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/sci/ - Science & Math

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3901955 No.3901955 [Reply] [Original]

Hey /sci/, could you help me out here? I want you to describe the smartest person you personally know and your first encounter with them. Sadly I have not met someone I consider smarter than me, that is why I would like to know what these people are like. (I have met people more well educated than me, but they still fall into the same holes that the normal people fall in.)

I'm longing to meet someone smarter than me.

>> No.3901961

do you go to college/university? do you really not believe any of your professors are more intelligent than you?

watch vids of carl sagan or richard feynman. they are smarter than you. I know this because you are on 4chan.
troll thread?

>> No.3901970

My dad was fuck smart. Then he died. Never really had a relationship with anyone aa smart or smartwr than him. He did say I was smarter, but I think he was parentally biased. As I have never been able to match his accomplishments.

>> No.3901992

clearly you aren't as smart as you think you are if you are unable to notice somebody smarter than you which statistically must have happened.
or you never leave your basement.
I have met many people smarter than me, but I didn't have an encounter with them in which they proved to me the extent of their intellect.

>> No.3902000

Unless you are truly exceptional, you've most likely already met someone smarter than you.

>> No.3902006

Dunning-Kruger anyone?

>> No.3902025

>>3902000 words
I totally agree, even if you are in the too tenth of a percent of intelligence there are still 6million people as smart or smarter than you. Entire countries exist with less population.


You are more likely to meet someone smarter than you, than you are to meet a belgian

>> No.3902040

>>3901961
I'm not talking about people who are more educated, I am talking about people who are more intelligent. Professors would clearly be more educated in a subject matter, but that by no means makes them more intelligent.

>> No.3902055

Talk to people in your math department

>> No.3902069

>OP meets someone smarter than him
>OP performs mind-boggling mental gymnastics to come up with a reason he is smarter
>OP will always be smarter than everyone

>> No.3902073

>>3902025
I know there must be someone smarter than me, but I have not met anyone I would consider above my level. I have met people I consider equals though. Is intelligence even apparent when you see somebody? Can somebody even look intelligent?

>> No.3902076

op is disgusting

>> No.3902089

>>3902073
Its is easy to tell if someone is less intelligent than you. But harder to tell if someone is smarter. Lets say intelligence was water in a container. You pour a stupid 3 oz in your 5oz, there is space left. You know they are stupider. If you pour a smarter 7 oz into your 5oz. It fills completely up. You have no way to notice if they are as smart or smarter. Unless they have so much water that your container floats away on the overspill.

>> No.3902106

What I'm intrigued by is your definition of "smarter". Please clarify OP.

>> No.3902110

>>3902040
I saw the part about education not intelligence. However, the two are correlated. I would be absolutely flabbergasted if you honestly compare yourself an equal of all of the physics and math profs in your university.

>> No.3902109

>>3902040

Most professors are educated and intelligent.

The problem might be how you're gauging intelligence. If the only things you consider valid indicators of intelligence are the things you excel at, you're probably taking a biased view.

>> No.3902113

>>3902109
>>3902089
>>3902025


OP, these guys already gave you an answer.

>> No.3902114

>>3902089

You can still see the overflow though. The problem is that if they're smarter than you, their abilities either seem like magic or trolling. You can't really prove them, but the person still <i>appears</i> smarter.

>> No.3902133

>smartest person you personally know
Dad
>your first encounter with them
He held me about 2 minutes after I was born


>I have not met someone I consider smarter than me

"Consider" being the operative word. You HAVE met people who are smarter than you. I assure you.

>> No.3902155

my cousin is a 16 year-old developer for apple. various relatives have created their own software company, set up clinics, and generally dicked me in every aspect of life.

>> No.3902183

>>3902089
Oddly that made a lot of sense, thanks.
>>3902110
All college professors had to start somewhere, basically they were someone like you and I. They just have more years of education and experience. You honestly can't believe they are some godly figure who attained all of that through pure intelligence.

What I am defining as intelligence:
>A very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience. It is not merely book learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather, it reflects a broader and deeper capability for comprehending our surroundings—"catching on," "making sense" of things, or "figuring out" what to do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligence

>> No.3902188

>>3902183

CALLED IT!

>>3902069

>> No.3902226

Girl in my analysis class.

Yes, a GIRL in my REAL ANALYSIS class.

