[mreid]

I agree. I had a problem with this specific claim by PG: "Most people would agree it's more admirable to be good at math than memorizing long strings of digits, even though the latter depends more on natural ability."

Surely determination plus the right mnemonics can help anyone memorise long sequences of digits. I would have thought that reasoning creatively, carefully, and abstractly - i.e., mathematics - requires more natural talent, or at least a predisposition, than wanting to memorise digits.

[thegoleffect]

I agree with you about PG's claim. Memorization might appear to depend on natural ability as much as success depending on intelligence. To me, PG's one statement there contradicts the rest of the essay.

As for creativity, reasoning, abstract mathematics, I don't think those have innate factors. If anything, the only thing stopping people from becoming exceptional in those fields is the belief that they cannot improve (== lack of determination).