Today "genius" is all around us. Celebrities, athletes, child prodigies, even your local Apple employees, all are referred to as geniuses. But are they? And if not these individuals then who? In this course, Henry L. and Lucy G. Moses Professor of Music Emeritus and author of The Hidden Habits of Genius, Craig Wright, will begin by giving you his definition and prerequisites for true genius and challenge you to come up with your own.
From there we'll look at examples of geniuses both historical and modern to try to identify the threads that bind them together and understand what separates the true genius from the wannabe... We’ll explore where creativity, curiosity and passion originate and how geniuses are able to discover, cultivate and apply their prodigious stores of each so as to fashion world changing ideas and inventions.
Specific topics covered in the course include:
Genius and Gender
Genius and Money
Whether or not celebrities and athletes can be considered geniuses
Where and when genius happen
The morality of genius
Genius and inequality
And dozens more
While this course almost assuredly will not turn anyone into a genius, we hope it will serve to inspire you to cultivate your own creativity, explore your own curiosity, and pursue your own passion.
In Section 1 of Module 1 we determine, jokingly, whether you're a genius or not, provide examples of geniuses as opposed to mere celebrities or prodigies, and discover how what defines "genius" is highly subjective and ever-changing. In Section 2 we look at genius and gender. We discuss the disadvantages that the few female geniuses who do come down to us in our history book faced in their societies. We consider how far we may have progressed and what opposition still remains for women today. In Section 3 we look at genius in relationship to race, geography and society. We talk about the importance of originality in genius and about what societal factors can either encourage or discourage genius.
Evidence for Bias Against Female Accomplishment •7 minutes
Opportunity and Encouragement•13 minutes
The Game is Rigged•16 minutes
Guest Interview: Meg Urry•43 minutes
Is Genius a Person, a Team or a Society? •11 minutes
Are There “Ages” of Genius? •7 minutes
Genius, Geography and Originality •15 minutes
Is There a Genius of a Race•27 minutes
7 readings•Total 70 minutes
Prologue•10 minutes
Suggested Reading•10 minutes
Further Reading for 111-114•10 minutes
Disclaimer•10 minutes
Further Reading for 121-124•10 minutes
Further Reading for 131-134•10 minutes
Your Learning, Your Way•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 70 minutes
Are You a Genius? What is Genius?•20 minutes
Genius and Gender•20 minutes
Genius, Geography, and Race•30 minutes
7 discussion prompts•Total 70 minutes
Unnamed Genius?•10 minutes
The Many Definitions of Genius•10 minutes
Competitive Gender Gap? •10 minutes
Policy Genius •10 minutes
Tocqueville's Choice•10 minutes
Negotiating on Level Ground•10 minutes
Pick Your Team•10 minutes
First Things First
Module 2•7 hours to complete
Module details
In Section 1 of Module 2 we jump into the age-old question: is it nature or is it nurture? We'll talk about the growing science of epigenetics, the many forms of intelligence and how to best measure each. In Section 2 we consider neoteny in genius. How employing childlike thinking could be a key to genius. We'll also take some time to explore in-depth one of the more famous neotenic geniuses from our past, Mozart. Then we'll move on to discover how we deal with our young prodigies and savants in ways that may actually prevent genius from blossoming. In Section 3 we'll get down to brass tacks and talk about money's role in genius. Do you need to be rich to be a genius? What should geniuses do with their money once they accumulate it?
IQ testing: What does it mean to be smart? •13 minutes
Intelligence Has Many Forms •16 minutes
Guest Interview: Margit Dahl •30 minutes
“Genius is the Recovery of Childhood at Will” •17 minutes
Prodigies, Geniuses, and Late Bloomers •24 minutes
The Problem with Prodigies•10 minutes
Guest Interview - Eileen Jennings•20 minutes
Genius: Luck or Self-Made•9 minutes
Make that Lucky Move •9 minutes
Genius and Money•16 minutes
Guest Interview - Roger McNamee•67 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Further Reading for 211-214•10 minutes
Further Reading for 231-234•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 70 minutes
Nature vs. Nurture: Gift or Hard Work: IQ or Many Q’s •30 minutes
Childlike Imaginations, Genius, Prodigies and the Gifted•20 minutes
Genius, Luck and Money•20 minutes
7 discussion prompts•Total 70 minutes
THE Question•10 minutes
To Test or Not to Test?•10 minutes
High Aptitude •10 minutes
The Twentysomething Genius•10 minutes
Hate to Burst the Bubble?•10 minutes
Luck of the Draw•10 minutes
The Root of All Genius?•10 minutes
What Makes Genius?
Module 3•6 hours to complete
Module details
Module 3 delves into the enablers of genius to see what drives them and what allows them to achieve such singular greatness in their lifetimes. Section 1 entitled "curiosity and a tolerance for risk," may go a long way to explaining the just-asked question. We'll study perhaps the single most curious person in history, the great, Leonardo da Vinci, and look in on a typical day in his life. In Section 2 we'll move on to explore creativity and great polymaths in history. We'll take time to examine how they think and where their ideas came from. In Section 3 we'll talk passions; the inevitable endpoint for anyone with great curiosity, is passion. Once these polymaths stumble on something of interest, they become passionate, and passion can carry them along some unusual paths. We'll explore a few of them.
The Most Curious Person in History: Leonardo da Vinci •13 minutes
Voracious Reading•17 minutes
A Tolerance for Risk•21 minutes
Fox or Hedgehog? •11 minutes
Polymaths•16 minutes
Combinative Thinking •15 minutes
Oppositional Thinking•21 minutes
Passion •8 minutes
The Passion/Obsession of Marie Curie •13 minutes
The Productive Perspiration of Thomas Edison •20 minutes
Passion and Longevity•7 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
Further Reading for 311-314•10 minutes
Further Reading for 321-324•10 minutes
Further Reading for 331-334•10 minutes
3 assignments•Total 70 minutes
Curiosity and a Tolerance for Risk•20 minutes
Foxes, Polymaths and Creative Ways of Thinking•20 minutes
Passion, Persistence and Longevity•30 minutes
7 discussion prompts•Total 70 minutes
You Either Got It or You Don't•10 minutes
Magic in Reading?•10 minutes
Risky Business•10 minutes
Choose Your Animal•10 minutes
From the Ether•10 minutes
Passion Found?•10 minutes
Fountain of Youth•10 minutes
Disruption, Genius and Morality, Genius and “Disability”
Module 4•9 hours to complete
Module details
In Module 4 we start by looking at morality and genius. As you might expect by now, they do not always go hand in hand. We'll explore a few examples of the rebellious nature of most geniuses, and the personally destructive nature of several others, and we will consider the relationship between genius and so-called "disabilities." Finally, we'll step back and ask the following question: To what degree are we as individuals willing to tolerate bad behavior and, indeed, personal destruction, in order to benefit from the creative innovation that the genius brings to society? Finally, we end by suggesting the personal and societal implications inherent in the study of genius. We'll send you off by suggesting how you, and society, might employ the knowledge you've gained as you have explored "The Nature of Genius."
For more than 300 years, Yale University has inspired the minds that inspire the world. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale brings people and ideas together for positive impact around the globe. A research university that focuses on students and encourages learning as an essential way of life, Yale is a place for connection, creativity, and innovation among cultures and across disciplines.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.