She was able to effortlessly comprehend the abstract concepts the professor elucidated on the chalkboard and could write up any proof anyone gave to her. I once asked her to write up some proof involving Dedekind cuts and she did. It took her a few days, but she gave it to me. I showed it to another professor who later asked me if a Grad student wrote it because the proof was literally, his words, "too good for an undergrad to write." I told him no, but told him who wrote it. She's too much of an aspie to talk to him, though, so they never struck up partnership.

What's funny is that she's a weirdo to the maximum, but doesn't even know about 4chan in the slightest. Kind of big into anime/manga, and she strikes me as the foreveralone type of chick. Every time I can, I eat with her or converse with her. I don't even want to know her because she's ''smart;'' I want to know her for her personality. I think she knows she's smart, but people manipulate/use her for it. Every time I speak with her, it's always about a subject that extends far beyond mathematics or something else.

She's so fucking smart, though. Crazy, crazy smart.

>> No.3902255

>>3901955

I personally know someone smarter than you. You are swimming in his fucking computer code RIGHT NOW.

>> No.3902256

>>3902226
is she hot

>> No.3902257

>>3902226
Hmmm. Did she know anything about proofs before hand? Did she research the topic herself beforehand? I'm beginning to think that nearly everyone is reasonably close to the same at birth in regards to intelligence (of course disregarding mental disabilities and highly influential genetic abnormalities). I haven't had enough time to research this in terms of psychology and neuroscience.

>> No.3902263

>>3902257
dude, you can know everything there is to know about past proofs, and still not be able to prove things.

you can also know the answer to every known riddle, and still not be able to solve one somebody makes up.

op, how do you define 'smartness'.

>> No.3902280

>>3902263

We're going to use the classical version of intelligence that I posted here:
>>3902183


Like others said, I am sure I have met someone more intelligent than me, but how am I suppose to tell?

>> No.3902285

I meet smart people all the time. Especially on 4chan.

>> No.3902291

>smartest person you personally know
Quantum mechanics professor.
Has worked with noble laureates when he was fresh out of uni.
>your first encounter with them
Couple of semesters ago.

>I have not met someone I consider smarter than me

Then you: (and/or)
1) attend a shit tier uni/school.
2) are a narcissist
3) have an incorrect measure for intelligence.

My test is what I call "math speed"; the speed at which one models a concept mathematically and converts an equation into a verbal concept.

>> No.3902310

>>3902256
Not really, no. She's pretty and has the capacity to be one of those hot chicks, but she's relatively tall and has absolutely NO sex appeal. She told me she has a boyfriend which makes me make the face pic related, but I don't doubt it.
>>3902257
No offense, but have you done proofs? Mathematical proofs aren't the atypical, 'if you know A and B, then you can do C.' Much harder proofs involve an infusion of creativity, expertise-level use of definitions and intense foresight. It's not an easy task. Analysis is considered one of those 'make or break' math classes, and many math majors with 4.0 GPAs have received C's and D's in the class because it stands in direct opposition against any Mathematics/proofs-based class they've faced.

However, to answer your question: Yes, we've taken proof based classes already, so we're both aware of proofs. I've taken abstract algebra, did research in group theory, linear algebra with proofs, etc. She's taken the same classes and has done research herself, but nothing like this.

I don't think she did research behind it, but she probably did. Regardless, the professor I showed the proof to said it was hand-written/original because she conveyed ideas that only someone who was REALLY well versed with the subject would know about. To compare it, think of someone writing 2 + 3 = (1+1) + (1+1+1) = (1+1) + (1+1) + 1 = (2) + (2) + 1 = 4 + 1 = 5.

>> No.3902313
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3902313

>>3902310
Oh, pic related. Sorry.

>> No.3902345

>>3902310
I loved real analysis in college. There were even a few females taking the course. Topology on the other hand... fuck that shit.

>> No.3902356

All the people in MAT257

>> No.3902362

>>3902345
I like it, it's just hard. The professor introduces several concepts, but without really explaining them. He gives definitions and expects us to just utilize/manipulate them, but then when we see him do a few of the proofs, he's uses some crazy ass shit out of bumsfucknowheresville.

>> No.3902365

Several of my profs I consider ridiculously intelligent. They solve problems at ridiculous speeds and have perfect understanding of their field. Truly amazing to see them at work.

>> No.3902385

>>3902362
That sucks. Sounds like you have a bad professor.

>> No.3902590

>>3901955
it's a pleasure to meet you.
>>know you now one.

