Posts by Scott Barry Kaufman
Transcending Maslow’s famous “hierarchy of needs” through Maslow’s own research on Peak Experiences
Heaven, so to speak, lies waiting for us through life, ready to step into for a time and to enjoy before we have to come back to our ordinary life of striving. And once we have been in it, we can remember it forever, and feed ourselves on this memory and be sustained in times of…
Read MoreAre we intelligent about developing human intelligence?
When it comes to our understanding of human intelligence, for too long, there has been a mismatch between theory and practice. Theoretically, the two main threads running through definitions of intelligence have been (a) adaptation to the environment, and (b) the cognitive, affective, and volitional characteristics that enable that adaptation. Practically, IQ tests measure an…
Read MoreThe Inner Savant In All of Us
Darold Treffert, M.D. is considered one of the foremost experts on savantism in the world. Dr. Treffert has published two books on savant syndrome: “Extraordinary People: Understanding Savant Syndrome” in 2006 and “Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired and Sudden Savant” in 2010. […] In his efforts to raise public understanding about…
Read MoreOur Brain on Music: We need to do more than listen
Brain and Music are inter-related. Recent studies show that playing music to your children can grow up smart.
Read MoreTake that Nap! It May Boost Your Learning Capacity Among Other Good Things.
Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite pastime is napping. In College, I would come back to my dorm room, and like clockwork, would take a nap. My best friend in England, who got quite a kick out of my passion for napping, once tried to persuade me to drink a cup of tea…
Read MoreReflections on Creativity: Interview with Daniel Tammet
(Editor’s Note: contributor Scott Barry Kaufman recently interviewed Daniel Tammet, one of the 100 known prodigious savants living at the present time. Their in-depth conversation –summary and links follow Scott’s reflections below– provoked a powerful reaction in Scott’s mind, as you are about to read). Last night I was eating dinner with my parents back in…
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