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Asperger's Syndrome: Autism Behind Einstein, Newton Brilliance?
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by Tina Kells | April 10, 2009 at 07:19 pm
669 views | 13 Recommendations | 4 comments
Asperger's Syndrome is a form of high functioning autism characterized by eccentric behaviors, erratic thought patterns and expressions, and socialization issues. A new study from researchers at Cambridge and Oxford universities is suggesting that the brilliance of Albert Einstein and Sir Issac Newton may have been the result of the Asperger's Sydrome type autism or another high functioning Austism Spectum Disorder (PDF).
The Case for Albert Einstein and Asperger's Syndrome
Many people with Asperger's are often regarded as being eccentric. They sometimes lack social skills, are obsessed with complex topics and can have problems communicating.
This latest research suggests that Einstein, who is credited with developing the theory of relativity, and Newton, who discovered the laws of gravity, had these traits to varying degrees.
According to the researchers, Einstein showed signs of Asperger's from a young age.
As a child, he was a loner and often repeated sentences obsessively until he was seven years old. He was also a notoriously confusing lecturer.
The Case for Sir Issac Newton and Asperger's Syndrome
The researchers believe that Newton displayed classic signs of the condition.
He hardly spoke, was so engrossed in his work that he often forgot to eat and was lukewarm or bad-tempered with the few friends he had.
If no one turned up to his lectures he gave them anyway talking to an empty room. At the age of 50, he had a nervous breakdown brought on by depression and paranoia.
However, others believe these traits can be attributed to both men's high intelligence.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 21:43 on April 10th, 2009
Actually, his breakdown was probably caused by his "alchemy" experiments where he actually tasted the concoctions of mercury using his fingers, according to the biography of Newton, Never at Rest.
The mercury poisoning effects diminshed over time.
at 06:31 on April 26th, 2009
I appreciate the report and it going all around the media, blogs this week. However, to call it "new" isn't quite accurate, is it? I read about this research back in 2005, and believe I read then that the research was conducted in 2002.
I wonder why all of a sudden it is being dusted off and presented as a report on "new research".
Also, in the 2005 report I read, I didn't see any mention of the quote I'm seeing in the reports this week from one of the researchers that one of the traits of "Aspies" is "standing up for justice". This seems to have been added. I don't recall seeing this as a trait listed in common traits of those with Asperger's before.
When I see things like this going on ( pulling up old research and making a big fuss of it ), I have to suspect an ulterior message or motive. I'm waiting for the other shoe, so to speak; for the ulterior to show up on in the exterior.
at 07:04 on April 26th, 2009
Okay, I did some more legwork this morning and I found the original article that this Einstein/Newton/genius proposition was made by Professor Simon Baron-Cohen. It was in an article printed in April 2003, in the New Scientist magazine. Here's the link:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3676-einstein-and-newton-showed-signs-of-autism.html
And yes, there is the quote about passion and "standing up for justice" is in that article.
I still am left wondering why this six-year old article is being dusted off and referred to as "new" or even as "research" (as it seems more just an observation made by two highly knowledgeable specialists / researchers, but not research itself, per se. I mean, if Einstein had observed that the moon likely contained metals or elements not found on Earth, simply based on his vast knowledge of matter and the universe, would that have been research?)
Don't misunderstand: I actually agree with the observations made by Dr. Baron-Cohen and am pleased to see the upside of autism / Asperger's being given some attention. I have never seen Asperger's as an affliction, but rather just a variation on a theme. I've always seen the advantages of an Asperger mind along with the challenges.
at 14:37 on May 27th, 2009
Both men's, (E and N) theories have been shown to be quite lacking in many serious regards --thus the 'assessment' of "low" functioning asperger's syndrome (if it applies at all) is probably as good as it gets for these guys.
Other's have apparently seen fit to prop up these guys and their theories for a long long time -- appraently to perhaps serve some greater goals (well - at least to them anyway).
Caveat Emptor