Are people born with a natural ability to do certain things really well? e.g maths
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Languages are a good example here. I know sciency A* students who couldn't get above a C in a reading GCSE paper despite trying to learn the grammar and vocab- in one ear, then out the next. For me, I wasn't working hard and got A*s in languages but Cs in science/maths. Now at A level I need to work hard but can't help but see that as natural ability in different kinds of subjects ygm
Original post by SheldorOfAzeroth
Of course everyone is born with different set of natural abilities!
And yes everyone can do maths with varying levels of effort. But why not stick to what you ARE naturally good at? You might draw more joy/ fulfilment from it. I would question your motivation to do maths at A-Level/ degree level before jumping into it.
And yes everyone can do maths with varying levels of effort. But why not stick to what you ARE naturally good at? You might draw more joy/ fulfilment from it. I would question your motivation to do maths at A-Level/ degree level before jumping into it.
So I am really good at Art and English Literature but I don't enjoy it I have zero motivation to do it, but I don't mind doing 5 hours of maths non stop. But I am not really good at it and I want to do a STEM degree. This year I didn't work as hard for maths as should've so its my fault as well, so I keep asking myself if would have done better if I worked really hard. Because I want to retake my AS, but I feel like im too stupid and should settle for a boring degree like Geography.
Original post by SheldorOfAzeroth
Of course everyone is born with different set of natural abilities!
And yes everyone can do maths with varying levels of effort. But why not stick to what you ARE naturally good at? You might draw more joy/ fulfilment from it. I would question your motivation to do maths at A-Level/ degree level before jumping into it.
And yes everyone can do maths with varying levels of effort. But why not stick to what you ARE naturally good at? You might draw more joy/ fulfilment from it. I would question your motivation to do maths at A-Level/ degree level before jumping into it.
Not true. Tell me what natural abilities you were born with? Did you already know the 12 times table? Could you already do long division? No, it is ridiculous to think you can do these things without working for it.
But you correct yourself at the end, it is only to do with motivation.
Original post by Salamandastron
I think art is something you either have or haven't got. I think you can only teach it to an extent but you need to have a type of brain which can interpret objects into drawable shapes etc.
I have basically been doing art all my life ever since nursery (yeh ik that isnt art but i was making stuff and learning how to make etc) so I have had a lot of practise so it is kind of nature and nurture if you will, as in I have a sort of '3D brain' but that alone isnt good enough, you have to practise pretty much everyday for years
as for maths idk, i did so much maths for GCSE because i found it hard so in the end I got quite good at doing certain types of questions but i would not have had any mathematical ability when it came to application, I think some people just have that 'mathsy' brain and similarly to art practise it a lot so build on that inate mindset
I have basically been doing art all my life ever since nursery (yeh ik that isnt art but i was making stuff and learning how to make etc) so I have had a lot of practise so it is kind of nature and nurture if you will, as in I have a sort of '3D brain' but that alone isnt good enough, you have to practise pretty much everyday for years
as for maths idk, i did so much maths for GCSE because i found it hard so in the end I got quite good at doing certain types of questions but i would not have had any mathematical ability when it came to application, I think some people just have that 'mathsy' brain and similarly to art practise it a lot so build on that inate mindset
As you say, it is only to do with practise. What stops someone practising? A lack of desire. Why do they have a lack of desire? Only the person themselves can answer that - the same reason why you prefer art over maths and I don't.
Original post by sweetiemelx
If someone is really bad at maths through hard work would they be able to achieve an A at a-level or is maths only for those that have the natural ability?
Is it possible to become excellent at something if you don't have the natural ability?
Because in our society a lot of people assume that people are born intelligent which I think is true, but if your not born intelligent and you don't have the natural ability to study maths or sciences is it the end? You can't get into a STEM degree so you will be most likely unemployed.
So what do you guys think?
Is it possible to become excellent at something if you don't have the natural ability?
Because in our society a lot of people assume that people are born intelligent which I think is true, but if your not born intelligent and you don't have the natural ability to study maths or sciences is it the end? You can't get into a STEM degree so you will be most likely unemployed.
So what do you guys think?
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MY ENGLASH IS AMAZENG SENCE I BORNED and i can speck 16 langwages. yeeeee man 19 friging langwiches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Original post by xylas
As you say, it is only to do with practise. What stops someone practising? A lack of desire. Why do they have a lack of desire? Only the person themselves can answer that - the same reason why you prefer art over maths and I don't.
As you say, it is only to do with practise. What stops someone practising? A lack of desire. Why do they have a lack of desire? Only the person themselves can answer that - the same reason why you prefer art over maths and I don't.
