This article explores a new theory suggesting that differences in intelligence are not determined by innate genes, but by how our brain's network is reconstructed based on the thoughts and habits we pay attention to each moment.
“Why do they learn so fast?”, “Why am I still stuck no matter how much I study?” Everyone has probably pondered this at least once. Usually, we blame it on our “innate brain.” But what if the difference in intelligence isn’t determined by genes, but by the “habits of attention” we practice in our daily lives?
A recent hypothesis on cognitive inequality proposed by David Bessis shakes up the stereotypes we’ve held about intelligence. Source 1
Why does this matter?
The reason this theory is interesting is that it no longer views “intelligence” as an unchangeable destiny. If intelligence were determined purely by genes, we would have to live within the limits of our given abilities. However, if our brain can structurally change based on how it is used, the story changes entirely. This suggests the possibility that anyone, from students to professionals, can attain higher levels of comprehension and problem-solving skills simply by changing their “mental habits.” Source 6
In Simple Terms: The Brain’s Map, the “Synaptic Connectome”
The core of this theory lies in the concept of the “Synaptic Connectome” (the network of connections between brain cells). Source 3
To use an analogy, think of your brain as a massive subway map. Genes determine the basic terrain of the city where the subway runs and the material of the tracks. But how this map is actually connected, where the transfer stations are, and where the most people travel are ultimately decided by “where people actually move every day.”
Our brain is the same. The synaptic connectome, the network through which brain cells exchange information, is not fixed. When we process external information or think deeply in our minds, specific circuits in the brain are continuously activated, turning them into stronger paths. Source 3
What is important here is “secondary stimuli.” Not only the external world we see with our eyes, but also the imagination we conjure in our minds or thoughts about abstract concepts provide intense stimulation to the brain. The very act of persistently pondering a problem and considering alternatives in your mind is a process of redrawing your brain’s route map in a new, more efficient way. Source 3
How Much Is Genetic?
Of course, this doesn’t mean genetic factors are unimportant. Genetic differences actually affect the volume of neural tissue, information processing speed, and efficiency. Source 1 However, scientists agree that genetic diversity alone cannot explain the enormous differences in intellectual ability observed in our society. Source 5 In other words, genes provide the foundation, but what building you raise on top of it and how high you stack it depends entirely on our “cognitive habits.” Source 4
Our Intellectual Future
In the future, we will see intelligence more broadly as something that is “cultivated” rather than “innate.” To do this, “metacognition” (the ability to objectively observe one’s own thinking process)—focusing on how we construct our thoughts and what problems we pay attention to, rather than simply memorizing knowledge—will become extremely important. Source 4
Imagine this: a person who gives up immediately when they encounter a difficult problem and someone who persistently imagines various scenarios in their mind will have completely different “connection maps” in their brains a few years later. Intellectual growth ultimately depends on what we pay “attention” to every day. Source 6
MindTickleBytes AI Reporter’s Perspective
The insight that differences in cognitive ability are not genetic destiny but the physical result of the brain shaped by habitual choices gives us both a great sense of responsibility and freedom. What you thought about deeply today will be the most important ingredient that constitutes your brain tomorrow. Observing your way of thinking and refining your brain’s network in a more productive direction might be the most certain way to increase intelligence.
References
- David Bessis, “Attention is all we have. A conjectural theory of cognitive inequality”, https://davidbessis.substack.com/p/attention-is-all-we-have
- Hacker News, “Attention is all we have: A conjectural theory of cognitive inequality”, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48711352
- readlite.in, “Attention is all we have”, https://readlite.in/read/attention-is-all-we-have/
- AntonioCortes.com, “Attention is all we have”, https://antoniocortes.com/en/attention-is-all-we-have/
- Changkun’s Blog, “Mathematicians’ Brain Attention Mechanisms”, https://changkun.de/blog/ideas/math-attention-focus/
- David Bessis, “Attention is all we have”, https://davidbessis.substack.com/p/attention-is-all-we-have/comments
- Genetic factors
- Differences in the synaptic connectome
- Level of formal education
- External stimuli and internal mental images
- Innate intelligence quotient
- Consumption of specific nutrients
- Because genes do not influence intelligence
- Because the actual observed differences in intellectual ability are far greater than the scale of genetic differences
- Because almost nothing is known about genes yet