise one's intelligence effectively.

[Recaiden]

That you have amazing power, but just want to use it to have fun.

[Trog]

The most intelligent person whom I know personally would have to be my cousin. Valedictorian of his class and just whip smart about so many things. :smallcool: To my surprise he once told me that I was the smartest person he knew. :smalleek:

Smartest person alive and whom I do not know personally might be Stephen Hawking I guess.

Smartest person ever I'll go with a toss up between Einstein and Gautama Buddha. Both had it pretty on the ball. :smallwink:

[THAC0]

Ohio State.

Boo. Hiss.

*waves her Penn State flag around*

:smallbiggrin:

[Extra_Crispy]

Smartest Person I personally know, I would have to say it is a tie. Myself and my friend Ken.

I graduated Nursing school with hardly opening a book, it just came easy, as well as passing the NCLEX (the test graduates have to pass to actually work as a nurse) with only a couple days study and then only a few hours each day. I have seen and heard of a lot of people that studied for weeks, many hours a day, and still failed that test. I also know a fair amount about commputers (many of my previous jobs were in this field) and I know a good amount about repairing cars (see below)

My friend Ken because he is also a college graduate and works GIS (geographical information service). It is hard to explain as I really don't know half the stuff he has told me he has done but he is very smart.

The one person that has made me go WOW though would have to be my father. He graduated highschool as an average student and never went to college, is now retired Air Force and a auto mechanic. He is not the smartest person I know in many subjects but when it comes to problems with vechicles he is almost gifted. I have seen him jury-rig things to fix problems that I would never have thought of. Short version of a story about this is that the carburetor on a car I owned was not working and in 20 min my father had built, from a cloths hanger and some sheet metal he had laying around, a mechanical add on that allowed the carb to work. The car even had better pickup but got a little less miles per gallon. He has also worked out problems on air craft when he was in the Air Force that had a team of engineers, the ones that designed the craft, baffeled.

[ghost_warlock]

Among my close, personal associates the concensus is that I'm probably the smartest. Definitely one of the sneakiest... :smallamused:

Among my family, I'm probably 2nd or 3rd...hard to say exactly. I used to think of a particular cousin as the most intelligent person I've personally met, but she's recently deeply disappointed me. Unless she's setting up some kind of insanely complex Xanatos roulette, she's made a few really hairbrained decisions in recent years.

There's a number of my GitP-friends that I think are smarter than me, but I'm not going to name names and gratify egos/risk offending people because I didn't include them in my list. :smallwink:

Among historical people, I'd probably have to say Einstein, although I have a lot of respect for a few other great minds.

[H. Zee]

I thought I was intelligent until I met my girlfriend, who finds it difficult not to get 100% in every exam she takes and who seems to make most of her money out of winning various school prizes throughout the year.

The only thing I'm better than her at is writing stories. And making ridiculously cheesy jokes. :smallbiggrin:

Among people in history, definitely Leonardo da Vinci. When you read in Discworld about Leonard of Quirm, keep in mind that this is only a slight exaggeration.

[Dr. Bath]

Loads of people. To name but a few: Some of the research scientists I spoke to at CERN, one of my maths teachers, The former head of the Cutlers guild, my parents, my godfather, my godmother blah blah blah.

It is most definitely not me.

Stephen Hawking needs a mention too, he really is very intelligent.

Being good at something without putting in effort never strikes me as intelligence. Really , it's kinda stupid. Just think what you would be capable of if you did apply yourself properly.

[Felixaar]

Intelligence is a word with shaky definition, and there is very little way to describe exactly who is the most intelligent - well all know this, and I won't bother going into detail about it.

Beware: Mind Boggling Truth Lies Below
That being said, the most intelligent person I know or know of is by far, the ever-lovely Dragonrider. She's the only person I've ever met that I can honestly and proudly say is more intelligent than me, a fact that not only did it take me some time to realize, but one that I am still in the process of learning to fully appreciate. Already in the brief time we've known eachother, she's taught me a lot, not the least of all many new words for my vocabulary.

Oh, but for the love of Steve (or Stan if you're into that kind of thing), don't tell her :smallamused: after all, where would the fun in that be?

[GoC]

Okay, now explain your metaphors.
I chose mine because, like Cthulhu, I have the potential for worldshattering cataclysmic levels of X, but until then, all there really is is excessive talk of it by other people. You, on the other hand, have metaphorically destroyed Tokyo a couple times--but it always gets rebuilt.

I choose the most insane mind I know of to represent you. I chose an alien mind with a very different perspective than most people to represent me.

Sorry it's not as deep as your choices. Now that you've explained them I think I chose poorly on the metaphore... yours or Recaiden's are better.:smallfrown:


Beware: Mind Boggling Truth Lies Below
That being said, the most intelligent person I know or know of is by far, the ever-lovely Dragonrider. She's the only person I've ever met that I can honestly and proudly say is more intelligent than me, a fact that not only did it take me some time to realize, but one that I am still in the process of learning to fully appreciate. Already in the brief time we've known eachother, she's taught me a lot, not the least of all many new words for my vocabulary.

I've heard that the succesful unschooled generally have that effect. Supposedly the way they think is so different that it startles people...

[Hadrian_Emrys]

Grades are a terrible way to determine one's IQ. From 1st to 8th, I danced between d's and f's on my report cards, yet managed to ace far more tests than not. When I was 15, after two years of "home schooling" (more like 730 days of Diablo II :smalltongue:), I took the CHSPE (California High School Proficiency Exam) and went right on to college with no trouble. Schools tend to be a standardized joke, and a bad one at that.

[Quincunx]

Different mode of thought? Dragonrider is not a type to be found in your own high school? Well, crap, if Dragonrider's mode is different to y'all, no wonder. . .

As far as GitP goes, I'll make way for SDF and Thes Hunter, with an uneasy suspicion that if The Rose Dragon ever spoke about his coursework, I'd have to get out of his way also. There's musical intelligence here I cannot hope to match, but they've gone silent and I can't recall the names. No philosopher here fazes me.

[GoC]

As far as GitP goes, I'll make way for SDF and Thes Hunter, with an uneasy suspicion that if The Rose Dragon ever spoke about his coursework, I'd have to get out of his way also. There's musical intelligence here I cannot hope to match, but they've gone silent and I can't recall the names. No philosopher here fazes me.

What stood out about those particular people?
Anyone not from giantitp?

[Pyrian]

Intelligence. I've seen far too much evidence that it's not a single-dimensional attribute to honestly give much thought to who's smarter than who. In other words, the smartest people I know in any given respect (or several given respects) are always remarkably oblivious in other respects. It catches me off-guard sometimes.

[Phaedra]

Intelligence. I've seen far too much evidence that it's not a single-dimensional attribute to honestly give much thought to who's smarter than who. In other words, the smartest people I know in any given respect (or several given respects) are always remarkably oblivious in other respects. It catches me off-guard sometimes.

This. I can't really pin down one person I know as the "most intelligent". They operate in different fields, how can I compare them? And, as Pyrian's pointed out, all of them tend to be kinda dumb in certain areas too. An ex of mine, for example, was one of the best people I've ever known to have a philosophical discussion with, but I don't believe he ever got higher than a D in any exam in any subject. Equally, my supervisor is probably the most traditionally intelligent person I know at the moment but doesn't seem to be able to remember what she told me to do only a few days previously, though I concede this may just be disinterest on her part.

[GoC]

Then define intelligence in such a way that it's linear.

[Collin152]

I choose the most insane mind I know of to represent you. I chose an alien mind with a very different perspective than most people to represent me.

Sorry it's not as deep as your choices. Now that you've explained them I think I chose poorly on the metaphore... yours or Recaiden's are better.:smallfrown:


Now if only I recognized just who that insane mind is...

At which point I can decide whether or not you should have chosen:

http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Watchmen-the-watchmen-215413_225_185.jpg

[toasty]

3 people I've met/known personally.

My friend Brian. Student at Uni of Chicago. I've always known he was smart, but about 2 years (when he took his SAT and stuff) I realized how much of a genius he was. He's just... really smart.

My latin Teacher. First off, he's speaks 3 languages; two of which are dead. :smallbiggrin: second off he's been the most helpful teacher I know and seems to well... just know a LOT about tons of different things.

Dr. Jay Wile, author of my science textbooks. I met him at a conference in Thailand where he was a guest speaker. He's brilliant. (of course, seeing as he has a PhD in nuclear physics or something like that I'm not surprised) but the guy really is quite smart.

As for smartest person in history... Einstein or Netwon probably.

[Felixaar]

Oh, when I was talking about the person I named earlier, I didn't really mean school grades and knowledge intelligence. It's a rather wide area, more about wisdom than book smarts. Though she has both.

I should also point out that Pyrian is one of the smartest people I know, too. He's the kind of guy I would always go to for manly advice, and he is not only able to see things some others wouldn't, but easily explain them to those of us who wouldn't've picked up on it.

Oh, and Quincunx is very smart, too. At least, I assume so - she's far too confusing for me to work it out :smallbiggrin:

You've probably noticed I'm only really name Playgrounders - it's mostly because I haven't met a lot of the people I "know of" and thus can't comment. Plus, I've never received any decent evidence to suggest people of celebrity are particularly smart.

Oooh, except Micheal Crichton. Dude was awesome. Miss him.