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The Genius Within: Smart pills, brain hacks and adventures in intelligence
"What if you have more intelligence than you realize? What if there is a genius inside you, just waiting to be released? And what if the route to better brain power is not hard work or thousands of hours of practice but to simply swallow a pill?
In The Genius Within, bestselling author David Adam explores the ground-breaking neuroscience of cognitive enhancement that is changing the way the brain and the mind works – to make it better, sharper, more focused and, yes, more intelligent. Sharing his own experiments with revolutionary smart drugs and electrical brain stimulation, he delves into the sinister history of intelligence tests, meets savants and brain hackers and reveals how he boosted his own IQ to cheat his way into Mensa.
Going to the heart of how we consider, measure and judge mental ability, The Genius Within asks difficult questions about the science that could rank and define us, and inevitably shape our future."
In The Genius Within, bestselling author David Adam explores the ground-breaking neuroscience of cognitive enhancement that is changing the way the brain and the mind works – to make it better, sharper, more focused and, yes, more intelligent. Sharing his own experiments with revolutionary smart drugs and electrical brain stimulation, he delves into the sinister history of intelligence tests, meets savants and brain hackers and reveals how he boosted his own IQ to cheat his way into Mensa.
Going to the heart of how we consider, measure and judge mental ability, The Genius Within asks difficult questions about the science that could rank and define us, and inevitably shape our future."
336 pages, Hardcover
Published February 8, 2018
45 people are currently reading
1343 people want to read
About the author
David Adam
4 books48 followersDavid Adam is a best-selling author and an award-winning journalist, who covers science, environment, technology, medicine and the impact they have on people, culture and society. After nearly two decades as a staff writer and editor at Nature and the Guardian, David set up as a freelancer in 2019.
Librarian's note: There is more than one author on Goodreads with this name.^^^
Librarian's note: There is more than one author on Goodreads with this name.^^^
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 8, 2019
This was a disappointing read, it just was no fun to get through at all. With a title like "The Genius Within: Unlocking Your Brain's Potential" I didn't necessarily expect a How-To-Guide, but I did expect the book to be about the formability of intelligence. Granted, part of the book was, and I liked these parts the most. The ones where the author talked about pills to help you focus and electro-waves to stimulate your brain activity and asked about the morality and potential importance of intelligence enhancement were interesting - but much too brief and shallow.
The remainder of the book is meandering talk about intelligence between the history of it, anecdotal stories (so much about savants, and I had no idea what point he was trying to make there!) and the author self experimenting and joining Mensa.
The style wasn't very engaging and there wasn't much I learnt from the book. But at least it got me really curious about electromagnetic therapies and how they actually work.
If you like pop science books and don't know much about the topic, this might still be interesting though. It's a very easy read. It just felt very basic and unstructured to me (almost like a first draft at times). And stylistically there were a few parts that really irked me. If you define a term in one sentence, there's no need to define it in the same words in the text sentence again...
The remainder of the book is meandering talk about intelligence between the history of it, anecdotal stories (so much about savants, and I had no idea what point he was trying to make there!) and the author self experimenting and joining Mensa.
The style wasn't very engaging and there wasn't much I learnt from the book. But at least it got me really curious about electromagnetic therapies and how they actually work.
If you like pop science books and don't know much about the topic, this might still be interesting though. It's a very easy read. It just felt very basic and unstructured to me (almost like a first draft at times). And stylistically there were a few parts that really irked me. If you define a term in one sentence, there's no need to define it in the same words in the text sentence again...
February 28, 2018
Science has discovered almost uncountable things since the beginning of the 20th century. We have found elements and compounds that have almost magical properties, seen the vastness of the solar system and untangled the very strands of life. There are still things that we have yet to discover, secrets that the universe is yet to relinquish and one the most mysterious is what lies in the 6-inch gap between your ears.
Neuroscience is slowly revealing how the mind works and just what it is actually capable of, but what if you could supercharge your grey matter without having to go through the effort of hard work, revision and practice and just pop a pill? David Adam is up for a challenge, so to benchmark his own capability prior to trying out the latest science and technologies available for mind enhancement he decides to have a go at the Mensa examination. Scores achieved, it is time to begin his journey into the inner recesses of his own mind and to see what enhancements will help improve his score when he comes to take it again.
