Daniel Tammet is an autistic savant. He can perform mind-boggling mathematical calculations at breakneck speeds. But unlike other savants, who can perform similar feats, Tammet can describe how he does it. He speaks seven languages and is even devising his own language. Now scientists are asking whether his exceptional abilities are the key to unlock the secrets of autism.
Tammet is a "savant", an individual with an astonishing, extraordinary mental ability. An estimated 10% of the autistic population - and an estimated 1% of the non-autistic population - have savant abilities, but no one knows exactly why. A number of scientists now hope that Tammet might help us to understand better. Professor Allan Snyder, from the Centre for the Mind at the Australian National University in Canberra, explains why Tammet is of particular, and international, scientific interest. "Savants can't usually tell us how they do what they do," says Snyder. "It just comes to them. Daniel can. He describes what he sees in his head. That's why he's exciting. He could be the Rosetta Stone."
Read the whole article here
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Autism explained might be the DNA map of the mind. Autism the thought process has never been in print before and many autisitc people have figured it out. In so many words we think with your day dreams- we think in pictures and "translate those brain generated images" to traditional speech. Pictures are worth a 1000 words and a million thoughts.
Alan Turing was "autisitc" and father of the computer (1912-1954) Autism before Rain Man (mostly) explains everything from Enstien to Dyslexia. Modern Autism has been trying to keep us and our Anthropology hidden for years now.
Rich Shull, Author Autism Pre Rain Man Autism ,inventor of the Turing Motor a 70% efficient car motor
http://prerainmanautism.blogspot.com
Post a Comment