Re:Why Talent Is Overrated
by xiaoma on Wednesday October 22, 2008 @01:59PM
(#340309)
Like the rest of the body, the brain exists in the physical world. All "talent" is based upon physical attributes.
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I was using the dichotomy between physical and mental in this context. Perhaps I didn't make that clear but it seems you are just being difficult for the sake of...well...being difficult. Was my point really that difficult to understand?
I am asking honestly, not to be condescending.
I believe it's a false dichotomy in this context. Our bodies and brains are both shaped by our genetics as well as our experiences.
Small differences in heredity can have drastic effects on mental limits. Those limits may not be as easy to see as height is, but they are real, nonetheless.
If those limitations are hard to measure, nearly impossible to judge at a glance, and are not guaranteed to even be present in an individual, how do you have a discussion about their effects on a person's success?
Either way, my point was that I felt you should ignore physical attributes not related to mental abilities when discussing talent. I think using them as examples of "talents" making a difference just confuses the issue.