There have been many methods that people have tried to enhance the mind, and some of the discussed in the book include the spectres of eugenics and the way that intelligence tests have been used for all manner of nefarious ends. Adam selects two methods to try enhancements, the first is the drug modafinil to see the effects. As it is normally a prescription drug then he has to acquire his tablets, through other means, shall we say, before trying various before and after experiments. As electrical stimulation has been shown to have some effects a system with electrodes is acquired to run a similar set of experiments. It comes with instructions, but no details on where to place the electrodes as they might be liable for incorrect placements so the manual suggests just googling it…
His self-experiments make for amusing reading, but it is the questions that Adam poses that go some way to addressing the question of what is intelligence, how it affects us as an individual, and how societies treat those at the top and bottom of the scale, but his book can only provide answers to some of these questions. The more we find out about the capacity of our minds the more we realise just how little we know, we may all have untapped intelligence that is normally attributed to savants and whilst the IQ test can give a gauge of one factor of intelligence there are others that it doesn't account for. If you want a well written popular science book on the possibilities and limits of intelligence, then you can't go wrong reading this.
Neuroscience is slowly revealing how the mind works and just what it is actually capable of, but what if you could supercharge your grey matter without having to go through the effort of hard work, revision and practice and just pop a pill? David Adam is up for a challenge, so to benchmark his own capability prior to trying out the latest science and technologies available for mind enhancement he decides to have a go at the Mensa examination. Scores achieved, it is time to begin his journey into the inner recesses of his own mind and to see what enhancements will help improve his score when he comes to take it again.
There have been many methods that people have tried to enhance the mind, and some of the discussed in the book include the spectres of eugenics and the way that intelligence tests have been used for all manner of nefarious ends. Adam selects two methods to try enhancements, the first is the drug modafinil to see the effects. As it is normally a prescription drug then he has to acquire his tablets, through other means, shall we say, before trying various before and after experiments. As electrical stimulation has been shown to have some effects a system with electrodes is acquired to run a similar set of experiments. It comes with instructions, but no details on where to place the electrodes as they might be liable for incorrect placements so the manual suggests just googling it…
His self-experiments make for amusing reading, but it is the questions that Adam poses that go some way to addressing the question of what is intelligence, how it affects us as an individual, and how societies treat those at the top and bottom of the scale, but his book can only provide answers to some of these questions. The more we find out about the capacity of our minds the more we realise just how little we know, we may all have untapped intelligence that is normally attributed to savants and whilst the IQ test can give a gauge of one factor of intelligence there are others that it doesn't account for. If you want a well written popular science book on the possibilities and limits of intelligence, then you can't go wrong reading this.
September 19, 2018
Was not what I thought it was going to be. I expected discussion on methods of unlocking your brain. Ends up being more of a book on the background on how the brain works in different people and history of theory and methods used to unlock the brain and not so much a how-to.
December 12, 2019
Did not finish.
I had two major issues with this book.
1. Does not seem to cover the topic it promises to cover.
To be fair, I did not finish, so maybe he eventually got on topic. But I got approximately half way and he was STILL hammering on about the history of the concept of IQ and other such introductory matters. I did not learn anything about how to get smarter.
2. Scientific analysis of nature vs nurture very simplistic, heavy handed and maybe even a bit racist.
David Adams weighs in heavily on the topic of nature vs nature and general vs multiple intelligence, based on a shallow examination of one side of the argument and then brushing off the other side as PC rubbish. Even when this leads to pretty racist inferences on why different races score differently on IQ tests. To me his agenda in doing this seems obvious since early in the book he manages to humble brag about his own high IQ. And he clearly wants us to believe that makes him special.
In one section he says twin studies 'prove' that IQ is mostly genetic. He conveniently ignores the wealth of studies that 'prove' the exact opposite. For instance neglected orphans have much lower IQs than children raised in families. Baby rats raised in enriched cages are smarter than those raised in standard lab cages. And tragically the chronic stress of being poor significantly impacts IQ, even in the short term ( https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/... ). This likely explains racial differences in IQ. Because resource distribution among differing racial groups is extremely not even!
