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Intelligence is a nebulous concept, one that I suspect lacks meaning altogether. Does intelligence refer to brainpower, or to problem solving ability? Is there any difference? Does intelligence perhaps refer to something else, like creativity or intuition? And what do we even mean when we refer to those things? Is intelligence measured by potential or performance? If potential, doesn't this change throughout one's lifetime (if for no other reason than that the physical structure of our brains changes)? If performance, isn't intelligence then nothing more than a statement of historical intellectual triumphs rather than an indicator of future insights? And how do we know that there is even a smartest person alive? Settling on a list of the ten smartest people is probably no less absurd than generating a list of the ten biggest numbers. The concept of intelligence is not clear cut, but this list certainly is.

 
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  1. 1

    scott aaronson

    scott aaronson Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive People picture
    There is a saying that the work of ordinary geniuses can be reproduced while the work of exceptional geniuses--magicians--is so dazzling that you can't imagine doing it. Scott calls people who popularize science to their generations "prophets." Scott is a prophet and a magician and this is why he lands on the page of the smartest living people.
  2. 2
    Paul Krugman Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive People picture
    Political commentator, Keynesian economist, popular pundit, Paul Krugman extracts simplicity from confusion and distills it to a wide audience in terms everyone can understand. Paul Krugman earns his way onto this list of the smartest people alive.
    + 1
  3. 3
    Norman Finkelstein Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive People picture
    Political scientist, intellectual renegade, honest as stone, Norman Finkelstein will not be cowed. He earns a spot on this list of the smartest living people.
  4. 4
    Steven Pinker Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive People picture
    A cognitive scientist, philosopher and linguist, Steven Pinker has perhaps done more to move these important social sciences into the fold of the hard sciences than any of his peers. While not infallible, he is an exacting, insightful thinker, and for this reason he earns a spot on my list of the smartest people alive.
  5. 5
    Edward Witten Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive People picture
    Ed Witten almost became an economist. Thank god he didn't, because physics and mathematics wouldn't be the same without him. With a Feynmanesque explanatory ability and a Penrosian mathematical prowess, this scientist takes names and kicks butt. He fits snugly on my list of the smartest people alive.

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  1. latiy
    Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive at 4/12/2011 7:08 PM
    you
  2. Joe
    Paul Krugman at 9/23/2010 2:42 PM
    hahahahahahahahahahahaha, yea right!
  3. dddddddddd
    Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive at 1/22/2012 1:54 PM
    are u kidding me, where are asian people? this is obviously a white supremacy site.
  4. Zak
    Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive at 12/01/2009 2:27 PM
    at least you picked a good pic of Paris. what about "Connie" Hilton. oh wait he's dead.
    1. latiy
      Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive at 4/12/2011 7:09 PM
      you crazy
  5. value
    Top ten smartest living people - smartest people alive at 1/31/2012 7:26 PM
    you are so stupid, I waste my time reading this, fuck
    you
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