I didn't say it was only to do with practise lol, i said most of it was but there is an inate skill there, not so much with maths i think but definitely with art due to the whole visual spacial thing. I prefer art because i have always found it easy and i love doing it.
I think being able to do difficult maths is genetic, whereas any core maths (e.g. A-level maths content) just requires hard work, like any other A level. That's why people will say further maths is the hardest A-level, it requires a really deep understanding of the stuff involved which only certain people would exhibit.
In the topic of nature and ability, it would entirely depend on the ability which you want. With maths, as I said, it depends on the type of maths and whether you can get there through hard work alone. With things like logic, I'd say that they are more things you're born with, but with things like playing musical instruments, you can learn though hard work. (Overall, there shouldn't be a nature-nurture debate for learning as you learn skills through both).
In the topic of nature and ability, it would entirely depend on the ability which you want. With maths, as I said, it depends on the type of maths and whether you can get there through hard work alone. With things like logic, I'd say that they are more things you're born with, but with things like playing musical instruments, you can learn though hard work. (Overall, there shouldn't be a nature-nurture debate for learning as you learn skills through both).
In my personal opinion, there is some sort of set-up of the brain that is passed down the generations 
EG: My dad is 100% sciency (did engineering) but my Mum is 100% humanities/English Lit, (did MFL (german/french))I turn out to be able to pick up languages v easily (german not so much but french I find reaaally easy)
Maths/physics I enjoy but with hard work do I only get good at them, Chemistry though, I am good at it (and got no idea why
)So I think there must be some sort of genetic aspect but not enough for it to be 100% the genes
Therefore: hard work is necessary and beats talent
EG: My dad is 100% sciency (did engineering) but my Mum is 100% humanities/English Lit, (did MFL (german/french))I turn out to be able to pick up languages v easily (german not so much but french I find reaaally easy)
Maths/physics I enjoy but with hard work do I only get good at them, Chemistry though, I am good at it (and got no idea why
)So I think there must be some sort of genetic aspect but not enough for it to be 100% the genesTherefore: hard work is necessary and beats talent
Spoiler
Either you have the ability(or skills) or you don't have it. But that doesn't mean if you don't have it you can't improve, however, theres only so much that can done because of your maximum potential.
That's why even if you work so hard, every day putting in the hours, you won't be the same(or higher) than some one is naturally intelligent who doesn't work as hard you did.
That's why even if you work so hard, every day putting in the hours, you won't be the same(or higher) than some one is naturally intelligent who doesn't work as hard you did.
Original post by ImagineCats
Languages are a good example here. I know sciency A* students who couldn't get above a C in a reading GCSE paper despite trying to learn the grammar and vocab- in one ear, then out the next. For me, I wasn't working hard and got A*s in languages but Cs in science/maths. Now at A level I need to work hard but can't help but see that as natural ability in different kinds of subjects ygm
What was stopping these science students putting more work in languages? What was stopping you putting more work in science/maths?
There is no reason except a lack of desire (preferring to do something else).
Original post by sweetiemelx
So I am really good at Art and English Literature but I don't enjoy it I have zero motivation to do it, but I don't mind doing 5 hours of maths non stop. But I am not really good at it and I want to do a STEM degree. This year I didn't work as hard for maths as should've so its my fault as well, so I keep asking myself if would have done better if I worked really hard. Because I want to retake my AS, but I feel like im too stupid and should settle for a boring degree like Geography.
Yes, you would have done better if you worked harder. But we can always work harder, it's for you to choose the upper limit. And no-one is stupid except by choice.
Original post by Zacken
FWIW, Maths at A-Level isn't really maths per se, it's just a bunch of crap you can half-ass and get an easy A* - whether or not you're good at maths, let alone whether or not you have an innate ability for it.
Not entirely sold on this, some of my mates struggle to understand really simple concepts no matter how much I dumb down the explanation
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Feels when you arent born to be good at anything xD
Think there is a clear 'inherited' aspect to aptitude in different areas, probably more to do with how each individual thinks/brain works, but at A levels I think you could brute force your way to good grades for sheer force of will
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Original post by Salamandastron
I didn't say it was only to do with practise lol, i said most of it was but there is an inate skill there, not so much with maths i think but definitely with art due to the whole visual spacial thing. I prefer art because i have always found it easy and i love doing it.
You prefer art because you find it easy, that doesn't mean you have an 'innate skill'. But I agree with you that practise is what is important.
Original post by xylas
What was stopping these science students putting more work in languages? What was stopping you putting more work in science/maths?
There is no reason except a lack of desire (preferring to do something else).
There is no reason except a lack of desire (preferring to do something else).
