Исследовательская работа "Гениями рождаются или становятся?"

Research conference

GENIUSES: BORN OR BECOME?

                                                      Prepared by: Valiakhmetova Kamilla,

Form 10 “a”

Gymnasium №6

Teacher: Krinitsina Elena Anatolievna

  Perm, 2015

Contents

1. Introduction 3
2. How does our brain work? 4
3. Capability of human brain  5
4. Is there a  gene of genius?  6
5. Characteristics of a genius  6
6. Recognizing a genius in the childhood 10
7. Is it possible to become a genius?  11
8. Is it easy to be a genius? 12
9. Conclusion  13
10. Bibliographical list  14

People have been interested in genius for many centuries. This phenomenon has not lost its relevance and is extensively studied nowadays. Genius is a subject of studying of different sciences such as philosophy, psychology, pedagogy, medicine, biology and others. Despite the efforts of scientists from different areas, it is still far from being understood by mankind. What is genius? Genius (from Lat. Genius - «spirit») - the highest level of intellectual or creative personality functioning, which manifests in outstanding scientific or philosophical concepts, technical or technological inventions, social changings or the creation of artworks. The most important thing that humans want to know: what is this anomaly? Some people suggest genius to be a gift of God but others are strongly convinced that manifestation of genius depends on specific social and cultural conditions, which promotes its development.To understand this phenomenon I put the following aims:

1. To analyze how human brain works and what its capability is;
2. To find out if the gene of genius really exists;
3. To study the characteristics of genius;
4. To make a research and compare geniuses of different epochs;
5. To find out how parents can recognize that their child is a genius and how they should bring him up;
6. To analyze if it is always good to be a genius.

Answering all these questions I will be able to find a solution to the main problem: geniuses have incredible capabilitiesfrom the birth or they are developing them during the life. The practical importance of my work is to understand how recognize the genius in real life and if it is possible to become a genius yourself.

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Genius is the highest degree of human’s creative powers. It is associated with the creation of qualitatively new, unique creations and discovery previously unexplored ways of creativity.What is the secret of genius? At the beginning of the last century German scientist Wagner studied the brain structure of outstanding people. He hoped to find out “special signs of genius”. He was disappointed because it was impossible to say something definite about the person by his brain. Ivan Turgenev and Anatole France were outstanding writers despite the huge difference in brain weight. Turgenev’s brain weighed 2000 grams and France’s was only 1000 grams. Louis Pasteurat the age of 46 years suffered from a brain hemorrhage, much destroyed the right hemisphere. Nevertheless, he led an active lifestyle and worked for 27 years. These examples illustrate the surprisingly rich possibilities of the brain.

HOW DOES OUR BRAIN WORK?

The human brain contains about 10 billion nerve cells that send impulses to other cells through specific contacts - synapses. Every second across the synapses are millions of pulses: the foundation of our feelings, thoughts, emotions and memory. Activity of nerve cells in the brain can be observed firsthand. When Japanese scientists have introduced into the human brain finest fibers connected to a video camera, they were able to see that the neurons move like tiny amoebas. The more intense the work of thought, such as solving mathematical problems or memorizing the unknown words, the more active a "movement" of nerve cells.

Due to numerous researches scientists were able to make a conclusion: brain of genius differs from brains of ordinary people by its ability to make non-obvious connections between trivial events.

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There are neural chains in the brain of genius, not similar to other people’s chains by their structure.

CAPABILITY OF HUMAN BRAIN

Unfortunately, people use only a small part of capabilities that are inherent by nature. So, how many percent of the brain are used by man? To satisfy natural needs: thirst, hunger, reproduction -  he uses 3-4 %. On communication skills are taken another 5 percent, to study another five. If you like to solve puzzles, logic tasks, write and learn poetry, read books, count in your mind, not on a calculator and make your brain work, then you have crossed the mark of 14%. What is interesting some people, who do not differ outwardly from the others, are able to do things that seems to be impossible and even mystical. Scientists do not even try to hide the fact that there are latent abilities of the human brain, but not everyone has their development. The most interesting and incredible features and capabilities of the human brain are:

• Speed counting
• The ability to memorize huge fragments of text
• Photographic memory
• Works of genius that have become classics in the world
• Speed reading
• Ability to foresee events in the life ahead and build logical chains based on available data.

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IS THERE GENE OF GENIUS?

Recently British scientists has found a “gene of genius”. As it turned out, the increased activity of the gene NPTN, responsible for the density of the gray matter of the brain, leads to an increase of human intellectual activity and greater mental abilities. The research was devoted to try to find the cause differences in the intellectual potential of the people. It depends on the manner in which information is exchanged between neurons that is determined by the activity of the gene NPTN.

But people should think: even if a man gets a gene of genius we cannot be sure that he will be a great scientist, musician or poet. There are a lot of "intermediaries ", biochemical and social on the way to the "realization"of this gene. Health and access to education, opportunities totry and apply versatile inclinations - the fundamental things for implementation gene of genius - should be balanced.As Thomas Edison has said: "Genius is 99% of work to exhaustion and 1% of imagination." Also, a significant role plays the environment, upbringing, and most important - good teachers. Swan, raised by chickens, hardly float, although it has all the ability to swim.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GENIUS

• Originality. Originality can consist of creating something completely new and the modification of an existing idea creating a new approach to it. Also, this characteristic trait is manifested in the personality of the genius, in his world outlook, the ability to think and act not like anyone else

