KIM PEEK stands in front of an image of his brain.
Image: ETHAN HILL
Editor's Note: The main text of this story, originally published in the December 2005 issue of Scientific American, is being made available in light of the recent death of Kim Peek.
When J. Langdon Down first described savant syndrome in 1887, coining its name and noting its association with astounding powers of memory, he cited a patient who could recite Edward Gibbon’s The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire verbatim. Since then, in almost all cases, savant memory has been linked to a specific domain, such as music, art or mathematics. But phenomenal memory is itself the skill in a 54-year-old man named Kim Peek. His friends call him “Kim-puter.”
This article was originally published with the title Inside the Mind of a Savant.
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16 Comments
Add CommentSadly, Kim Peek passed away last week on the 19th in our shared and beloved home of Salt Lake City. He was well known and treasured in his hometown, and will be missed dearly. My hearts go out to his family.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSadly, Kim Peek passed away last week on the 19th in our shared and beloved home of Salt Lake City. He was well known and treasured in his hometown, and will be missed dearly. My hearts go out to his family.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGreat article, really makes me think... @daniiiikaaa- wow that's unfortunate. I wonder why this article makes no mention of it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhy do savant skills disappear? I know someone who had an astonishing eidetic memory (memorized things like textbooks, the Lord of the Rings, etc., could repeat conversations verbatim from weeks earlier), who lost this in their late teens. They still have unusually good recall, but it's not the same. Is this common?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI suppose you could use his name to describe such things as peek experiences! A person proficient in that way could be called a peekinese! If you could peek into his insights you might be able to cite and recite almost anything within insight!!! That would be called cite seeing. Here's to you Kim Peek and your peekaboo world of wonders! May you continue on to mark your words in remarkable ways as a marksman sailing in your marksmanship....He might be called a smartisan, as crafty person who crafted his words carefreely!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFrom my teen years until menopause I could tell you the day of the week instantly if you told me a date far in the future; however, I could only do it if I didn't think about itfor example, if someone came up to me and said, "March 28, 2018" I could answer correctly immediately, but not if some one said, "I'm going to ask you something etc.,etc.,etc." Was I a temporary savant?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHaving worked with people on the autism spectrum for years, I see a direct correlation of savant to austism/aspergers syndrome. The commom thread of those on the spectrum is a social impairment, and those "higher" on the spectrum have amazing savant abilities. I am curious to know the diagnostic distinction between autism and savant, given there is only a checklist of symptoms to determine diagnosis and no concrete distinction such as a blood test etc.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI see a direct correlation of savant to austism/aspergers syndrome. The commom thread of those on the spectrum is a social impairment, and those "higher" on the spectrum have amazing savant abilities. I am curious to know the diagnostic distinction between autism and savant, given there is only a checklist of symptoms to determine diagnosis and no concrete distinction such as a blood test etc
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt's likely that diagnoses of autism and savant might differ with the individual performing the diagnosis, due to the patient's comfort with the evaluator, as well as with the recognition of what skills the patient has developed or is well-prepared to develop.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt's unlikelythat a blood test would uncover differences which may be related to higher-order abnormalities, as described in the article.
The astonishing uniqueness of every individual (of any species) is a wonder.
Having enjoyed the company of some people with obvious mental impairments, I have found their emotional awareness and skills often to be enhanced in comparison with many we would regard as unimpaired.
They can live rich lives, sometimes seemingly far, far beyond the capacities of many functional people.
A key point is the release from reclusion experienced by Kim, in response to interest in his memory skill.
Mammalian brains appear to better process sensory input within a level of emotional arousal that is variable among individuals: Too much and failure or loss of ability occurs; too little and insufficient need may be perceived.
The level is different for each of us in different circumstances, and our beliefs cause differing emotional levels to occur.
Kim's processing was certainly different from many, and a complete absence of corpus callosum was a factor. The involved cortical layers still sought unique connections.
Music has been a creative sanctuary for many, and itself seems to help stimuli remain within borders of well-adjusted functioning.
Certainly Kim could quote John Donne's most famous work, and we treasure his having been here.
CArlton22 would perhaps do well to discover the work in the last couple decades of cognitive neurologists.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisthe gods have been used throughout much of human experience to describe that which at the present time was impervious to discovery.
The advantage to such paradigms can be that preoccupation with learning and discovery prevents the accumulation of knowledge practical within that society.
The problem with such abdication of questioning, is that worldviews (here Dawkins' memes hypothesis makes a telling point) must change and develop with the world around.
That is, they must evolve (and I do recognize that New Age syncretism is an evolution of always-syncretic religion).
I am a Special Education teacher and find vast differences
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisworking with children on various levels of the autism spectrum. The world needs to foster the unique talents of all
children and adults with special needs. That is what I do as
a teacher and makes my job so rewarding. People such as Kim
are welcome additions to my world. Much credit has to be given to his father for being a supportive parent and letting Kim be himself. Live is full of miracles everyday. We just need to open our lives to the possibilities and live each moment to our full potentials.
briseboy
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat I was discussing was not mere syncretism or the blending or assimilation of various religious beliefs, but a rediscovery of the root of all religion and in doing so rediscovering who we really are. The word religion derives from the Latin root words religo or religio meaning to bind fast, to moor, usually to that which is perceived as a higher power. True religion and undefiled is to love God with all of your heart, mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself.
The original dispensations of the world's major religions have devolved into rote doctrine and dogma devoid of the inner understanding of the original message. People "parrot back" words and phrases of their scriptures without "understanding" their meaning. Jesus said that we would be able to do the same things that he did and even greater things. How can we do that without "understanding" who he was and who we are and what it is that is common between us that enables us to do those things?
I do not discount the discoveries in cognitive research. The mind-body-brain connections are fascinating subject matter. Recent discoveries in brain functions are not without worth. But, the brain needs to be put into perspective. It is only a small part of who we are. The confusion of what is the mind in relationship to the brain is what I am hoping to dispel.
The mind and brain are not synonymous; the mind is separate from the brain. There is a lesser (carnal) mind and a higher (Christ) mind. There is an intelligence that is brain centered (intellectual) and an intelligence that is heart centered (Christ). The heart has as many or more neural connections than the brain. The ancients thought more highly of heart intelligence with its attributes of Common Sense and compassion (not sympathy) which are attributes of Christ. Christ is our true and real identity and our Holy Christ Self is a unique personality in God. It is hidden from the profane because its powers are too vast and not to be misused. There is further confusion in linking the heart with the center of emotion.
Quantum physics is opening cracks to spiritual dimensions of our being. The wave lengths and frequencies at the subatomic level oscillate from a non-material to material matrix (spirit to matter and matter to spirit). We have frequencies of being that were hitherto only the province of the spiritual mystic. Now we can begin to understand that we are multidimensional beings and have "bodies celestial and bodies terrestrial". Our mental (mind) and emotional (desire) bodies are two.
briseboy I think you're looking for "Pseudoscience magazine " forum. Easy mistake.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisto mr. carlton. its very hard to argue with someone who believes hes's right. so i wont. your completely wrong. you sound bent to the point of being a fanatic.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat is your authority for these revelations? What is the original source of the knowledge that you claim?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat is your authority for these revelations? What is the original source of the knowledge that you claim?
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