Save Our Species – S.O.S.

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How many times have you heard say that “there’s a fine line between genius and madness”? Yes, it’s a truism but what is it about this statement that rings true with us? In terms of the effect on an individuals life, these two states couldn’t appear to be more different.

Genius on one hand, though possibly mistrusted by many, is still respected and revered for the benefits it can bestow on an individual and society. The genius’s gifts often allow them to prosper greatly in society. If the genius applies their gift altruistically like Einstein did they are revered and idolised by society for the quantum leaps they allow humanity to take. Even if genius is used exclusively for personal gain or criminal activity, society has a closet respect for the uniqueness of the talent the individual displays. How many stories have been written and movies made that revolve around an evil genius as the central character?

Chambers dictionary defines the word genius as ‘someone who has outstanding creative or intellectual ability’. The entomology of the word is 16c: Latin, meaning ‘guardian spirit’ or ‘deity’. Interestingly, the plural of genius is genii, which also translates as ‘a spirit with the power to grant wishes’. Do we believe that genius allow us to grant our own wishes? Could this be the source our fascination?

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Madness on the other hand is feared and reviled by society. The stigma attached to mental illness so damaging that society is still reluctant to discuss the subject openly and honestly. Individual sufferers are usually incapable of functioning in society by themselves let alone prospering. They are vulnerable and dependent on others to look after their well being and cater for their material needs. The loss of control and self determination associated with mental illness terrifies us. So much so that through out history we have tried our best to hide from the subject,  locking those who remind us by their unfortunate presence in institutions and sanatoriums where we can’t see them.

If the physical manifestation of the two conditions can be so different, how do we instinctively know that they are closely related? What is it about genius and madness that links them so closely that we know that there is a fine line separating them?

The race to create artificial intelligence has spawned a big scientific effort to understand what constitutes intelligence. Recent theories suggest that what we describe as intelligence is actually the ability to identify patterns in things.  IQ tests, the accepted norm by which we measure intelligence use our ability to spot patterns in words, numbers and shapes as an indicator of intelligence.

Patterns in nature

The evolutionary competitive advantage in being able to identify patterns that others cannot detect is clear. For example, noticing patterns in seasons allowed our ancestors to start planting their own crops at the right time of year and move from nomadic to settled lifestyles. Noticing patterns in the stars allowed us to set to sea and start exploring an unknown world, then navigate home safely. Noticing patterns in the weather allowed prediction of storms so the boats could dock in safe harbours. Noticing patterns in our own bodies allowed the development of modern medicine. Nowadays, individuals who are good at seeing patterns can make millions playing the stock markets apparently gambling on turns in markets that they can see coming days, weeks even months before the rest of us. Consistently buying and selling stock at at just the right time to make the best profit, may seem like like magic to those of us who can’t see the patterns. To those who can though, it’s just the writing on the wall.

The more intelligent an individual, the more they are able to see subtle patterns. Those that we describe as genii are individuals who are so uniquely sensitive that they can detect patterns that are completely invisible to normal individuals and would never be noticed without the genius’s vision. The natural patterns these individuals notice and bring to societies attention can bring great benefit to the whole species just as Einstein did with his vision of relativity.

Fractel Paterns at Pool Harbour

The evolutionary pressure on us to be able to see ever more subtle patterns in nature can lead to problems. If we start to see patterns that aren’t there or start to imagine links between things, which don’t exist, according to modern theories of intelligence, we have just stepped over the fine line from genius to madness. For example, when you see the same person every morning on your way to work, if you start to see a pattern that they are following you when in fact they work in the building next door to yours, you are starting to see patterns that aren’t real or assign meaning to them, which don’t exist. We label people who start to see this sort of pattern as paranoid, possibly complicated with schizophrenia.

There’s more to come on this topic but I don’t want to put you to sleep so for now thats all. In the meanwhile why not try this little test just for fun.

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