Name: The Genius in All of Us
ISBN: 9780307387301

The Genius in All of Us

With irresistibly persuasive vigor, David Shenk debunks the long-standing notion of genetic "giftedness." We are not prisoners of our DNA, and greatness is in the reach of every individual. Now in the Ebook version, you can delve more deeply into the exhaustive research behind the argument and seamlessly jump back and forth between the text and notes section for an interactive experience. With direct links, resources for students and online forums, you can also fully participate in the lively debates Shenk's book will spark.DNA does not make us who we are. "Forget everything you think you know about genes, talent, and intelligence," he writes. "In recent years, a mountain of scientific evidence has emerged suggesting a completely new paradigm: not talent scarcity, but latent talent abundance."Integrating cutting-edge research from a wide swath of disciplines--cognitive science, genetics, biology, child development--Shenk offers a highly optimistic new view of human potential. The problem isn't our inadequate genetic assets, but our inability, so far, to tap into what we already have. IQ testing and widespread acceptance of "innate" abilities have created an unnecessarily pessimistic view of humanity--and fostered much misdirected public policy, especially in education.The truth is much more exciting. Genes are not a "blueprint" that bless some with greatness and doom most of us to mediocrity or worse.

What Hacker News says

rickhanloniiJul 2013

Bravo for responding so clearly and accurately to such a pervasive and wrong belief. The best overview/summary I have read is The Genius in All of Us by David Shenk[1]. It would probably not add much to your understanding, but to anyone who hasn't looked extensively into these ideas, read this book.

Seriously, if you're reading right now, stop what you are doing, and read this book. It will change your understand of what you are capable of.

[1]: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307387305?ie=UTF8&tag=dshe...

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itistodayMar 2010

Well, it's not like this author isn't providing evidence to back up his argument. I haven't read The Blank Slate (though I've heard of it, and like to hear Steven Pinker speak), nor have I read The Genius in All of Us, but now they are both on my Amazon Wish List. :-)

Soon... I have finally have the answer to this age-old debate, and I suspect the nuances in it will be enough to fill a book on its own.

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mynameishereAug 2009

Hyperventilate all you want. If China actually creates an effective eugenics program (which is what I assume the end-goal of this is), the rest of the world is curtains.

Look at the title of this guy's book:

The Genius In All Of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told about Genetics, Talent and IQ is Wrong

Well, what I've been told is that everybody who discusses Genetics and IQ honestly are effectively Nazis and should be driven from public life. Will his book disabuse the world of this notion...or, does it merely repeat it?

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=978038...

DNA does not make us who we are

Well, I guess that explains why humans so frequently give birth to squirrels.

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