The Nature of Genius - Dispositionism (incomplete)

A great deal has been written on the development of genius focusing upon neurological structures, heredity and social conditioning. Here, I would like to add a concept to our understanding of the development of the human mind.

Dispositionism means that each individual exhibits a range of behaviours that are selectively reinforced and thence evolve into habitual responses and patterns of thought. Those initial behaviours are "determined" by elements of social conditioning, genetic factors and an element of chance. Some individuals with little talent are able to overcome this difficiency by a combination of great external stimulation and perhaps an amount of luck. Equally, those with great genetic potential, and outstanding environmental influences may fall down through chance occurrences.

Let us examine some examples. John Stuart Mill is best known as the one who brought Utilitarianism into everyday usage. Many who have learnt of Mill's theories and ideas have overlooked his extraordinary upbringing. Quite simply, Mill received one of the most intensive and extensive educational and mental development programs that has ever been known.



John Stuart Mill thus provides an example of how powerful external stimulii may be in the development of a great mind. Would Mill have been successful in his path had his father not taken such an interest in his education? Nobody can really say with any degree of certainty. However, we can be sure that the foundation of intellectual development that placed Mill 25 years ahead of his contemporaries positioned him uniquely, and ensured that he would at the least be an outstandingly average individual.



In all we can see a variety of factors contribute to the development of a genius. It is difficult to say that this is really the way human beings operate in an experimental sense due to the difficulties in eliminating chance. However, this certainly provides a model for interpreting and understanding the development of great minds - and the failure to do so. While we can not predict with absolute certainty do to the intrinsic random nature of the chance variable, we can certainly improve the odds of nurturing great minds.

Some Time Management Ideas

• Get your priorities straight.


• Think in terms of outcomes, rather than tasks.


• Use your down-time


• Showup Early


• Review your progress

When using a Palm or other personal information management system...

Organise tasks by context

I carry a Palm with me almost all the time, and arrange my tasks in the
following categories:

• @Agendas - Issues to discuss with people when I speak with them next


• @Anywhere - Tasks that can be done anywhere


• @Computer - At my laptop. This may also be online.


• @Home - Around my home


• @Karate - At one of my karate training venues


• @Road - While travelling or out and about, such as picking up some
  salmon for sushi tonight


• @Uni - At University (I am in my final year of an MBA)


• Calls - People to phone


• Project - Some basic Project outlines. My detailed projects are stored
  in Shadow or in MemoPad


• Waiting - Waiting for somebody else to do something with.

Routines

• Anytime tasks
  
  Review projects and ideas, and put them into memos, and ticklers, due
  dates and milestones, and put them into datebook


• End of day
  
  Update todo's from Projects: memo->todo; Update "today"
  memo (or, in my case, datebook/todo); HappyOMeter (record daily highlights);
  Next todo for each category. Todo should record what should be done
  asap.

Time Management for School Students

Coming soon...

The Ten Points of Pythagoras

The great mathematician founded a mystery school whose effects are still felt today. While I have often thought back to my earliest studies of Pythagoras, for some reason, a review and restatement of his points felt appropriate today. Some of his principles are very interesting to note:

1. Walk in unfrequented paths. Wisdom comes from solitude.


2. Govern your tongue. Where in doubt, be silent.


3. Adore the sound of the wind blowing. It is the voice of God.


4. Assist in raising a burden, but not in laying it down.


5. Speak not without light.


6. Having parted your house, turn not back; the furies will be your attendants.


7. The Human body is sacred.


8. Receive not a swallow into your house. Do not allow drifting thoughts or shiftless persons to enter your life; instead surround yourself with rationally inspired thinkers and conscientious workers.


9. Offer not your right hand easily.
   
   
10. When rising from bedclothes, obliterate the impression of your body... Eliminate the recollection of spiritual darkness; look forwards only.

Pythagoras led one of the great mystery schools of the ancient world. While we know little for certain about their teachings, the have left us many signs, symbols and ideas.

The Pythagoreans dealt with many deep issues, and were surrounded by the ignorant. To keep their ideas and their lives safe, they needed to engage in information management. The Ten Points of Pythagoras give some of the fundamental attitudes and mechanisms that this was carried out. I believe that there is great relevance for these ideas to modern-day thinkers.