[person_of_color]

Lets speculate this is entirely nurture. How do you get as smart as von Neumann? Zettelkasten?

[usgroup]

Von Neumann did it by watching loads of Khan Academy videos on YouTube, taking regular Vitamin D supplements, using Anki cards and practicing mindfulness meditation.

[turndown]

I didn't know I was in such auspicious company!

[person_of_color]

you joke but you would jave entirely better outcomes with the above regimen than without

[usgroup]

I should add that Von Neumann only started with maths at 39. He’s actually a self taught PHP programmer by background.

[synthc]

don't forget the keto diet and intermittent fasting

[randomsearch]

Have a lot of money, be privileged to work with lots of very smart people, and spend a lot of time learning from the sound of this article.

I'm always super-suspicious when I hear someone's brilliance described in anecdotes. Some people are better at promoting themselves than others. So perhaps judge him only by his published work and not his reputation.

[bidirectional]

By the age of six Von Neumann could divide eight digit numbers mentally and speak in Ancient Greek. If it is nurture, it is something accidental which happens in early childhood, not something you work on and learn about later in life.