He also forgets that adopted children can never be separated from their biological mother's environment as they spend their most crucial 9 months of development inside her body! I guess he is a man...
Luckily I got this on audible so I was able to return. Thanks audible :-)
Luckily I got this book through audio so I was able to return for a full refund.
I had two major issues with this book.
1. Does not seem to cover the topic it promises to cover.
To be fair, I did not finish, so maybe he eventually got on topic. But I got approximately half way and he was STILL hammering on about the history of the concept of IQ and other such introductory matters. I did not learn anything about how to get smarter.
2. Scientific analysis of nature vs nurture very simplistic, heavy handed and maybe even a bit racist.
David Adams weighs in heavily on the topic of nature vs nature and general vs multiple intelligence, based on a shallow examination of one side of the argument and then brushing off the other side as PC rubbish. Even when this leads to pretty racist inferences on why different races score differently on IQ tests. To me his agenda in doing this seems obvious since early in the book he manages to humble brag about his own high IQ. And he clearly wants us to believe that makes him special.
In one section he says twin studies 'prove' that IQ is mostly genetic. He conveniently ignores the wealth of studies that 'prove' the exact opposite. For instance neglected orphans have much lower IQs than children raised in families. Baby rats raised in enriched cages are smarter than those raised in standard lab cages. And tragically the chronic stress of being poor significantly impacts IQ, even in the short term ( https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/... ). This likely explains racial differences in IQ. Because resource distribution among differing racial groups is extremely not even!
He also forgets that adopted children can never be separated from their biological mother's environment as they spend their most crucial 9 months of development inside her body! I guess he is a man...
Luckily I got this on audible so I was able to return. Thanks audible :-)
Luckily I got this book through audio so I was able to return for a full refund.
June 5, 2018
Made me wonder if I should try one of those DIY brain stimulators with youtube tutorials myself, but then i remembered i am crazy enough.
February 18, 2018
I don't pick up many science books, but anytime the topic centers around intelligence and memory I am automatically drawn in and filled with fantasizes about having a super memory .
This books grabbed me from the beginning with its exciting prose that explored challenges to neuro-enhancement ( which the author says is the biggest scientific revolution of today), raised questions that broke down every inch of the problems ( ethical, scientific, statistical) that surround intelligence and a little bit of his own experiments.
I never knew it was so problematic to come up with a definition for intelligence or how negatively IQ tests affected so many people.
Towards the end, the prose did get a bit technical for me, but overall I learned so much and I am in awe of how the author managed to convey his scientific exploration in a way that is multidimensional and understandable to all.
This books grabbed me from the beginning with its exciting prose that explored challenges to neuro-enhancement ( which the author says is the biggest scientific revolution of today), raised questions that broke down every inch of the problems ( ethical, scientific, statistical) that surround intelligence and a little bit of his own experiments.
I never knew it was so problematic to come up with a definition for intelligence or how negatively IQ tests affected so many people.
Towards the end, the prose did get a bit technical for me, but overall I learned so much and I am in awe of how the author managed to convey his scientific exploration in a way that is multidimensional and understandable to all.
May 31, 2021
3.5⭐
If you want to know how the brain functions and how intelligence is biologically explained, then this book is not for you.
This book is mostly an account of the way humanity regarded intelligence throughout modern history : what is IQ, how it affects us as an individual, and how societies treat those at the top and bottom of the scale,... Here you will find some "funny" and disturbing facts.
Over all, the book is quite enjoyable. It has an easy-to-read style despite it being repetitive sometimes. Most Importantly, I found it educational in a way I didn't expect. There is a lot here that never crossed my mind before.
If you want to know how the brain functions and how intelligence is biologically explained, then this book is not for you.
This book is mostly an account of the way humanity regarded intelligence throughout modern history : what is IQ, how it affects us as an individual, and how societies treat those at the top and bottom of the scale,... Here you will find some "funny" and disturbing facts.
Over all, the book is quite enjoyable. It has an easy-to-read style despite it being repetitive sometimes. Most Importantly, I found it educational in a way I didn't expect. There is a lot here that never crossed my mind before.
