I believe that all the brightest people I have seen, immersed in the study of mathematics and physics, are capable of understanding any of the concepts introduced in those subjects, provided they invest the necessary effort. Of course, there is not enough time to master all branches of any field, but such people can master …
Einstein’s greatest contribution to science came from his strong intuition and his willingness to challenge what was tacitly assumed by science. When Einstein arrived on the scientific scene, it was believed that time was absolute and that everyone in any frame of reference would measure time in the same way. In 1887, the experimental physicist …
When I was a teenager, I believed that highly educated and intelligent people were “smart” in all things. In graduate school, I had a chance to discuss ideas with some of the brightest people on the planet, but was often surprised at their depth of belief in a particular political or religious doctrine. Although their …
Many academically intelligent people succeed brilliantly in life, while others perform modestly, and still others achieve little and live an unfulfilling life. Those who win Nobel Prizes, become billionaire entrepreneurs or world-class surgeons, almost always come from the academically intelligent class of people. Furthermore, many of those who enjoy lives of quality, fulfilled by family, …
Why do many academically intelligent people struggle to succeed in life? Read More »
The answer to this question depends on how we define and measure arrogance. Some dictionaries define arrogance as an “attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner,” while others define it as “an unjustifiable attitude of superiority.” In the first definition, the judgement of someone as “arrogant” is (like beauty) in the eye of the …
Is there a correlation between wealth and arrogance/egocentrism? Read More »
A complete answer to the general question about abstract reasoning would require many pages of discussion, so I will focus only on one tiny example. In the US election of 2024 it became apparent that one of the biggest challenges facing the average American was financial–paying for groceries and meeting financial obligations. With escalating costs, …
Years ago, I served as a mathematics supervisor for a school board serving 50,000 students spread across 70 elementary schools and 16 high schools. My job was to build the K -12 mathematics program, test the students and provide in-service for the teachers. As part of this process, I convened a committee composed of the …
