Bernard Williams claims that a genius is the superlative of a talented person, which leads to whether a genius is a remarkable person because of his hard work or just because he is gifted.
This is one of the questions dealt with in this term paper. The concept of a genius is defined as well.
Therefore, the typical genius based on historical and current influences is compared with the above-average intelligent "Criminal Minds" character Doctor Spencer Reid, related to his character traits and properties, as well as his individual type of determination and his Social Awkwardness.
Table of Contents
1. What is a genius?
2. The term “typical genius”
2.1 General definition
2.2 Historical meaning
2.3 Current significance
3. Characterisation of Spencer Reid
3.1 Introduction to the series
3.2 Character traits and properties
3.3 Individual type of determination
3.4 Social Awkwardness
3.4.1 Autistic leanings
3.4.2 Asperger Syndrome
4. Comparison
4.1 Similarities between Spencer Reid and a typical genius
4.1.1 Considering the general definition
4.1.2 Considering the historical meaning
4.1.3 Considering the current significance
4.2 Differences between Spencer Reid and the typical genius
4.2.1 Considering the general definition
4.2.2 Considering the historical meaning
4.2.3 Considering the current significance
4.3 Final word
5. References
1. What is a genius?
“Talent is a flame. Genius is a fire”1 – Bernard Williams This quotation represents my understanding of the term genius before my researches started. Of course, no one questions terms that are familiar to them, but the more it is dealt with the closer one gets to the real meaning behind these terms. For example, Bernard Williams claims that a genius is the increase to a talented person which leads to the question whether a genius is a remarkable person because of his hard work or just because he is gifted. This is one of the questions dealt with in these term papers and beyond the concept of a genius is also defined. Therefore, the typical genius based on historical and current influences is compared with the above-average intelligent Criminal Minds character Doctor Spencer Reid, related to his character traits and properties, as well as his individual type of determination and his Social Awkwardness.
2. The term “typical genius”
2.1 General definition
First, based on Encyclopaedia Britannica, there are two possible ways of understanding the term genius.
“In the first sense, as popularized by [Lewis Madison] Terman, it refers to great intellectual ability as measured by performance on a standardized intelligence test. In the second and more popular sense, as derived from […] Sir Francis Galton, it designates creative ability of an exceptionally high order as demonstrated by actual achievement”2
So according to the first meaning the only property of a genius is to perform better in a standardized test than the mass which suggests that only a higher intelligence is expected of him. But it also shows that highly intelligent people tend to be loner because they are extraordinary and their qualities distinguish them from the masses. Their outstanding properties do not fit in the rather one-sided thinking society. It starts with thinking beyond the borders. Moreover, these people are usually not scared to accept the fact that they do not know everything while a very common reflex for an average person is to pretend as if he knew exactly what he is talking about as a defence reaction because he is afraid to get called stupid. But a genius likes to expand his knowledge. Being open-minded can make an enormous impact on smart persons learning skills since they do not close themselves off to new ideas or experiences. Furthermore, I would also like to concentrate on the creative part combined with the achievement of new advances. A genius does not only deal with what already exists, but also has the ability to think beyond it. The genius discovers or invents new things as his ideas transcend our way of thinking. This creativity of creation shows that the genius is not afraid to enter undiscovered areas and to explore the unexplored.
2.2 Historical meaning
In the “Storm and Stress” era (1776-1785), poets began to focus on a main character, who was either a genius or a hero. The philosophers wanted to clarify this previously vague concept of genius. One of these philosophers was Johann Casper Lavater (1741-1801) who wrote “Physiognomische Fragmente” (Physiognomic Fragments) in order to have the possibility of deducing the character of a person from their external appearance. In the beginning he starts with a definition to characterise the appearance and qualities of a genius:
“ […] Wer bemerkt, wahrnimmt, schaut, empfindet, denkt, spricht, handelt, bildet, dichtet, singt, schafft, vergleicht, sondert, vereinigt, folgert, ahndet, gibt, nimmt – als wenn’s ihm ein Genius, ein unsichtbares Wesen höherer Art diktiert oder angegeben hätte, der hat Genie; als wenn er selbst ein wesen höherer Art wäre – ist Genie. […] “3
It may sound odd that an invisible creature gives one advises but the key aspect is that a genius acts so different than from what a normal human being could ever imagine. Further interpretations of this quotation are that this connection between the genius and the being of a higher kind is on a different level than the area of understanding goes. Their mind can open up to another level of knowledge to which normal people have no access. Besides it is also important to mention that Lavater categorizes the features of a genius. There are intellectual habitudes like intelligence, speech faculty and judgement, but also emotional habitude like sentiments, and creative and artist habitudes like poetizing and singing, and social habitudes like giving and taking. Just being smart does not make you a genius. Moreover, Lavater also wrote an explanation on which it may be possible to recognize a genius because “[…] Wo Wirkung, Kraft, Tat, Gedanke, Empfindung ist, die von Menschen nicht gelernt und nicht gelehrt werden kann, da ist Genie! […] Genie – propior Deus […] “4. This means that a genius does not behave like a normal person because he does not feel and think as society has taught him. This statement confirms the theory that a genius was not born extraordinary, but only through his unique way of thinking he became a genius. There is also a less common expression, the term propior Deus, which is Latin and is translated as the second God. Two fictional layers are used to illustrate this idea: One on which the average population can only learn limited knowledge and above a higher class. On this level the genius is equated with God who is known for his omniscience. In summary, it can be said that Lavater sees the genius above the average population and on a level that is inaccessible to them.