March 23, 2018
Accessible and occasionally witty but knowledge does not fly far on the back of an anecdote. Unfortunately this book is 300 pages of wannabe scientifical rambling. The list of references is lacking, to say the least.
October 10, 2018
A shallow book that quickly spits out many anecdotes sprinkled with facts about intelligence. Highly readable and undoubtedly a quick read. Not worth it if you know any sort of basics about the brain or IQ. I would only recommend this to people who don't usually read.
May 6, 2020
Great book on intelligence and hacks you can do to be smart!
3/5
3/5
March 23, 2018
A lot of us are now aware that the brain is plastic and has the ability to change and adapt. A new area of neuroscience that looks to take advantage of this phenomena is cognitive enhancement. This is a field that sees individuals alter the way their brain and mind works in order to make it sharper, more focused and intelligent through the use of performance-enhancing drugs and/or brain stimulation. The Genius Within is a compelling account of this fledgling field, boasting scientific research and anecdotal evidence from an intrepid journalist who decides to use himself as a human guinea pig.
Dr. David Adam is an editor at Nature, the world’s leading scientific journal, and the best-selling author of The Man Who Couldn’t Stop, which is about his experiences living with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Adam first became acquainted with the notion of cognitive training while undergoing treatment for his OCD. For this latest book, he decided to go one step further and ingest a drug that has been shown to increase alertness in narcoleptics, but is also one whose long-term affects remain largely unknown to the scientific community. He also performed (with the assistance of his wife) some DIY electrical stimulation of his brain, specifically his anterior temporal lobes; these are ones that are associated with lateral thinking.
Adam’s aim was to try and boost his intelligence through these experiments (readers, please don’t try this at home!). Adam did find that he had some positive results after taking the drug, and performing the stimulations, prior to sitting the Mensa entrance test a second time. Though Adam acknowledges that these improved results cannot be directly attributed to the drugs, nor the brain stimulation, as there could also be a myriad of other reasons behind the improvements to his scores. But one should also not discount these encouraging findings, because what it mostly proves is that there needs to be more rigorous and scientific research and studies undertaken in this field, especially if you want to make judgement calls with respect to the efficacy of the claims.
This thoughtful book also provides readers with a history of the phenomena of intelligence. It includes sound commentary on Charles Spearman’s two-factor theory of intelligence, and Alfred Binet’s work in developing the first intelligence tests for children. The study of intelligence and IQ testing itself can be contentious because of the cultural biases that exist, and because some of our intelligence is directly influenced by our genetics (thankfully, there are still some factors that are left to nurture and experience as well.) This is controversial territory but it is also incredibly important when you consider how widespread the application of using IQ scores to make decisions is, for example: whether an employee is hired, what classes a child is assigned to and even if a prisoner on death row will receive the death penalty or not.
This account by Adam grapples with the series of moral quandaries that cognitive enhancement poses, something that will become increasingly important as this field develops further and becomes more mainstream. Adam considers things like whether everyone should be eligible for cognitive enhancement or just those with below-average intelligence. His commentary is sensible and logical and it is a joy to read, even when he is covering quite complex subject matter.
The Genius Within is an intriguing volume that includes varying accounts and voices, including research and history, as well as the author’s own personal anecdotes and questions about the ethics of his endeavours. Dr Adam’s book is a clever one that presents a fascinating area of different topics in an easily digestible and engaging way. The Genius Within is ultimately a fascinating title that proves it is smarter than your average book.
Dr. David Adam is an editor at Nature, the world’s leading scientific journal, and the best-selling author of The Man Who Couldn’t Stop, which is about his experiences living with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Adam first became acquainted with the notion of cognitive training while undergoing treatment for his OCD. For this latest book, he decided to go one step further and ingest a drug that has been shown to increase alertness in narcoleptics, but is also one whose long-term affects remain largely unknown to the scientific community. He also performed (with the assistance of his wife) some DIY electrical stimulation of his brain, specifically his anterior temporal lobes; these are ones that are associated with lateral thinking.
