The relativity of Einstein’s IQ
17 Oct 2012 10:57 PM GMT
Albert Einstein’s IQ or intelligence Quotient has been a topic of discussion for a long long time. His score of 160, considered worthy of a select group of supermen and women in history who seem to dominate one or more fields in arts or sciences or allied matters, has been considered a marker, a watershed. Now, a British girl of Goan origin, Fabiola Mann, has cracked the score of 162 in a UK test, considered one of the world’s toughest tests to measure IQ. This gives her membership to Mensa, the world’s oldest high IQ society and makes her one among the one per cent of people in the worldwide pool of humanity to possess such an astonishing IQ level. But 15 year-old Mann is no geek. She is karate kid, plays chess, plays a number of music instruments and has been doing well in her studies. In short, she is an all-rounder and given her IQ level, perhaps most of it comes rather easy to her. But does that make her an Einstein?
Perhaps not. There is a general tendency among the media and the public to valorise a child prodigy. The problem is that in most cases, such children, who attract great attention for mental feats that are amazing end up losing the whole game, having lost their real genius because of the excessive pressure of their surroundings. Mann could well go that way. To let her not go that way one has to be careful to not ask the moon of her. If she has to achieve greatness, it will happen anyway. And what she needs is an atmosphere to flourish which does not strangle her.
But the question remains, even if she blooms will she become another Einstein? The answer perhaps lies in the name of Kim Ung-yong who managed to secure a staggering score of 210 in an IQ test. Ung-yong who? Yes, he is really not well known and has never come close to the achievements of Einstein. Albert Einstein was not just a scientist of extraordinary genius but a man of vision, humanity and understanding. His work in the field of Quantum Physics, his theories of special and general relativity have given him the name and fame that sits upon him. But there is more to him. IQ numbers were there but numbers alone do not make legends alone! Mann could become a great achiever, only time will tell. But she will not be known for the numbers but for what she manages to achieve for humanity.
Perhaps not. There is a general tendency among the media and the public to valorise a child prodigy. The problem is that in most cases, such children, who attract great attention for mental feats that are amazing end up losing the whole game, having lost their real genius because of the excessive pressure of their surroundings. Mann could well go that way. To let her not go that way one has to be careful to not ask the moon of her. If she has to achieve greatness, it will happen anyway. And what she needs is an atmosphere to flourish which does not strangle her.
But the question remains, even if she blooms will she become another Einstein? The answer perhaps lies in the name of Kim Ung-yong who managed to secure a staggering score of 210 in an IQ test. Ung-yong who? Yes, he is really not well known and has never come close to the achievements of Einstein. Albert Einstein was not just a scientist of extraordinary genius but a man of vision, humanity and understanding. His work in the field of Quantum Physics, his theories of special and general relativity have given him the name and fame that sits upon him. But there is more to him. IQ numbers were there but numbers alone do not make legends alone! Mann could become a great achiever, only time will tell. But she will not be known for the numbers but for what she manages to achieve for humanity.
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