Finding the next Einstein – Dr. Jonathan Wai's blog

This is a most interesting blog written by Dr. Jonathan Wai.  The blog is within Psychology Today, at this address:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-the-next-einstein

Jonathan Wai, Ph.D., is a research scientist at the Duke University Talent Identification Program and a visiting researcher at Case Western Reserve University.

He researches and writes about the development of talent, broadly conceived, and its impact on society.  His interests focus on the role of cognitive abilities, education, and other factors that contribute to the development of expertise in education, occupation, and innovation.  Additionally, he is interested in policy implications of developing (or failing to develop) talent, and connecting his work with the larger global conversation.

The blog features interviews with interesting people, book recommendations, study reviews and more.  Dr. Wai writes in a very interesting way.

Here are two posts I liked:

1.  An interview with Prof.  Douglas Detterman

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-the-next-

einstein/201409/intelligence-is-critical-the-future-humankind

Prof. Detterman is one of the prominent intelligence scholars

 of our time, and is the founder of the journal "Intelligence".  He's also one of the most generous scholars I've known.  Prof. Detterman is currently writing a book on intelligence.  He sent the book's chapters, in draft, to all those interested provided that the reader sends him comments.  This is how I 

also got to read his fascinating book.  I've learned a lot from 

it. 

In this interview Prof. Detterman discusses social aspects of intelligence.  One of these is  whether cognitive abilities can be improved by training or effort.  From what I gather, Prof. Detterman thinks that beyond a certain point, they can't be much further improved.   "It’s all part of the philosophy of work hard and you’ll be rewarded. That everybody is the same and the only difference is how hard you are willing to work to achieve a particular goal. And if you don’t achieve that goal it’s because you haven’t worked hard enough, not because you’re not capable enough. It would seem to me that a much smarter way of looking at things is that I’m better suited for some things than other things and so I should try to find those things I am suited for and work at those."  This is similar to ROBERT STERNBERG's view (which he terms "Successful Intelligence").

2.  A book recommendation:

Curious: the desire to know and why your future depends on it, by Ian Leslie.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-the-next-einstein/201407/seven-ways-be-more-curious

Dr. Wai reviews the book in a way that really makes you want to read it.  I found myself agreeing with most of this book's insights, as represented by Dr. Wai.