O1: Defining Talent: A Cultural Perspective

What is talent? How can it be identified? Who is responsible for identifying it? Are there universally valued talents, or are they all culturally bound? There are at least three different levels of analysis to explore these questions. On the government level, we must philosophically decide on how our country chooses and expresses its values through what is taught, to whom, and for what periods of time, and with what kind of teacher. On the second level of analysis, we must consider if the individual has the proper conditions in which to learn. And at the neuronal level, have we created the best conditions under which people can maximize their potential? We will explore how each of these different levels must work together to help both individuals and countries develop successfully.