is Rush really that much smarter then Volker or Franklin?

[slimjim]

IQ does not determine intelligence, it measures it. Education can affect your intelligence, just as exercise affects your strength.

it's my understanding their designed not to change as a result of education..... although to be honest I prefer to believe in will power rather then inherent ability

[maneth]

Yeah, it's rather like Rush's complaint concerning Eli in Human. It really rankles Rush that Eli was able to solve the equation just by playing a game, and that he'd happily "waste time" on silly games rather than apply himself to something serious. Admittedly Rush has a point but he has to realize not everyone is as driven as he is.

[CompanionCube]

I wouldn't call him "much smarter" just Rush specialized more in Ancient technology and since the crew was stuck on an Ancient ship, his specialty was more constantly needed. I think Volker's and Franklin's area of expertise lied in other branches that were less useful in their situation.

[LT. COL. John Sheppard]

he is

[jeri]

it's my understanding their designed not to change as a result of education..... although to be honest I prefer to believe in will power rather then inherent ability

It's interesting to note that studies have shown that one can actually make new "pathways" in the brain by challenging ones self intellectually. This is what happens when stroke victims re-learn to speak, etc. We actually build new cells and make new connections through out life if we keep our brains alert, ie. learning new things.

[traylormatt]

IQ tests are designed for their specific purpose. A person could write a symphony, the most beautiful you ever heard, in the field of music be regarded as a a genius and yet not be able to tell you what the kidney does. Some people are smart because they have an ability to learn, remember and repeat vast amount of information easily. Others may not be able to remember their phone number and yet give them a logical problem to solve, they will do it in the most efficient way you've ever seen.

My professors at University were amazingly clever in certain areas of study within my degree, ask them about a slightly different discipline and they were almost no smarter than an average graduate in the general area.

Rush is smarter? Of course he is, in some areas. He knows more about destiny than anyone from Earth. He clearly has interests in other academic ventures outside of the sciences. You could probably put any academic discipline in front of him and he could become an authority on it given a respectful amount of time. Will there be areas of science that the others are better at, of course. Could Young kick his ass at a game of chess? I like to think so.

Just remember the very lovely quote by someone who was not that dumb himself:

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

[jeri]

Well said traylormatt. I think all the folks on Destiny are smarter than average, including the military, or they would never have been in the Stargate program. Everyone's intellectual talents lie in different areas, and it's all these talents put together that make a successful team, as the Destiny crew were learning in season 2.

[Perelandra]

Well said traylormatt. I think all the folks on Destiny are smarter than average, including the military, or they would never have been in the Stargate program. Everyone's intellectual talents lie in different areas, and it's all these talents put together that make a successful team, as the Destiny crew were learning in season 2.

This, exactly^^ I see anyone being recruited for the Stargate program especially in the science dept. as being quite gifted otherwise why would they be recruited remember Rush was recruited by Daniel(Human) I see Rush as being a notch above the others or being especially gifted.

Volker and Brody would also be quite gifted, as well, however.

[garhkal]

Not smarter, just better at using his brain and the info he has.

[slimjim]

Not smarter, just better at using his brain and the info he has.

isn't that what smarts is?

[KEK]

From Gauntlet:

RUSH: Yeah, well that's what bothers me. This ship was launched to solve a mystery, not by arriving at some ultimate destination where all the questions are answered at one time, but by accumulating knowledge bit by bit. If we skip over this galaxy, then who's to say we won't skip over some vital piece of the puzzle - and then all of this, everything we've been through, could be for nothing.

[Orion475]

He was more calculating.

[SavetheGate]

He's more intelligent, definitely. He can work through equations so, so fast. He's a quick thinker.

But does he really know how the Destiny works in terms of mechanics, electronics, the underlying works? The sad thing is, he does. He's an astrophysicist, and yet he seems to know more engineering than Brody - an engineer. The big problem with Rush's character is that he seems to be the best at everything, so none of the other scientists get a chance to do anything.