Thread: Does Natural Talent Exist?

Originally Posted by coolpuprocks

Yes, there's a thing called natural talent...

I showed the same thing to 5 different people. It was definitely something all 5 have never seen or done before.

One person got it in minutes. The other four... nope. Couldn't do it.

That isn`t talent. That might just be that that person is more perceptive and has better learning abilities (which i guess could be a talent by itself). But when the other people learn the "same thing" doesn`t necessarily mean they won`t be better than the person who learned it the quickest.

well maybe with advances in science we can prove things once and for all some day...but now i think its because some people are simply better at some things than other..

essentially, multiple intellgences.

some might be better at art, better in maths, or better in social skills than another. some might be a combination, but generally i think it springs from interest, and some factors of the brain i can't explain and don't know

I think there is such a thing as talent. But it isn't or predetermined at your birth, it is focused and shaped by your life and the activities you have done. For example, both me and Aura are no good at languages, we find it difficult. Yet our younger brother picks up languages easier from us watching sub-titled things and practicing for orals around him as he was in his most crucial stage of development.

I believe in natural talent. Nobody is ever a clean slate (from birth I mean). We are all different and what makes us different is how good we are at doing and understanding certain things. Talent isn't the word I'd use to describe it but it works I guess.

"Talent" is merely a less exact word for "genetical advantage". Some people are simply naturally better at doing certain things because their bodies are more suited for doing those things. However, this naturally doesn't mean that they must always be good at doing something, just that they have easier to learn, or the potential to achieve greater proficiency at doing something than regular people.

I don't believe in natural talent, you are not born able to play the piano.
What I do believe in is natural aptitude towords learning certain things.
For example, I have a logical mind, my brother has an artistic mind. In school, I was good at maths and physics, my brother was good at english and art. Neither of us were good at the other's better subjects.

Pretty much what Saizou said. People inherit the traits of their forefathers (with some variation of course) and although people never say it, subconsciously, when they're looking for a mate, they're looking for things they value... to some it may be good looks, to some it may be strength, to some technical skill. Its why everyone knows Northern European women (finland, norway, etc) are so good looking - the Vikings only brought back the beautiful women.

Another example... and I like this one personally as its a bit closer to home. Around the time of the American civil war, there was a quote and it went like this. The difference between a daughter of the north and a daughter of the south getting married was what question the father asked of his soon to be son in law.

For the north "How does he work?" (does he work well?)... for the South : "How does he fight?" (does he fight well).

To this day, the majority of the industrialists come from the 'north' and the majority of the money is in the North. Not only are they more inclined to hard work/success in business over anything else, but they are more skilled at it.

And to this day the south has more men in the military than the north AND more men from the south live to come home (as a percentage) than the north. Not only are they more inclined, but they are simply more skilled at it.

(And just so you don't feel left out, to this Day, the West is known for pioneering new technologies and ideas (Silicon Valley, Las Vegas, California's lawmaking...) - just as their forefathers who pioneered the old west did. It was the trait they valued most and it is not only part of the culture, influencing immigrants and new generations but to a great extent a part of the mindset and genetic aptitudes and thought processes of the new generation) - That doesn't really fit in my quote though, hence the ().

No, you aren't born with the ability to do anything, but the amount of instinctive knowledge and feeling you have for something, influencing how fast you learn... THAT you are born with, and is influenced by your bloodlines.

Other than that, well said. There is, imho, such thing as naturel talent however naturel talent rarely makes up for determination and hard work

On average, yes, in some cases? No amount of hard work and determination will get you as far as someone who is a... lets call it a 'genetic genius' in the field... Which also explains the idiot Savants.

As the creator of this thread, I feel I need to say something sooner or later, so I'll say it now as the opportunity has come.

Martyr, your answer is, by far, the most refined and closest to my own point of view - coincidentally, of course - and along those lines, I'm very surprised by how many people share this view, oddly enough.

Nope, natural talent doesn't exist. I agree with chizbubble, to a certain extent, that a person's environment does, in fact, affect their strengths and weaknesses. And at SD, humans do start off, psychologically, as clean slates. Read some of Descartes' works, as well as other psychologists. However, this seems to intrude more upon the field of philosophy, instead of psychology.

Originally Posted by darksoulzero

Nope, natural talent doesn't exist. I agree with chizbubble, to a certain extent, that a person's environment does, in fact, affect their strengths and weaknesses. And at SD, humans do start off, psychologically, as clean slates. Read some of Descartes' works, as well as other psychologists. However, this seems to intrude more upon the field of philosophy, instead of psychology.

Biology > Psychology. Go read some of Darwin's work.