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Comment by SandersAK | Hacker News Reader

Is this really an article about polymaths that doesn't mention a single Islamic polymath?

The whole concept of polymath is not that you're a genius or even knowledgable about a bunch of stuff. In the Islamic tradition the concept insists that you can't understand math without knowing poetry. Can't understand medicine without understanding geometry etc. All elements of human interpretation and expression are linked and help you explore the other.

Here's a list of polymaths that the article didn't mention: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age

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> The whole concept of polymath is not that you're a genius or even knowledgable about a bunch of stuff.

Actually, I think that's exactly what it means. The Wikipedia entry on Polymath[1] says basically the same thing as the article as does my dictionary.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath

> A polymath (Greek: πολυμαθής, polymathēs, "having learned much")[1] is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas; such a person is known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems.

The first paragraph from that article.

That's almost exactly what my dictionary says. I think you and I are in agreement. Pretty much by definition, a polymath is knowledgeable about a bunch of stuff.

> Pretty much by definition, a polymath is knowledgeable about a bunch of stuff.

Certainly. I was (misunderstandingly I guess) getting at the genius part, as that's not really required. Also, I guess SandersAK was giving the islamic perspective on polymathness, not his.

Genius isn't required, but I'd wager polymaths are geniuses at a higher rate than the general population.

I think your point concerns the 'value' and not so much the 'definition'. As for 'concept', I think that's just the wrong word here.

Great contribution to the conversation if it were worded with the specificity those interested in the topic will probably be looking for.

Ultimately, this article is mostly clickbait; nothing novel or conceptual.

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