The spark of genius is a mysterious process that occurs in the minds of a select few. We do not know exactly what mental processes give rise to these extraordinary thoughts, or in whom they will emerge. Throughout history, such ideas have solved persistent problems, opened fundamental questions, and propelled human progress forward. The generation of groundbreaking ideas is often attributed to intelligence or creativity, yet these qualities have distinct meanings. Many of us have known classmates who excelled in school exams; while they may become successful after graduation, most do not turn out to be geniuses. On the other hand, many recognized geniuses were average or even poor students like Einstein and Winston Churchill. These observations suggest that the phenomenon of genius is far more complex than academic abilities. Do brilliant ideas arise by chance, or do they reflect a remarkable innate power possessed by certain individuals?
It has been quoted from the eminent American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson that we receive our neglected thoughts in the mind of genius. This suggests that brilliant minds are those bold enough to pursue their own thoughts and ideas, while most people do not pursue them. Maybe genius is simply staying with your own uncertain thoughts.
In science and philosophy, ideas are guesses or hypotheses meant to solve problems or difficulties that others have not yet realized. In art and literature, however, ideas are exceptional insights into the world and do not necessarily aim to solve a complex intricacy. Nevertheless, certain eminent artistic and literary works have broken old paradigms and opened new avenues of thought, as seen in the works of Shakespeare, Pablo Picasso, and the Iranian poet Omar Khayyam. Although the idea formation is a mental activity, the access to information gathered by others about the problem remain necessary prerequisites for such thoughts to take shape.
The Digital Influence on Genius
The internet and access to a wealth of information have had the greatest impact on human thought and idea generation since the invention of the printing press. Free access to information means that no one is obliged to admit mistakes in the solutions of others. Ancient philosophers and scholars had access to only a few books and scientific sources, and therefore knew the beliefs of others only to a limited extent. They had to rely primarily on their own minds to generate new ideas [1].
Attempting to be free from error required referring to the leading individuals in a field, those at the top of the pyramid of dominant theories and paradigms. This, however, gradually led to conformity with prevailing trends. If these leading paradigms were wrong, many followers were misled. Frequent reliance on established information can foster a kind of conservatism, cautioning later thinkers against engaging with radical ideas. This tendency helps consolidate previous solutions, in a changing world with new problems.
Therefore, while unrestricted access to information facilitates problem-solving and the development of precise ideas, it does not inherently lead to accurate solutions. In the experimental sciences, precision refers to the closeness of repeated measurements of a quantitative variable, whereas accuracy denotes proximity to that variable’s true value. Though solutions and ideas are not quantitative variables, they can be considered qualitative parameters. They are more precise when ideas addressing the same problem resemble one another; if they successfully solve the problem, they are regarded as accurate solutions. Unlimited access to previously attempted solutions in databases often leads others to simply modify existing ideas rather than create entirely new ones. This approach is less risky than proposing radical and wholly different solutions, which few individuals ever develop.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
This is precisely the core advantage embedded within the metaphor of “standing on the shoulders of giants” that implies prevention of repeated mistakes and redundant effort. Yet, despite this advantage, excessive reliance on available information can gradually shift genuine contemplation into a passive search for more information online.
Recently, artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the way we search for data and will undoubtedly bring even greater changes in the future. AI provides easier and faster answers to questions. Beyond merely offering answers, it also analyzes them and may even critique the question itself. In many ways, AI now acts as a supervisor. Previously, search engines and databases listed information based on recency, visibility, and citation frequency. Now, AI presents that same information as direct answers, though still based on those very same algorithms. These responses are not truly AI’s own answers, but rather summaries of existing information ranked by the same criteria: newness, visibility, and citation of sources. Likewise, the information is often delivered in more engaging and attractive formats. AI has already become a necessary tool in everyone’s life, particularly for scientists. AI is like a delicious meal that tempts us to eat it immediately, even though the ingredients already exist in the refrigerator, and it would be possible to cook patiently, if we choose to.
The Impact of Digital Disruption
The omnipresence of internet access has made it almost impossible to imagine a day when we might find ourselves without connectivity or AI services. Yet recently, that is exactly what has happened in my country. A generation that grew up with the internet and social media has suddenly been plunged into a digital darkness. Most professional and educational activities have come to a halt. Books and dictionaries have been pulled out of shelves again after years of neglect. Those who had previously downloaded movies or series counted themselves lucky. Without web databases and AI, academic research and writing under these conditions have become nearly impossible. Academic work is not similar to an essay in school when we were given a topic and nothing else except our minds, papers, and pens. Moreover, it needs to be observed and scrutinized by other scholars in the field.
Artificial Intelligence Essential Reads
But how long must thinkers stand still in this famine of information? Throughout history many great minds have written their best work in prison, like Boethius, Cervantes, and Antonio Gramsci. There, they clearly had almost nothing except their own creative minds and a few reading resources. Although such personal ideas are not free from mistakes, you can still see the beautiful sparks of genius in them. This writing is a tribute to free thought and to all the thinkers who found big ideas in the dark.