Adam’s aim was to try and boost his intelligence through these experiments (readers, please don’t try this at home!). Adam did find that he had some positive results after taking the drug, and performing the stimulations, prior to sitting the Mensa entrance test a second time. Though Adam acknowledges that these improved results cannot be directly attributed to the drugs, nor the brain stimulation, as there could also be a myriad of other reasons behind the improvements to his scores. But one should also not discount these encouraging findings, because what it mostly proves is that there needs to be more rigorous and scientific research and studies undertaken in this field, especially if you want to make judgement calls with respect to the efficacy of the claims.
This thoughtful book also provides readers with a history of the phenomena of intelligence. It includes sound commentary on Charles Spearman’s two-factor theory of intelligence, and Alfred Binet’s work in developing the first intelligence tests for children. The study of intelligence and IQ testing itself can be contentious because of the cultural biases that exist, and because some of our intelligence is directly influenced by our genetics (thankfully, there are still some factors that are left to nurture and experience as well.) This is controversial territory but it is also incredibly important when you consider how widespread the application of using IQ scores to make decisions is, for example: whether an employee is hired, what classes a child is assigned to and even if a prisoner on death row will receive the death penalty or not.
This account by Adam grapples with the series of moral quandaries that cognitive enhancement poses, something that will become increasingly important as this field develops further and becomes more mainstream. Adam considers things like whether everyone should be eligible for cognitive enhancement or just those with below-average intelligence. His commentary is sensible and logical and it is a joy to read, even when he is covering quite complex subject matter.
The Genius Within is an intriguing volume that includes varying accounts and voices, including research and history, as well as the author’s own personal anecdotes and questions about the ethics of his endeavours. Dr Adam’s book is a clever one that presents a fascinating area of different topics in an easily digestible and engaging way. The Genius Within is ultimately a fascinating title that proves it is smarter than your average book.
June 13, 2022
Adam takes a multi-approach to explaining intelligence and suggests that intelligence is still an undefined concept even though there have been attempts to define it systematically, such as g intelligence. The part I found most intriguing about this book is the way in which David Adam explores neuroenhancement and how this may not be as far away as we think it is, there are already drugs (often called smart drugs or cognitive enhancers), such as mofandil, which seem to increase cognitive functioning, and therefore seemingly intelligence. Furthermore, electrical stimulation has also shown to increase cognitive functioning. Another interesting part of this book is where Adam reports cases of acquired savants, these are people who are not born with the talent or skill but instead acquire it after an accident such as a head injury. Although the cases of savants were very entertaining to read about in themselves, the most fascinating part of this book was the fact that it seems these skills didn’t just suddenly appear, rather they were released meaning they were always there. This made me ask myself many questions, such as, do I have these unreleased skills and talents hiding away in my brain, can we find a way to release these skills, and where do these skills lie, is there even a specific place in the brain where these undiscovered skills and talents are located?
February 8, 2018
I requested this book from Net Galley.
4.5 stars
David Adam, an editor at Nature magazine has written a smart book (no pun, intended) that offers fascinating insights into the workings of the brain.
It contains strange and interesting stories and anecdotes pertaining to the brain and intelligence and it also deals with the controversy of defining and measuring intelligence. Drugs, brain stimulating therapies, and other methods that have been tried to enhance cognitive skills are also talked about. The author himself became a guinea pig to test out some of these.
From a famous brain being dropped on the floor to the astounding skills of savants, to IQ determining whether a criminal will be spared the death penalty, this book offers much entertainment! I kept relating bits and pieces to my husband and children (12 and 14) as I was reading it. I couldn’t help myself - I had to share! I highly recommend this book and now I definitely want to check out the author’s first book, The Man Who Couldn’t Stop, which relates his struggles with OCD.
4.5 stars
David Adam, an editor at Nature magazine has written a smart book (no pun, intended) that offers fascinating insights into the workings of the brain.
It contains strange and interesting stories and anecdotes pertaining to the brain and intelligence and it also deals with the controversy of defining and measuring intelligence. Drugs, brain stimulating therapies, and other methods that have been tried to enhance cognitive skills are also talked about. The author himself became a guinea pig to test out some of these.
