You're looking at Less Wrong's discussion board. This includes all posts, including those that haven't been promoted to the front page yet. For more information, see About Less Wrong.

Desrtopa comments on Age, fluid intelligence, and intelligent posts - Less Wrong Discussion

9 Post author: InquilineKea 20 February 2011 09:06AM

You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.

Comments (50)

You are viewing a single comment's thread.

Comment author: Desrtopa 24 February 2011 04:25:13PM 2 points [-]

There's a hypothesis that some thinkers start out with a high level of productivity and skill at a young age, and gradually decline from there, and some start out at a lower level of skill and productivity, and gradually improve over time, before hitting a decline at very old age. I believe Wikipedia has an article on it, but I can no longer remember what it's called. If anyone can remember, I believe the page discusses the body of evidence for it.

Comment author: gwern 26 February 2011 09:30:39PM *  1 point [-]

I finally remembered where I read about that kind of dichotomy - it was a Malcolm Gladwell article which does indeed mention Monet but only in the context of using Cezanne as an example of the gradually improving type: http://www.gladwell.com/2008/2008_10_20_a_latebloomers.html

Comment author: gwern 25 February 2011 02:18:41AM 1 point [-]

For some reason, that idea triggers an association with the Impressionist painter Monet.