Is it possible to train oneself to shift to a savant-like cognitive state without artificially stimulating the brain with magnetic impulses? Is our tendency to not operate with raw information a breakable habit?

I've heard that getting massive brain damage can do the trick (if you don't die). The problem is that you can't choose the ability you're going to get. It could be painting like picasso non stop, remembering *exactly* the weather of each thursday since you got the brain damage or being able to represent Pi using toothpicks and little pieces of chewed meet.

Nah it's mostly genetic and autism related. Most everyone that has it discovers their secret ability as a kid.

Speaking of that I met an autistic kid that was savant at the grocery store I worked at in HS. He picked up a Michigan road map book, flipped the pages quickly, then turned to his grandfather. "Did you know that there are 14 streets between here and our home. Oakland..." and he just named off all of the streets and distances and kept talking. I asked his grandpa while I took his groceries to their car and apparently the little kid had photographic memory and other abilities. You could tell him any two places and he could give you perfect directions. If you think about it from a computer science position his brain is doing an extraordinary thing. I wish I still knew where he was. I want to sit down and have him solve a 1000 node traveling salesman problem.

Quote:

Original post by Sirisian Speaking of that I met an autistic kid that was savant at the grocery store I worked at in HS. He picked up a Michigan road map book, flipped the pages quickly, then turned to his grandfather. "Did you know that there are 14 streets between here and our home. Oakland..." and he just named off all of the streets and distances and kept talking. I asked his grandpa while I took his groceries to their car and apparently the little kid had photographic memory and other abilities. You could tell him any two places and he could give you perfect directions. If you think about it from a computer science position his brain is doing an extraordinary thing. I wish I still knew where he was. I want to sit down and have him solve a 1000 node traveling salesman problem.

I'd be curious to know if he picked the optimal route or just a good route. If he could pick the optimal route every time that would be amazing.

Quote:

Original post by way2lazy2care Quote: Original post by Sirisian Speaking of that I met an autistic kid that was savant at the grocery store I worked at in HS. He picked up a Michigan road map book, flipped the pages quickly, then turned to his grandfather. "Did you know that there are 14 streets between here and our home. Oakland..." and he just named off all of the streets and distances and kept talking. I asked his grandpa while I took his groceries to their car and apparently the little kid had photographic memory and other abilities. You could tell him any two places and he could give you perfect directions. If you think about it from a computer science position his brain is doing an extraordinary thing. I wish I still knew where he was. I want to sit down and have him solve a 1000 node traveling salesman problem. I'd be curious to know if he picked the optimal route or just a good route. If he could pick the optimal route every time that would be amazing.

he'd make a perfect designated driver...

What impresses me there is it sounds like he was also high-functioning. I wonder if savant's is an evolutionary trait.

Quote:

Nah it's mostly genetic and autism related.

Well, not all autistics are savants and vise versa (Ref under New Understanding header). I'm autistic (Aspergers), but not a savant. I remember someone describing that savants lack functionality in a part of the brain that "filters" superfluous information collected in sense data. I don't have anything to back that up, though. It would be nice if you could control it without throwing yourself down the stairs or paying for rTMS treatment. Thankfully, Open-rTMS is trying to make rTMS use more available.

You think the effects are at all similar to high-frequency brainwave entrainment using gamma waves?

Quote:

Original post by zyrolasting What impresses me there is it sounds like he was also high-functioning. I wonder if savant's is as an evolutionary trait that is advantageous in a tech-centric society. If so, it didn't take long to start popping up. Quote: Nah it's mostly genetic and autism related. Well, not all autistics are savants and not all savants are autistic. I'm autistic (Aspergers), but not a savant. I remember someone describing that savants lack functionality in a part of the brain that "filters" superfluous information collected in sense data. I don't have anything to back that up, though.

What I remember from this documentary (beautiful minds or something) is that they made a MRI on a savant to see which parts of the brain he used to perform certain tasks and they discovered that his brain was wired in a completely different way than "normal" people. Like areas that are normally used for something he would use them for something completely unrelated.
I don't remember exactly which was his talent (music?), but when he performed it, his brain would lit up like a christmas tree.

It might be possible, there are stories throughout histories of ascetics/mystics who through training in "mystical" schools again extraordinary mental abilities.. A more modern take using psychoactive substances and bio-feedback it might be possible. Most psychedelics operate be turning off parts of the brain filtering process resulting in a type of synestasia.

It' now known that the adult human brain has the capacity to grow neurons over time so given enough training it might be possible to do without the psychoactives to enter this state of savantaism..

But what exactly are you looking for? super memory? increased spatial abilities? the ability to count things really fast? It might be achievable but the question is would you have the dedication to devote the years or arduous training to achieve it? Without a clear understanding of the goal..

Good Luck!

-ddn

Quote:

But what exactly are you looking for?

Heightened ability to learn, but I'm not sure that is guaranteed. Still, it would be great to at least have a habit of making more use of raw data that I would normally ignore.

I'm just curious about how savants learn, and if they do so at an accelerated rate. The spontaneous, almost inexplicable speed in which calculations are made seem to be an advantage that allows for someone to spend more time learning the applications of subjects as opposed to the subjects themselves.

Quote:

"I learned to count, like anyone else, at a young age, and when I did I would see colors," he said. "I would see pictures in my mind. I assumed at the time that everyone saw numbers as I did." Tammet didn't do math as it was taught in school. Instead, the answers just came to him.

I imagine improved memory would come with synesthesia naturally, since increased sensory input is pretty much packaged with more associations to keep in memory. Again, don't know this for sure. Just talking out of my ass.

I don't think savants learn at an accelerated rate, most of their feats are memory related.. learning is the combination of integration of knowledge and application of it, they can integrate it well enough, but not use it at any advance level.. I've heard of savants memorizing Mozart in a single listening but i highly doubt they could write a Mozart like piece within their lifetime..

Seemingly normal people are capable of feats of memory, a guy memorized PI to 10,000+ digits, some people have eidetic memory, etc.. So "normal" humans can definitely exceed the "norm" as defined by todays standard in terms of memory through training or genetic gift..

Heightened ability to absorb information, that's definitely achievable.. Eat right, exercise, find the right habits and challenge yourself to "learn" every chance and you'll get very fast at "learning".. Humans are hard wired for optimal smell/memory recall, you can exploit this fact and use it to boost your learning..

Good Luck!

-ddn