From a famous brain being dropped on the floor to the astounding skills of savants, to IQ determining whether a criminal will be spared the death penalty, this book offers much entertainment! I kept relating bits and pieces to my husband and children (12 and 14) as I was reading it. I couldn’t help myself - I had to share! I highly recommend this book and now I definitely want to check out the author’s first book, The Man Who Couldn’t Stop, which relates his struggles with OCD.
July 10, 2024
I read a digital audio book edition of the genius within.
The genius within talks about intelligence tests, people taking pills, using electricity to improve their intelligence. It also talks about people who gain skills because of an accident or disease. It also talks about what intelligence means to other cultures. And talks about what intelligence is or what people think it is.
The most interesting part of the book for me was the discussion about intelligence tests and their history. And one thing that surprised me is the sheer about of high intelligence people such as Mensa. I suppose I thought Mensa was the only group like that. I was so wrong.
I still find it hard to remember what I listen to in audio books but, I try. I thought the Genius within was Ok, However I think I prefer books like remember it where I learn how to improve my memory. The book did have some interesting things in it. I never would have thought people would use electricity to try to improve their intelligence.
The genius within talks about intelligence tests, people taking pills, using electricity to improve their intelligence. It also talks about people who gain skills because of an accident or disease. It also talks about what intelligence means to other cultures. And talks about what intelligence is or what people think it is.
The most interesting part of the book for me was the discussion about intelligence tests and their history. And one thing that surprised me is the sheer about of high intelligence people such as Mensa. I suppose I thought Mensa was the only group like that. I was so wrong.
I still find it hard to remember what I listen to in audio books but, I try. I thought the Genius within was Ok, However I think I prefer books like remember it where I learn how to improve my memory. The book did have some interesting things in it. I never would have thought people would use electricity to try to improve their intelligence.
November 21, 2020
🍰This book is genius, totally. I recently decided to try this one mostly because I wanted to know how it can help me find the genuis within me and truly this book is so bomb. I really loved how this book doesn't give impractical or hard to implement tips or tricks, it's a book that's divided into chapters and when you read them back to back you get the relevance, the main concept and idea of the book is to reveal the readers their own potential and according to me it's amazingly done. I am reader who loves books which don't really draw boundaries whenever it comes to self help and kinda try to connect with the readers directly and this is one of those books which actually connects the readers directly. I wish it had activities after each chapter, but overall I find it so worthy.
.
Rating: 4🌟
April 18, 2019
This is a pop science book which opens by singing the praises of Cognital Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as a method of unlocking the brains hidden potential. So far, so good. The author goes on to cover a number of wide ranging topics related to the field of intelligence.
I enjoyed the books easy to read style, it is approachable and offers some interesting insights into various different scientific avenues regarding the measurement of intelligence. Lots of topics to potentially explore further.
I wasn't really a fan of the weak narrative which appears from time to time following the authors non-scientific attempt at testing out smart pills and brain hacks for himself, these didn't seem to go anywhere or add much to the book. Certainly little mention of the CBT mentioned in the introduction as the key to his prior success.
Overall this book is enjoyable. However, if you wish to gain a significant advantage over your peers intellectually this is not perhaps the book for you. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the history of intelligence testing instead.
I enjoyed the books easy to read style, it is approachable and offers some interesting insights into various different scientific avenues regarding the measurement of intelligence. Lots of topics to potentially explore further.
I wasn't really a fan of the weak narrative which appears from time to time following the authors non-scientific attempt at testing out smart pills and brain hacks for himself, these didn't seem to go anywhere or add much to the book. Certainly little mention of the CBT mentioned in the introduction as the key to his prior success.
Overall this book is enjoyable. However, if you wish to gain a significant advantage over your peers intellectually this is not perhaps the book for you. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the history of intelligence testing instead.
August 10, 2019
This book primarily focuses on the author's journey to experiment with various neuroenhancement techniques. What is lacking is a more detailed exploration of the cutting edge research in this field. While it does touch on certain historical aspects like the introduction of IQ tests, these felt introduced more to advance a particular point of view instead of really defining the historical context. The most important aspect of intelligence and enhancement, which is the ethics of it, in particular isn't explored in-depth. While I enjoyed the humor throughout the book I suspect there are better books on this subject.
