Polymath is a Greek term that means 'many-dialled.' Some believe that the word derives from the Greek words poly ('many') and math ('knowledge'). A polymath is a person with many interests and talents. For example, Leonardo da Vinci was considered a polymath because he was good at many different fields, such as war, art, architecture and science. Others have described Winston Churchill as a polymath given his talent for politics, literature and oratory. Throughout history many great minds have been described as polymaths.
Some believe that a polymath is someone who is good at many things. However, this is an opinion and not an universally accepted definition of the word. For example, George Polychronis, a Greek poet and playwright, was not considered to be a great poet or playwright. Instead, he was known for his mastery of many subjects- such as drama, dance and literary theory. This shows that being good at many things is not always synonymous with being great at all of them.
Many people think that a polymath is someone who is good at many things. This is partly because the word is typically used to describe someone who is brilliant at more than one thing. For example, Steve Jobs was lauded as a visionary billionaire by age 40. He was also good at software, computers, hardware and marketing- which helped him develop Apple's success story into an industry. However, this does not mean that Jobs was any more good at any of these than he was at computer programming. It's just that he possessed far more vision when it came to control over his field than he did control over the various components of his vision.
Aristotle was the first person to use the term polymath to mean a person with expertise in many fields. In his 'Metaphysics,' Aristotle stated that there are only ten known fields of expertise among the Greeks. These include military strategy, political science, economics, oratory and ethics and religion- as well as astronomy, terrestrial geography and mechanics. Although this list may seem limiting today, it does show that Aristotle recognized a significant breadth in talent among his contemporaries.
Being a genius in multiple fields can greatly enhance an individual's contribution to society. However, surpassing great successes in different areas does not mean one is great at all of them. Anyone can be great at something if he chooses it wisely enough- no matter what he chooses to do.
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