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Yale University

The Nature of Genius

Today "genius" is all around us. Celebrities, athletes, child prodigies, even your local Apple employees, all are referred to as geniuses. But are they? And if not these individuals then who? In this course, Henry L. and Lucy G. Moses Professor of Music Emeritus and author of The Hidden Habits of Genius, Craig Wright, will begin by giving you his definition and prerequisites for true genius and challenge you to come up with your own. From there we'll look at examples of geniuses both historical and modern to try to identify the threads that bind them together and understand what separates the true genius from the wannabe... We’ll explore where creativity, curiosity and passion originate and how geniuses are able to discover, cultivate and apply their prodigious stores of each so as to fashion world changing ideas and inventions. Specific topics covered in the course include: Genius and Gender Genius and Money Whether or not celebrities and athletes can be considered geniuses Where and when genius happen The morality of genius Genius and inequality And dozens more While this course almost assuredly will not turn anyone into a genius, we hope it will serve to inspire you to cultivate your own creativity, explore your own curiosity, and pursue your own passion.

Status: Cultural Diversity
Status: Diversity Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
BeginnerCourse28 hours

Featured reviews

TM

5.0Reviewed Dec 12, 2022

Amazing course! Professor Wright is brilliant. This course is fine tuned to understanding the genius mind. Highly Recommend.

AG

5.0Reviewed Nov 22, 2022

The Nature of Genius was an interesting course and I would recommend it if you want to learn more about genius and its various machinations.

JJ

5.0Reviewed Jan 3, 2023

An excellent course, and it is something that everyone should take and it helps a bit to demystify the figure of genius.

MB

5.0Reviewed Oct 30, 2022

I​ especially loved the very last part, and the way it tied to the earlier guest lecture by Dr. Jennings on how we need genius to fix things. Such a simple idea but so true.

DA

5.0Reviewed Dec 27, 2024

The "The Nature of Genius" course explores curiosity, passion, persistence, and societal impacts, offering valuable insights for innovation and personal growth.

WM

5.0Reviewed Nov 3, 2022

An amazingly eye opening class that I will gladly recommend anyone should take. For our universe to function the best way it was designed, there must be synergy between human and economic capital.

BS

5.0Reviewed Oct 11, 2022

G​ood research work across cultures and histories. It offers great insights on both the internal and external factors impacting on the development of geniuses.

PB

4.0Reviewed Dec 12, 2022

It has a clear cut structure that evidently sets the student up to tilt toward parallel thinking while applying the various quotients that come with our world.

SB

5.0Reviewed Apr 8, 2023

The course provided showed both the positive and negative aspects of genius which I found interesting. It was very thought provoking.

DD

5.0Reviewed Feb 16, 2023

It has exceeded my expectations.It explored so many facets of what a genius is (and is not).I'm glad I had the curiosity of enrolling.

RM

5.0Reviewed May 15, 2024

Generally quite thought provoking and engaging. It was an excellent way to jog the mind.

RN

5.0Reviewed Apr 22, 2025

Prof Craig Wight is an exceptional teacher, makes you understand the most difficult prodigies in the most simplest ways. glad I took this course.

All reviews

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