As mentioned in my response if you read it, these sciencey people DID work hard in languages. They forgot it all, couldn't get their heads around it or just didn't find it interesting enough to memorize.
Disagree with you there. Hated physics but came out with an A at GCSE, now doing bio/chem at AS. No desire whatsoever for physics, but still worked hard to get something out of the years studying it.
Original post by ImagineCats
As mentioned in my response if you read it, these sciencey people DID work hard in languages. They forgot it all, couldn't get their heads around it or just didn't find it interesting enough to memorize.
Disagree with you there. Hated physics but came out with an A at GCSE, now doing bio/chem at AS. No desire whatsoever for physics, but still worked hard to get something out of the years studying it.
Disagree with you there. Hated physics but came out with an A at GCSE, now doing bio/chem at AS. No desire whatsoever for physics, but still worked hard to get something out of the years studying it.
They worked hard. Now reread my questions:
What was stopping these science students putting more work in languages? What was stopping you putting more work in science/maths?
You got an A because you wanted to put the work in. That is desire.
Original post by SuperHuman98
Feels when you arent born to be good at anything xD
Dw I wasn't born good at anything either
Original post by xylas
They worked hard. Now reread my questions:
What was stopping these science students putting more work in languages? What was stopping you putting more work in science/maths?
You got an A because you wanted to put the work in. That is desire.
What was stopping these science students putting more work in languages? What was stopping you putting more work in science/maths?
You got an A because you wanted to put the work in. That is desire.
Nothing stopped them- they put in all the work they could. Just didn't work out, as mentioned before.
Didn't want to achieve, just felt like I didn't have a choice but not to waste the years
Original post by sweetiemelx
If someone is really bad at maths through hard work would they be able to achieve an A at a-level or is maths only for those that have the natural ability?
Is it possible to become excellent at something if you don't have the natural ability?
Because in our society a lot of people assume that people are born intelligent which I think is true, but if your not born intelligent and you don't have the natural ability to study maths or sciences is it the end? You can't get into a STEM degree so you will be most likely unemployed.
So what do you guys think?
Is it possible to become excellent at something if you don't have the natural ability?
Because in our society a lot of people assume that people are born intelligent which I think is true, but if your not born intelligent and you don't have the natural ability to study maths or sciences is it the end? You can't get into a STEM degree so you will be most likely unemployed.
So what do you guys think?
Of course work hard and just do more and more questions and eventually you'll get better, it's maths so all you need is practise
Original post by Glib
Question 1) Someone who works hard will certainly achieve a good grade in A level maths.
Question 2) Yes
Hard Work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard
Question 2) Yes
Hard Work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard
That's funny because i worked hard, and other people in my class were talented and they worked hard too but i worked twice as hard as they did in physics and i still came out worse than they did, U grade worse when they got A*s best wates of my whole year studying it would do again 10/5785934798
Original post by ImagineCats
Nothing stopped them- they put in all the work they could. Just didn't work out, as mentioned before.
Didn't want to achieve, just felt like I didn't have a choice but not to waste the years
Didn't want to achieve, just felt like I didn't have a choice but not to waste the years
Haha that's all I'm saying
Others are saying that a lack of 'natural ability' stops you working but it is just 'do you want to or not'.Btw what did you do not to 'waste the years' instead of getting better grades in science/maths?
Well genetics certainly factors in intelligence, but i think it's mostly how hard you work, not just in your GCSEs or A levels but i mean straight from birth lmao. Plus i wouldn't consider myself particularly talented at anything, but i love a lot of subjects - humanities, english, science, sports studies, modern foreign languages, textiles etc. I find it a lot easier to "excel" and understand something if you enjoy it, although it's still very much possible to succeed in your most hated subjects in GCSEs... (looking@ you physics)
It sounds simple enough but growing to like a subject can go a long way, imo. Like how my "worst" subjects became my favourites overtime, after i spent more time and effort in them.
It sounds simple enough but growing to like a subject can go a long way, imo. Like how my "worst" subjects became my favourites overtime, after i spent more time and effort in them.
Original post by dskinner
Of course work hard and just do more and more questions and eventually you'll get better, it's maths so all you need is practise
That's funny because i worked hard, and other people in my class were talented and they worked hard too but i worked twice as hard as they did in physics and i still came out worse than they did, U grade worse when they got A*s best wates of my whole year studying it would do again 10/5785934798
That's funny because i worked hard, and other people in my class were talented and they worked hard too but i worked twice as hard as they did in physics and i still came out worse than they did, U grade worse when they got A*s best wates of my whole year studying it would do again 10/5785934798
This goes to say, just because you work hard, doesn't mean you will do well or be successful. This links back to my post(the 29th one in the thread)
(edited 7 years ago)
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