It is my theory that all of mankind starts their intellectual journey at a given base point. Call this point ‘Point 0’. For whatever reasons throughout the course of one’s life, one increases their intelligence ‘score’ by increasing their ‘points’. Say, for instance, that a typical human can increase their points to 100. 100 is the average. Some people are a bit lower and some are a bit higher. But the 0-100 point range is where human beings can comfortably handle the full-range of tasks that face us, from tying our shoes to splitting an atom. Also take for granted that common sense and/or routine functions naturally settle on the lower half of the intelligence range. (i.e.
tying one’s shoes would score somewhere near 10, while splitting an
atom would score nearer 100 or higher).
Now, my theory is that, for whatever reason, the highest score on the intelligence range has never been discovered. No limit exists. Human beings are constantly and consistently pushing their scores upward. However, I have seen evidence that in rare cases of exceptionally high ‘scores’ the person in question also seems to raise their lower range from the base point of ‘0’. For example, an exceptional genius who has a high-end score of near 200 (well above the average – nearly double) may have a lower end range of 50 (rather that 0). It follows, within my theory, that this person, while able to visualize and create fabulous mind-bending feats of intellectual prowess, has in fact forgotten how to tie their shoes. My Genius / Idiot Theory thusly states that:
The range of intelligence, while never limiting the high-end ‘score’, has indeed limited itself to a finite range.
I don’t know if a similar theory has already been discovered / named / observed, but I’ve seen examples of this too many times not to notice a pattern. Just the fact that I’ve noticed it enough to feel it important enough to write down warns that we all have to be aware of exactly where we are (intellectually) at any given time. I also think it’s a cool example of nature regulating itself.
DISCLAIMER: I have no educational background in knowlege theory / psychology..etc. I'm not a doctor - but I play one on the 'net