Re: Re\: Asimov - Assumptions, the audience and arithmetic - Rant?

["Michael West" <mbwest -at- bigpond -dot- net -dot- au>]

Dick, there you go, being reasonable again. <g>

Hmmm. Well, I have no qualifications in this
area, so I won't make too long a speech.

I think the variables are just too ... well, variable.

This reminds me of something a genius I once had
the pleasure of meeting said: "All children are born
geniuses. Some just grow up less damaged than others."

Okay, we're talking about writing *skills*, not genius.
Skills are learned ('learnt' for my Aussie friends). We all
agree on that, I think.

Now "capacity to learn" or "natural ability" or "talent" --
nobody really knows what chromosomes those "traits"
are associated with.

Until someone can prove otherwise, I'll believe that 
"talent" is just the happy confluence of normal aptitude,
early encouragement or inspiration, behavioral variables,
environmental factors, and so on.

Which I guess is pretty much what Dick said. Except that
"teaching" takes many forms -- most of them having nothing
to do with schooling.

But anyone can disagree, and none of us can prove we're
right.

--
MW



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