2.3 Current significance
Nevertheless, people are more likely to believe in scientific evidence of intelligence these days. The newspaper “Die Zeit” wrote about the modern understanding of the term genius:
“ […] Studien zeigen: Menschen, die wir als genial betrachten, haben manches mitgebracht, als sie zur Welt kamen. Intelligenz etwa, oder Temperament. Vieles andere mussten sie sich erkämpfen. Die Analyse gibt Aufschluss darüber, welche Faktoren Menschen zu Genies werden ließen. Bildung, Kreativität, Inspiration, Intuition, Unabhängigkeit, Beharrlichkeit und Glück sind sieben wesentliche Zutaten für jene, die sich anschicken, die Welt zu verändern – und sie sind allesamt eher irdischer Natur.“5
Looking at this newspaper clipping, it is important to point out that people who society sees as geniuses are often born with basic skills such as intelligence or temperament. But these abilities do not turn people into geniuses. A human being must fight all his life to attain all the other qualities. The composition of factors which are according to Andreas Sentker education, creativity, inspiration, intuition, independence, persistence and luck is what makes a person a genius. These qualities are attainable for every normal person. But to have these “ingredients” as essential character traits it must be either be a big coincidence or hard work on one’s being because to train these traits like intuition or independence requires patience and great will. And even if a person tries to achieve this degree of perfection in his character the last “ingredient” luck is not determined by the will of the person. Therefore, one must assume that a human being has to learn all his life and work hard on himself in order to perhaps acquire these abilities of a genius.
3. Characterisation of Spencer Reid
3.1 Introduction to the series
Someone who has been learning and working hard all his life is the Criminal Minds character Doctor Spencer Reid, but it remains to be seen if he has achieved the abilities of a genius. Firstly, Criminal Minds is an American television series which is categorized as crime fiction because it is police procedural. There are altogether 14 seasons however I am limiting myself to the first one. The main supervisory agents are Jason Gideon, Aaron Hotchner, Elle Greenaway, Derek Morgan, Doctor Spencer Reid, Jennifer Jareau and Penelope Garcia. The plot is set in Quantico in Virginia. Criminal Minds shows the investigations of a group of behavioural profilers who work for the Federal Bureau of investigation (FBI) as members of their Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU). The investigators focus on the previous approach and the psychological background of the criminal to solve the case. They are commissioned when a murder has already happened and then investigate it for special characteristics of the criminal’s actions. A perpetrator profile is adapted based on the previous results and on the typical serial killer. The profilers try to put themselves in the perpetrator’s place to understand their actions. When it comes to dangerous situations it is their strategy to talk to the criminals and calm them down to de-escalate and give them a chance to show remorse.
3.2 Character traits and properties
When it comes to Spencer Reid’s intelligence he “[does not] believe that intelligence can be quantified, but [he has] an IQ of 187, an eidetic memory and [he] can read 20.000 words per minute”6 so one can assume that he has the possibility to work faster and more efficiently than people who are not that gifted. These are the measurable talents with which he is born and which he has as basic unlearned abilities. His professional success so far has been his three doctorates7 and he also has a broad background knowledge which he can access immediately at any time. Special Agent Hotchner once introduced Spencer as “Doctor Reid, our expert on, well, everything”8 what underlines on the one hand his seemingly unlimited knowledge and on the other hand the agent’s confidence that Spencer has never said anything wrong before. At the beginning of the series Spencer Reid is 23 years old and because of his outstanding achievements with this young age “people see [him] as a kid”9. Special Agent Jason Gideon’s solution for this problem is to always introduce Spencer as “Doctor Spencer Reid” and not as a normal “Special Agent” so “he wants to make sure that [the people] respect [him]”10.
