Business Week Talks "Smartest Superheroes"

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So, Business Week decided to print an article by Joseph Pisani on the world's smartest superheroes. Though I'm not sure what their reasoning was, it's an interesting example of the question of human enhancement emerging once again in unexpected ways. (As it has recently through comic-book and science-fiction films, an Olympic gene-doping scandal, and various debates over cloning, stem cells and gene therapy, among other guises.) Pisani writes:

Although many casual observers may not believe it, intelligence goes a long way in the comic book world. For many of the most popular characters, intellect is every bit as important as the ability to fly at the speed of sound or shoot flames from one's eyes. Creators of these comic book heroes understand that great power unfettered by intelligence can often have terrible consequences. Many of the most popular heroes have not only learned how to harness their powers intelligently but also to use their super gray cells to help them better fight the forces of evil.

Actually, the more the public grasps that great intelligence is in fact a "power" -- rather than some kind of handicap to be scorned in others and denied in oneself -- the more likely the public is to embrace the technical skills and creative talents, and raw intelligence, our societies will need to compete in the 21st Century. By lauding such gifts instead of deriding them, we're taking a step towards a world in which great knowledge and intelligence can become widespread -- not merely through genetic engineering or nootropic drugs or non-invasive "mindtech" devices, but simply through education and the exercise of our innate abilities.

Perhaps it is an aspect of our ever-more-tech-driven world, or of rising international competition, but more people seem ready to acknowledge the importance of expanding human intelligence. The methods they choose to employ may differ, but the goal is coming into clearer focus.

Bio, Soc
Future Imperative