TheodoreTalks: Born Smart or Built Smart? The Truth About Intelligence & Effort

Was?

In this talk, Alexander Puutio, Adjunct Professor at Columbia University and author of the upcoming book AI for MBAs, will explore the critical distinction between being "born smart" and being "built smart." He will also examine how curiosity, metacognition, resilience, and deliberate practice shape effective intelligence, often outweighing genetic endowment. By looking at how individuals and organizations foster, or sabotage, their own cognitive performance, we can identify the tools and environments that maximize human potential. For Mensa members in particular, the opportunity lies in shifting the conversation from static measures of IQ to dynamic strategies for making intelligence count in the world.

Register for this presentation at https://tinyurl.com/3tjcwnx7.

Wann?

Termin: So 26.07.2026 21:30 - 23:30 UhrBuchungsschluss: 26.07.2026

Wo?

Zoom

Wer?

Gruppe: Cyberspace, öffentlich
Vereinsintern: Nein
Anzahl der Plätze: unbegrenzt /belegte Plätze: 34

Was noch?

Veranstalter: Brad Lucht
E-Mail-Adresse: MensaTheodoreTalks@gmail.com
Level: Lokal

This Theodore Talk will take place on Zoom at 21:30 CEST.

Even if you can´t attend the live Theodore Talk, as long as you register in advance you will receive a link to the Zoom recording. All Theodore Talks have Closed Captioning enabled, and this year we are offering Translated Captions as well.

The Theodore Talk lecture series is made possible by the generous financial support of Life Member Dr. Mark Cohen, and is offered free to all members in an effort to provide more value to your membership.

A list of future Theodore Talks can be found on the American Mensa National Events Calendar or by visiting the American Mensa home page.

Questions? Contact Brad Lucht at MensaTheodoreTalks@gmail.com.