3.3 Individual type of determination
The most important aspect that characterizes Criminal Minds and distinguishes it from other crime series is that the focus is laid on the criminal’s psychology and his mental disorders rather than the process of investigation. Doctor Reid got taught by Special Agent Jason Gideon that “the only truly effective weapon we have is our ability to do the one thing they can’t. […] Empathize. They dehumanize their victims. We humanize the killers”11. The profilers find and outwit the criminals with the help of their special tactics by trying to understand their actions and their thought process. Doctor Spencer Reid calls this method “psychoanalyze crime scenes in order to gain better understanding of the criminal who might have committed the crime”12. The psychological depths of the criminals are explored and their current actions are related to their childhood and past traumas. Spencer Reid relies on the fact that he can beat a criminal with the created profile by knowing his psychological composition and therefore relies on this and not on a gun. The thinking that “you don’t need a gun to kill somebody”13 also makes him stand out from the normal investigators. Since with the characteristics of a typical serial killer and its average behaviour one can usually say a lot about the current criminal, but of course one must compare these precision cases with the current case and might encounter possible discrepancies. To perform this tactic perfectly Spencer Reid had to learn the talent of thinking “outside the box”14. Due to Reid’s eidetic memory, he can recite any statistic at any time, but he had to learn that one can not only rely on the statistics, but also has to remember that every case is special and individual. While investigating it is an advantage to have a pattern to follow for example that one familiarizes himself with the files first and then looks at the scene of crime and questions the witnesses and suspicious. But to understand the psyche of a killer Spencer Reid had to learn to put himself in the position of somebody who is extremely driven by a motive like revenge or a coercive disturbance that the one has not seen any other way to do as a murder.
3.4 Social Awkwardness
3.4.1 Autistic leanings
Doctor Spencer Reid is a specialist in being able to empathize with the mental illnesses and disorders as he himself has a problem with Social Awkwardness. The first mental disorder that is mentioned in the series are the “autistic leanings of the very insecure Dr. Reid”15. Autism is a psychological illness with which a person “challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication”16. In simple terms the interaction with other people is frequently difficult because he does not understand the social conditions and manners that belong to a conversation. For example, Spencer often focuses on topics that are not interesting for the other participants, but he does not realize that he should either stop talking about it or change the subject. Another situation in which one could guess his Autism is when Spencer was asked by Special Agent Hotchner to speak to students who were about his age. Spencer was stammering and felt visibly uncomfortable as the centre of their attention. By being set under this pressure he also could not focus on the important pieces of information instead he just puts many technical terms together17.
3.4.2 Asperger Syndrome
The Asperger Syndrome is a development disorder which leads to “social impairment with extreme egocentricity, limited interests and […] non-verbal communication problem[s]”18. All these descriptions apply to Spencer Reid because it is difficult for him to get out of his own mind and adapt to the customs of society. When he is enthusiastic about something it is hard for him to drop the subject even when he annoys his colleagues with it. Sometimes Spencer must be stopped by the other investigators when he starts talking about topics that are currently not the top priority in inappropriate situations. If, however, he becomes too absorbed in a topic and loses the connection with reality and the case at hand it also happens that his interlocutors simply leave. For him it is just hard to see how these social conditions work and he does not understand why the things floating around in his head are not the most important in the moment. Writer Sharon Lee Watson once confirmed the conjecture by writing “I think he has Asperger’s. But that just makes him more loveable”19. Which suggests that the writers have only given Doctor Spencer Reid this psychological disorder, so his character looks clumsy and thus closer to the viewer as a completely perfect genius.
[...]
1 BrainyMedia Inc 2018, “Bernard Williams Quotes”, https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/bernard_williams_379649 accessed on 28.10.2018
2 Kerr, Barbara “Genius” https://www.britannica.com/science/genius-psychology released on 20.07.1998, accessed on 11.10.2018
3 Cornelsen Deutschbuch 10. Klasse Gymnasium Bayern, 9. Sturm und Drang – Junge Stimmen gegen Autoritäten S.198 Z.15ff.
4 Cornelsen Deutschbuch 10. Klasse Gymnasium Bayern, 9. Sturm und Drang – Junge Stimmen gegen Autoritäten S.198 Z.24ff.
5 Sentker, Andreas, “Genial! “, https://www.zeit.de/2011/42/Genie-Kult/komplettansicht released on 13.10.2011, accessed on 24.09.2018
6 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 1, 11:00
7 Cf. Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 1, 10:55
8 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 1, 08:30
9 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 1, 25:40
10 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 1, 25:40
11 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 6, 15:20
12 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 18, 02:10
13 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 6, 38:35
14 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 2, 25:55
15 Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 5, 31:50
16 2018 Autism Speaks Inc., “What is Autism?”, https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism accessed on 27.10.2018
17 Cf. Criminal Minds, Season 1, Episode 2, 18:00
18 ©1996-2018 MedicineNet, Inc., “Medical Definition of Asperger syndrome“, https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9675#aspergers_syndrome_facts reviewed on 25.01.2017, accessed on 27.10.2018
19 Watson, Sharon Lee, “Criminal Minds Live Chat Transcript”, http://cmsetreport.tumblr.com/post/34127594413/full-transcript-live-chat-with-writer-sharon released on 18.10.2012, accessed on 27.10.2018
- Quote paper
- Anonymous,, 2018, Is the "Criminal Minds" character Spencer Reid a typical genius?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1298369
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