The average persons capabilities.

[vorlon13]

Can he move a thread he has made to be immovable ?

[RozKek]

Can he move a thread he has made to be immovable ?

Can He create a thread so heavy he can't lift it himself?

[Jenny A]

It really isn't the right section as the question has nothing to do with atheism and anyone can post here. Moving along. . .

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I think the answer to your question is that the average person is unable to learn to do many many jobs. Many jobs require,  strength, stamina, reflexes, attention to detail, mathematical intelligence, reasoning ability, social skills, memory,  verbal skills, artistic sense, rhythm,  or some other relatively innate trait I'm forgetting.

I'm quite sure I have not the strength to be a carpenter or a gymnast; the stamina to be an air traffic controller or a general; the memory to be a doctor; the social skills to be a salesman.  I do not have the mathematical skill to go into many hard sciences.  Dance is truly beyond me.

Having been through law school, I can tell you that even of those who get into law school, about a quarter are not capable of becoming good or even marginally good attorneys.  Probably almost everyone can learn to draw. I learned in my 40s.  But many fewer can learn composition so becoming an artist is limited. My stepfather taught civil engineering and talked about the number of students who hit the wall there. Usually the problem was mathematical ability.

That said, most people can learn to do many many jobs,  just not most of them.

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Thank you for your insight

And yes my odd stupid mistakes, is there a way to move a thread?

I'll see about moving it into science.

[RozKek]

Thank you for your insight

And yes my odd stupid mistakes, is there a way to move a thread?

I'll see about moving it into science.

Thank you. Is there any way I can edit the original post since it implies that it's in the atheist section? Since 120 minutes have gone I cannot edit it normally.

[robvalue]

I think people can improve at just about anything, with practice and tuition.

But I think the amount of time it takes people to improve at any particular thing varies enormously. So it may not be practical for a given person to train up to the required level to do a given job, even if they could theoretically get there eventually. I would say there would almost certainly be something they could train to do, though.

I feel there are "soft ceilings" in place, beyond which progress might not be impossible, but becomes extremely arduous. I think this is to do with the natural aptitude for the kind of task.

[Red_Wind]

How would you define someone as psychologically healthy?

I'd say not affected by any mental health issues or anything alike. No OCD, Anxiety, Depression etc. Although I am aware that there are successful and intelligent people who do have mental health issues and I am not implying that people with mental health issues aren't able to be successful etc.

Well it would be pretty hard to find such a person then (at least where i live)

[The Grand Nudger]

You won't know if you can do whatever it is you're dreaming of until you try OP.

[robvalue]

People often sell themselves short.

I've taught many people who have said "I can't do maths". They were convinced it was impossible for them to learn it. Yet in most cases, I did manage to teach them successfully.

Such reactions might be due to an experience (or many) causing them to negatively associate with the subject, or just a general lack of confidence.

[RozKek]

I'd say not affected by any mental health issues or anything alike. No OCD, Anxiety, Depression etc. Although I am aware that there are successful and intelligent people who do have mental health issues and I am not implying that people with mental health issues aren't able to be successful etc.

Well it would be pretty hard to find such a person then (at least where i live)

Yes, but we're talking theoretically here.

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People often sell themselves short.

I've taught many people who have said "I can't do maths". They were convinced it was impossible for them to learn it. Yet in most cases, I did manage to teach them successfully.

Such reactions might be due to an experience (or many) causing them to negatively associate with the subject, or just a general lack of confidence.

I hate it when I hear people in my class say "I'm not a math person" .-. There is no thing as a math person. The only reason some of them are so shit is because they're not even trying, but they're very capable to unless they have dyscalculia and/or mathematical anxiety (in general somethig that prevents them from focusing, or doing math.)

Enough about my pet peeves, how did you change their mindset and help them to do mathematics? Some of the people I've seen, when the teacher tries to help and ask questions etc, the student just guesses and barely takes it seriously.

[Anomalocaris]

I somewhat agree with the notion that, with effort and dedication, most people can learn to become more proficient at more things than they may credit themselves with the capability for doing.

I am sure if someone with a taser stands behind the poster who can't draw a straight line for his life, and shock him every time he draws a croaked line, the suddenly artistically talented posterwould find himself drawing remarkably straight lines free hand Quite quickly. I think even our day dreaming physicist can be sufficiently conditioned to properly direct air traffic with appropriate amount of concentration for a length of time that might surprise him.

But the problem is many capabilities are useful in a small number of roles, opportunities or professional openings. So the pool that gravitated toward filling these roles, opportunities and professional openings self select for the most talented. As a result, being far more adept at it then you might imagine yourself to be capable of, and being far more adept at it then average, does not mean you are good enough because the standard is high.