>> No.3902601

i know a guy from highschool who was ridiculously fast witted, perfect grades in everything, and funny as hell. i think i was a bit gay for him he was so smart.

>> No.3902624

>Sadly I have not met someone I consider smarter than me

i am sorry you have not left your shitty hick town, OP. when you get to graduate school at a top 25 science department and try to rank hundreds of grad students in intelligence, you'll see that it's impossible to do so. you'll simply find people who are very intelligent, but everyone is around the same level. then there will be maybe a dozen people who are REALLY smarter than everyone else- the von neumann types. even amongst those dozen, it's still hard to see who is more intelligent.

try to surround yourself in places with lots of smart people. go to different universities and countries and be amazed.

>> No.3902632

>>3902624
as for smarter than me, yeah, those dozens of people i work with nearly every day. scary stuff man. once they start working on a problem you better avoid them unless you want to be disappointed. but it's still a fun challenge.

>> No.3902863

yeah i was in a similar situation to you OP

BUT THEN I LEFT THE STINKING SHITHOLE OF MY HOMETOWN AND WENT TO UNI AND GODDAMN THESE PEOPLE ARE FUCKING CRAZY

no srsly i think the smartest guy i personally know is a PhD, who i got to know in a math course, man that guy fucking rocked everything so hard, he could grasp a students approach to a problem so fast and make it work it was like magic man...

>> No.3903043

My buddy Reid.
>took some economics courses
>became accountant making $120k
>quit job
>got into electronica scene
>Started running raves and DJ'ing
>mechanical engineering degree
>engineer for a while, $80k a year
>quit job
>Joined army
>Tour in Afghanistan
>Saved a soldier's life while he also wounded by shrapnel
>school to be Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanic)
>Transfers to airforce


He is 34, and has so much life experience.

>> No.3903060

>>3903043
>>accountant

Not really what I'd call exciting, but hey, whatever flips your switches.

>> No.3903061

>>3903043
everything went downhill after his accountant job

>> No.3903075

>I want you to describe the smartest person you personally know
My father.

>your first encounter with them
When I was born.

Seriously, my dad is the smartest man I've ever met, and that includes the PhD professors at my school. It was kind of intimidating growing up, knowing I couldn't really argue my way out of jams. Forced me to learn how to construct air-tight arguments, though. Now everyone tells me I should have been a lawyer.

Fuck that shit.

>> No.3903162

Probably my best friend in Highschool which is sort of ironic considering he was what I considered unintelligent. He had trouble with every math course he ever took in HS, was only ok in the sciences, never did good in english or the arts, he was at a loss for simple concepts, but hey was chill and never seemed concerned about anything. Anyways he got into some state school and we went are separate ways. So just for the hell of it I decided to contact him about a year ago and we set up a time to meet up. To my surprise he managed to transfer into Penn where he double majored in Pure Math and Econ and got a masters in Pure Math. Now he works for a hedge fund where he is the head trader. He showed me some of the math formulas he created to indicate when to trade certain stocks at certain values and created a high frequency trading program which used his formulas. He also used math to hunt other programs and anticipate when they would buy or sell so the firm can make a profit off it.I cant even describe how long and complex the equations were. At the moment he is going back to school to get his Phd just for shits and giggles.

>> No.3903166
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3903166

>>3902226
Am I the only one who finds it incredibly sexy for a chick to be this smart?

>> No.3903173

>>3903166
no, stop asking stupid questions

>> No.3903203

I've studied with people, like myself, who would be considered average intelligence for their field. Almost all of them have had a moment where they blow me away with their intellect. Feels good being able to associate with these people.

>> No.3903241

>>3902089
This. In most topics (intelligence is by no means the only one) it's very easy to recognize people less skilled than you and it's quite obvious if someone is loads better than you, but recognizing people who are somewhat better than you is very hard.

Hm, does that mean that everyone for whom you find it hard to estimate his skill level relative to yours is in fact better at it than you - for if he was slightly worse at it than you, you would have noticed it?

>> No.3903264

probably my friend in high school. He got 1500 on the SAT's and could play any instrument perfectly. Unfortunately he never bathed and smoked too much weed

>> No.3903379

Either my quantum mechanics professor or my dad. My dad seems to be right most of the time in all aspects of life. My quantum mechanics professor is the most amazing educator I have ever met and seems to be able to instantly answer any question I can concoct. He is russian and has worked in many european countries, learning the language of each one. Supposedly he learned the language of my country in only 3 weeks, and it's generally considered a very tough language to learn for foreigners.