April 10, 2020
A book of how an author tries to increase their intelligence through experimental tests while also detailing the history of how various intelligence tests came about, and what scientific research and case studies can tell us about them.
Sadly, the cover of the book didn't match up with what was written. I was hoping the book would contain methods in which I could implement to boost my own cognitive skills but instead I received a history lesson on intelligence.
Even though the flow of the book was quite slow, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy history and/or cognitive science.
Sadly, the cover of the book didn't match up with what was written. I was hoping the book would contain methods in which I could implement to boost my own cognitive skills but instead I received a history lesson on intelligence.
Even though the flow of the book was quite slow, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy history and/or cognitive science.
February 16, 2023
The Genius Within is an interesting read, I will consider it to be a science and research book where David shares his thoughts and the results of his research and experiments with neuro-enhancement through pills such as modafinil and electrifying his brain to see if these will have an effect on his IQ.
He initially argues that IQ may not be the best representation of the intelligence of a person however IQ are the most potent and practical tests we have today.
We also learn that trauma and accidents have a unique way of unlocking hidden ‘powers’ and capabilities of our brains.
He initially argues that IQ may not be the best representation of the intelligence of a person however IQ are the most potent and practical tests we have today.
We also learn that trauma and accidents have a unique way of unlocking hidden ‘powers’ and capabilities of our brains.
August 6, 2023
meandering anecdotal review of cognitive enhancement
I’m not really sure what the point of this book is other than to say “neuro-enhancement is probably possible and is complicated with lots of ethical concerns”.
The author goes off on tangents related to the history of intelligence quotients, autism, savants and ethics that often left me questioning the point of the book. His own exploration at increasing his own intelligence consists of him buying the cheapest electric set to stimulate his brain and taking modafinal a few times to see what happens??
I’m not really sure what the point of this book is other than to say “neuro-enhancement is probably possible and is complicated with lots of ethical concerns”.
The author goes off on tangents related to the history of intelligence quotients, autism, savants and ethics that often left me questioning the point of the book. His own exploration at increasing his own intelligence consists of him buying the cheapest electric set to stimulate his brain and taking modafinal a few times to see what happens??
August 27, 2019
I found this book very interesting. I liked it. The various methods to unlock your brain's potential may have some promise. I'm unlikely to try the methods he talks about, but I would like to see more science studies in this area. Some of the methods to unlock your brain's potential described in the book have not been tested enough to satisfy skeptical scientists.
March 11, 2023
While this book (I listened to the audiobook) does include plenty of scientific discussions packaged for the everyday consumer like me, it still comes off a bit silly. I listened to it because I was feeling very blah after a week of being sick and I wanted something that would make me feel like I was watching the movie Limitless. This did a fine job. Can you tell I’m not over the moon?
April 5, 2024
I enjoyed the writing style and tone of this one. It was intriguing to learn some of the backstory on intelligence and how it has been studied, perceived, and misused over the years. It’s interesting to know that intelligence has indeed increased overall in recent generations. I can’t say I’m surprised by that.
February 22, 2018
The Genius Within: Unlocking Your Brain Potential by David Adam is an amazing work of art..spelling out in simple detail how we can enhance our intelligence and makes us aware that we really do have more intelligence than we believe.This book explains how science can inevitably shape our future.
January 22, 2024
An interesting follow-up to the Man Who Couldn’t Stop. This book feels less inspired than Adam’s big hit. It feels like he���s pursuing a less zealous interest in writing this book, but there are some compelling concepts nonetheless. The conclusion is less than satisfying, and the exploration of what it means to have genius within felt incompletely tapped. I wanted more fresh ideas and less history. But still a worthy read for those who are a fan of Adam’s writing.
November 21, 2018
Very informational, not sure if I enjoyed the point of view.
January 12, 2019
This is the second time I finish one of David Adam's books in less than a week. His writing meshed with story telling, anectode and facts keeps one intrigues the entire time. Definitely recommend.
December 28, 2019
I LIKE THIS BOOK
October 17, 2020
An interesting peak into the workings of the brain and the quest to quantify and define different types of intelligences.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews