Who is the smartest person alive today?

[Mr. Robin Parsons]

If you look at smartest in the sense of "knowledgability" then you find many many specialized people in the world, many of them the top in their field, hence "the smartest person in the world" in that category, or class, right? but a good generalist, ceding to all the specialists, will in the end, be able to make connections between the specialities, that the specialist's themselves, cannot, or do not, make, because of their 'speciality'...more in the direction, if it holds in general view, after presentation the work of genius...that becomes 'seen' as the smartest, but it is an unfair title, to begin with, because of it's 'diversablitiy'...

So without evidence of the work of a Genius, we are left with a notion that is fun but unfulfilling, or perhaps too easily fillable on individual biases...

 

[The_Professional]

Originally posted by Mr. Robin Parsons
Then they are in 'self denial' and that isn't very smart, now is it?

Humble perhaps

 

[Thallium]

My mom and my astronomer fellow are two of the smartest I know of.

 

[Mentat]

Originally posted by Monique
I think arrogant behaviour and lack of discussion w/ other people is not smart either (coming forth of thinking to be the smartest of all).

I think a truly intelligent person admits the faults right along with the virtues. Thus, the most intelligent person would know that they were intelligent, but would never brag.

btw, I'm with chroot, Ed Witten is definitely the most intelligent person I know of (and Hawking does kind of suck, IMHO).

 

[Dagenais]

Originally posted by Mentat
I think a truly intelligent person admits the faults right along with the virtues. Thus, the most intelligent person would know that they were intelligent, but would never brag.

btw, I'm with chroot, Ed Witten is definitely the most intelligent person I know of (and Hawking does kind of suck, IMHO).

Hmmm...and why not William Gates?

Just wondering.

 

[jimmy p]

A lot of Physicists seem to be mentioned, what about other scientists? Are there no great chemists or biologists? If i had to vote i would say Bill Gates as well i suppose, because of above reasons AND all the hackers put viruses everywhere, but he deals with them.

Gates 1, Nerds/Geeks/Hackers 0

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by jammieg
Not simply meant to butter anyone's biscuit but I would guess the smartest person in the world is oneself, if they have the desire and will and perserverance to change for the better, because no one can tell another what they have to do or must not or can or can't do but they can suggest the ways and it's up to oneself to climb or descend or be lazy, but sitting around talking about it leaves one to percieve the world as much as the complexity of their own mind perceives the world, and so one can learn a great deal from the savants as much as from the idiots because being wise should be the aim if they choose and accepting and understanding one's own idiocy is required to further that aim, the capacity to make change is more important than knowing anyone thing for absolute certainty, because change is evolution and everyone has the capacity to change a little or a lot of what they percieve that they can't, and learn from it, often I think people think they are stuck in life and they have given up but I doubt it, I think it's easier sometimes to give up and let others do the work and everyone has to rest from time to time but that doesn't mean people can't go back and try again, it's possible that this world is a reflection of everyone's mind so if one can figure out how to free up someone elses mind a bit they also learn to free up their own a bit, strange but true it seems.

That is a LOT of words to have only one period!

Why do so many people seem to think that self-confidence is such an abhorable trait?
If I am an intelligent person, would it be wrong to say, "I am an intelligent person."?
Granted, unwarranted self-confidence and cockienss is annoying to say the very least, but to be proud of who you are and your personal achievements should not be frowned upon at all.
Why is abject humility praised?

I think it is most likely rooted in jealousy of those that recognize that the speaker is being truthful, and have no valid criticizms to make.

 

[MacTech]

define smartest? Steve is no doubt a brilliant man with the highest iq, but is iq really the determinate that you want to define smart! if you were to consider the question of the smartest man ever, you probably would say Albert right? but with the grounds of only having iq as a determinate then Albert would in most views not be the smartest man ever. (link)

 

[Thallium]

Originally posted by MacTech
define smartest? Steve is no doubt a brilliant man with the highest iq, but is iq really the determinate that you want to define smart! if you were to consider the question of the smartest man ever, you probably would say Albert right? but with the grounds of only having iq as a determinate then Albert would in most views not be the smartest man ever. (link)

A very good point. Howver, I would appreciate somone with an IQ of 190 or 200(if that has ever been measured) as much as one with 160.

 

[The_Professional]

How come no one mentioned Richard Feynman, he's smart.

On a different note, people have told me I'm a smartass

 

[LeBrad]

Originally posted by The_Professional
How come no one mentioned Richard Feynman, he's smart.

Because he died in 1988.

Personally, I like Stephen Wolfram.

 

[Dagenais]

Originally posted by Thallium
A very good point. Howver, I would appreciate somone with an IQ of 190 or 200(if that has ever been measured) as much as one with 160.

Aren't IQ tests biased?

What if a person isn't good at taking timed tests?

 

[Mr. Robin Parsons]

What's the difference between being 'seen' as Smart and being 'seen' as a Genius?

 

[The_Professional]

Originally posted by LeBrad
Because he died in 1988.

Personally, I like Stephen Wolfram.

He's still alive...in a parallel universe that is

 

[Nereid]

Gro Brundtland
George Soros
Warren Buffett
Alan Greenspan
Linus Pauling
Andrew Wiles

... there's a human dimension to 'smart', to do with ability to succeed within the circumstances of your life. In this regard, the 'smartest' people today are almost certainly unknown to us. Ditto historically, but we can note a few:
- Hildegard von Bingen
- Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Khwarizmi
- Srinivasa Aiyangar Ramanujan

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by The_Professional
Sports: Michael Jordan, the guy's a totally awesome baseball player especially when he hits those home runs. He's just amazing.

Am I the first person to catch this? MJ played basketball;).

I think the smartest person alive is..whatever chroot said...because he's always right.

Someday I hope I am as knowledgeable as all of you people.

 

[one_raven]

Originally posted by Decker
Am I the first person to catch this? MJ played basketball;).

He also played baseball for the White Sox Minor League team for about a season.

 

[Dagenais]

Originally posted by Mr. Robin Parsons
What's the difference between being 'seen' as Smart and being 'seen' as a Genius?

Are you asking me? [?]

A genius is smarter, than just being smart.

 

[Thallium]

Originally posted by kenikov
Aren't IQ tests biased?

What if a person isn't good at taking timed tests?

I did not say that IQ tests is the one and only righteous truth. You do have a point. I am not good at taking timed tests as far as I know, but I know how to solve the problems/tasks. I have taken very few IQ tests and neither of them were completed. I like these tests, not because they let you know what level you are on, but because they are good brain-teasers and goo thought-practise.

Are you good at timed tests?

 

[NewChange]

Mega-genius Jim Diamond has an immeasurable IQ based on all major IQ tests to date. His genius isn't limited to a specific subject but rather everything.

He claims to have a genius formula which I haven't verified. But having read the content on his web-page (http://www.mega-genius.com), I consider him a candidate as one of the smartest people. His wisdom sets him apart from most others.

I would start by reading http://www.mega-genius.com/who_is_he.htm .

 

[Thallium]

I would be quite skeptical to this website. I cannot know if it is contrived or for real, but all the commercial and praise of this man is extremely exaggerated. There exist people with an IQ of over 190, that is certain, but this website is impregnated with bragging and the repetition of his enormous intelligence and how magical and wonderful his talents are seems to be intended to affect the site-visitor so that he/she will eventually buy the cassettes/tapes etc,.

Be wary.

 

[Mr. Robin Parsons]

Originally posted by kenikov
Are you asking me? [?]
A genius is smarter, than just being smart.

I was just asking the question to see if anyone knew, "What you see in 'others' is the truth, as it arises, from within you" or "You will only recognize what you (already) know" so it would be an interesting challenge (sorta) to figure out just how Genius gains it's recognition...like that!

 

[hitssquad]

Social Sciences forum for IQ questions

Originally posted by kenikov
Aren't IQ tests biased?

What if a person isn't good at taking timed tests?

We are discussing IQ tests over in the Social Sciences forum. If you post your IQ questions there, I will answer them.
https://www.physicsforums.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=85





-Chris

 

[jimmy p]

off subject, The Professional, is that Chris Cornell writing for Soundgarden or Audioslave?

 

[The_Professional]

Originally posted by Decker
Am I the first person to catch this? MJ played basketball;).

It was meant as a joke

Originally posted by jimmy p
off subject, The Professional, is that Chris Cornell writing for Soundgarden or Audioslave?

That song was off the soundtrack from Great Expectations. It's an acoustic solo.

 

[timejim]

Originally posted by kenikov
Aren't IQ tests biased?

What if a person isn't good at taking timed tests?

I agree. It can be nice sometimes to be around a dummy. Things aren't so complicated with them.

 

[Thallium]

Ghandi
Emmy Noether
Bobby Sands

Ghandi is perhaps rather a symbol of wisdom and humbleness.

 

[meteor]

Sometimes I have doubt between deciding who are more intelligent, physicists or mathematicians. I think that physicists are more intelligent, since they need to possesses a great creativity. What do you think?

 

[Mr. Robin Parsons]

Originally posted by timejim
I agree. It can be nice sometimes to be around a dummy. Things aren't so complicated with them.

So, if I am not that good at taking tests, I am therefore "a dummy" what?? HUH??

May not have had good test scores, but, God Willing, I'll run your head into the ground on complexity...please don't be so assumptive, as it demonstrates a lack of intelligence...(ability to learn)

 

[timejim]

Originally posted by Thallium
Ghandi
Emmy Noether
Bobby Sands

Ghandi is perhaps rather a symbol of wisdom and humbleness.

I should have considered Mother Theresa, after all, one who lives there life in such a way as to have a guaranteed place in "Heaven", is truly the wisest of the wise. Timejim

 

[The_Professional]

Originally posted by NewChange
Mega-genius Jim Diamond has an immeasurable IQ based on all major IQ tests to date. His genius isn't limited to a specific subject but rather everything.

He claims to have a genius formula which I haven't verified. But having read the content on his web-page (http://www.mega-genius.com), I consider him a candidate as one of the smartest people. His wisdom sets him apart from most others.

From the site:

Each 90 minute audio cassette contains two separate lectures, each of which averages some 40 minutes.

In this day and age of cd's and dvd's and other portable media. "Mr. Mega Genius" still sells in the audio cassette format. Not very genius if you ask me. Not to mention very inconvenient and time consuming as you'll have to fast forward and rewind to get to the specific lecture you want to hear.

I only buy whoppers at Burger King

 

[timejim]

Originally posted by Monique
How do you define smartest person?
And why Stephen Hawking?

Oh, has anyone considered hillary clinton

 

[suji kimoko]

link starbureiy is the smartest person in the world

I think a truly intelligent person admits the faults right along with the virtues. Thus, the most intelligent person would know that they were intelligent, but would never brag.

btw, I'm with chroot, Ed Witten is definitely the most intelligent person I know of (and Hawking does kind of suck, IMHO).

Ed Witten is rumormill, no? My pick is the black Einstein Link Starbureiy as the smartest person alive or otherwise. Christopher M Hirata is a close second. Link Starbureiy created a technology and the pixel industry on top of that. EVERYBODY at Caltech makes legend out of Hirata.

 

[Benzoate]

How come know has yet mentioned any of the famous savants. I definitely nominated Daniel Tammett. The guy can learn a new language within a week.

 

[B. Elliott]

Kim Peek