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• Universalism. The people of genius can be engaged in several works in different or related areas. But there are creative geniuses who are passionate about the same activity during the hole life.
• Efficiency. Geniuses direct their capabilities and strength in business to achieve their goals. They always improve and develop themselves and bring their creations to the absolute superiority. Being just a smart man, not embodying his ideas and thoughts in life, is not enough for them.
• Obsession. You can recognize a genius by his concentrationon something. He forgets the time, does not notice what is happening around him, trying to reach some results. Sometimes he can even forget his physiological needs during solving particular problems.
• The ability to foresee future events. The people of genius can make a discovery that could be laughed and criticized by his contemporaries, but would be acknowledged in the future. That’s why, many creations of genius are a success only after their inventor’s death. Works of genius are immortal, they remembered, discussed and used at all times.
• Self-sacrifice. Geniuses make discoveries, create works of art for the benefit of all mankind. At the same time they can live in poverty, but continue to create.
• They are able to act in the unstable situations.
• They are tend to have spontaneous ideas.
• They concentrate more on the problem than on personal interests.
• They have a good sense of humor.
• They remain objective.
• They are curious and are not afraid of asking questions.
• Every genius has his own style of working.

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BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Big irregularly shaped skull.
• The gout – sickness of geniuses. Most of genius people had defective metabolism of uric acid that causes arthritis.
• Strange dreams.
• The possibility of a mental illnesses.
• Autopsy often found serious damages of the nerve centers. Pascal’s medulla was harder than normal and festered in the left hemisphere. Schumann died from the inflammation of the meninges (meningitis) and brain atrophy.
• Frequent changes in mood.
• A lot of neural connections in the brain.

What promotes the development of genius and under what circumstances seemingly ordinary child becomes an outstanding person? Genius is born or becomes? The way to understand it is analyzing and comparing geniuses of different epochs, known all over the world. Let’s try to find out some regularities.

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CONCLUSIONS:

1. Most genius were born in winter or spring. Most often geniuses are born in February. Russian scientist Evgeny Vinogradov has handled demographic statistics of ten European countries and drew up the graph of birth-rate of talented people. The result was unequivocal - the leader was February.
2. Parents were not talented and outstanding people. They were often ordinary people.
3. Geniuses are interested in science or art from early childhood. They are not necessary to be excellent students.
4. Most of geniuses were good at music or painting.
5. They were specialists in different areas.

As we can see under the same conditions can develop completely different peoplethereforea child must have the inclinations of a genius from birth. Nevertheless, there is no genius without hard work and continuous development and improvement of your knowledge. To sum up, only the combination of genes and intellectual work gives a genius.

HOW PARENTS CAN RECOGNIZE THAT THEIR CHILD IS A GENIUS

All parentsbelieve their child to be the most gifted. Is it possible to determine whether your child is a child prodigy? In fact, modern science will not give you the answer to this question. But there are natural signs by which parents can determine that their child is a genius. Firstly, it is the rapid growth. Scientists suppose that if a child grow rapidly he develops morequickly and starts talking earlier; he is the first

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from the coevals to be interested in other languages. Secondly, if your child has a good concentration and can do monotonous work for a long time there is a high probability that he is gifted. Thirdly, mental flexibility, for example fast counting, phenomenal memory or ability to make logical chains. According to the recent researches, modern scientists have given following advice how to bring up genius children:

• Develop patience.
• Do not let the child to watch TV or sit in front of computer. These machines are useless and gobble time that is necessary for your child to develop and explore the world around.
• Another important factor of development are books. Collect the home library and read together with the child.
• Socialization. Communication is very important for development of personality.
• Remember that even if your child is outstanding his life should not consist only of studying; the kid should have real childhood with all its joy and happiness.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO BECOME A GENIUS?

Everyone has ever wanted to have brilliant capabilities. But if you want to be as intelligent as a genius you have to work hard. There are some ways to improve the intelligence. Firstly, you should approach the problem and its solution following a certain system, not spontaneously. Secondly, you should learn to make logical chains that will help you to solve the most difficult problems. Thirdly, geniuses do not give up, facing a complicated situation, they try to deal with it gradually. And the last

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advice is to read books as much as possible to widen outlook constantly.

IS IT EASY TO BE A GENIUS?

Most people are strongly convinced that if you are genius and have outstanding abilities you are lucky thing. Unfortunately, life of genius is not always so easy and perfect as it seems to be. There is one step from the genius to madness. Strange dreams and visions, fits of hysteria, alcohol and drug addiction, different neuroses and psychoses – it is only a small part of the possible consequences. Children- geniuses often become autists. That’s why we cannot confidently say that geniuses are favorites of nature.

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CONCLUSION

To sum up, genius – is a complex of a good combination of genes and a hard work, lasting for a whole life. Genius is a rarity and it is difficult to meet him in real life. According to the interview of my classmates, only two people from our school may be called “genius”. This phenomenon of human capabilities will be always a mystery for the mankind and there will be always two points of view on this riddle: genius is a gifted man or just hard-working person.

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Bibliographical list

1. http://www.nkj.ru/archive/articles/10309/
2. http://www.psychologos.ru/articles/view/geniy_i_genialnost
3. http://problema-talanta.ru/page/efroimson_genetika_genialnosti#cut
4. http://www.nkj.ru/archive/articles/6406
5. http://www.metodolog.ru/00376/00376.html
6. http://www.km.ru/science-tech/2014/07/14/nauchnye-issledovaniya-i-otkrytiya-v-mire/744865-zagadka-genialnogo-mozga
7. http://www.kakprosto.ru/kak-128647-kak-otlichit-geniya
8. http://www.libo.ru/libo6323.html
9. http://russian7.ru/2014/04/kak-vospitat-geniya/

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