The 10 Most Brilliant Minds

You might find it surprising that Albert Einstein isn't part of this list. This is because the list is based on a table of IQ estimates for historical figures, and Einstein's IQ (approximately 160) did not make the cut. Despite this, he remains the first person that comes to mind when most people think of a genius. With that in mind, here's a list of the ten greatest minds in history.

10. Madame De Stael IQ: 180Wikipedia

Her full name was Anne-Louise-Germaine Necker, Baronne (Baroness) de Staël-Holstein, known as Madame de Staël. She was a French-Swiss writer, political activist, and conversationalist who exemplified European culture during her era, bridging the gap between Neoclassicism and Romanticism. Madame de Staël was also renowned for hosting a salon that attracted leading intellectuals of the time. She wrote extensively, producing novels, plays, political essays, literary critiques, histories, autobiographies, and even poems. Her greatest literary contribution was her role as a theorist of Romanticism. Madame de Staël stands on par with René Descartes, though I included her here to ensure at least one woman was represented on this list.

Galileo was an Italian natural philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician who made groundbreaking contributions to the fields of motion, astronomy, materials science, and the development of the scientific method. His theories on inertia (circular motion), the law of falling bodies, and parabolic trajectories marked a shift in the study of motion. Galileo's belief that the universe was written in the language of mathematics transformed natural philosophy, turning it from a verbal, qualitative pursuit to a mathematical one where experimentation became central to uncovering the truths of nature. His telescopic discoveries revolutionized astronomy and played a critical role in the acceptance of the Copernican heliocentric model. However, his support for this model, along with his assertion that the Bible contained errors, led to an Inquisition trial against him.

Bobby, short for Robert James Fischer, was an American chess prodigy who became the youngest grandmaster in history when he earned the title in 1958. His youthful passion and exceptional skills drew the attention of the American public to chess, especially when he claimed the world championship in 1972. Fischer learned the game at the age of 6, and by 16, he dropped out of high school to focus solely on chess. In 1958, he won his first of many American championships. During the 1970–71 world championship candidate matches, Fischer achieved 20 consecutive wins before suffering a single loss and drawing three times in a match against former world champion Tigran Petrosyan from the Soviet Union. In 1972, Fischer became the first American-born player to win the world championship when he triumphed over Boris Spassky from the Soviet Union in a highly publicized match held in Reykjavík, Iceland. For this victory, Fischer earned a $156,000 share of the $250,000 prize.

Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein, in full, was an Austrian-born English philosopher widely regarded as one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century. His two seminal works, *Logisch-philosophische Abhandlung* (1921; *Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus*, 1922) and *Philosophische Untersuchungen* (posthumously published in 1953; *Philosophical Investigations*), have inspired an immense body of secondary literature and greatly influenced the evolution of philosophy, particularly within the analytic tradition. Wittgenstein's charismatic character has also captivated artists, playwrights, poets, novelists, musicians, and filmmakers, extending his influence far beyond academic circles.

Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, religious philosopher, and master of prose. He is credited with laying the groundwork for modern probability theory, formulating what is now known as Pascal's law of pressure, and promoting a religious philosophy that emphasized the experience of God through the heart rather than through reason. His principle of intuitionism influenced later thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Henri Bergson, and even the Existentialists.

John Stuart Mill was an English philosopher, economist, and a key proponent of Utilitarianism. He gained prominence as a public figure during the reforming 19th century and remains influential as both a logician and an ethical theorist. Mill led a life of extreme simplicity. The impact of his writings on contemporary English thought is immense, and his liberal, inquisitive approach to the major issues of his time has been of lasting significance. However, there has been much debate regarding the lasting value of his philosophical contributions.

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (sometimes spelled Leibnitz or von Leibniz), born on July 1 (June 21 Old Style), 1646, and passing on November 14, 1716, was a German philosopher of Sorbian descent who wrote mainly in Latin and French. Trained in law and philosophy, and serving as the factotum to two prominent German noble families (one of which eventually became the British royal family during his service), Leibniz had a significant impact on European politics and diplomacy of his time. His contributions span both philosophy and mathematics. He independently discovered calculus, and his notation remains the standard today. Additionally, Leibniz invented the binary system, which forms the foundation of modern computing. In philosophy, he is most known for his theory of optimism, asserting that our universe, in a limited sense, is the best possible one God could have created.

Emanuel Swedenborg was a Swedish scientist, Christian mystic, philosopher, and theologian who wrote extensively on interpreting the Scriptures as the direct word of God. After his death, his devoted followers established Swedenborgian societies dedicated to the study of his teachings. These groups became the foundation of the Church of the New Jerusalem, also known as the New Church or Swedenborgians.

Leonardo Da Vinci was an Italian painter, draftsman, sculptor, architect, and engineer whose extraordinary genius embodied the Renaissance humanist ideal more than perhaps any other figure. His masterpieces, The Last Supper (1495–98) and the Mona Lisa (c. 1503–06), are among the most iconic and influential works of the Renaissance. His notebooks demonstrate an unparalleled spirit of scientific curiosity and mechanical inventiveness that was centuries ahead of its time. The remarkable fame that Leonardo attained during his life, and which has only grown with time, is rooted in his insatiable thirst for knowledge that guided all his intellectual pursuits and actions.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, critic, and amateur artist, is regarded as the most significant German literary figure of the modern age. He is the only German literary figure whose range and global reputation match those of the country’s greatest philosophers—whose works and ideas he often influenced—and composers, many of whom have set his works to music. Goethe’s influence within the German-speaking literary world has been so profound that since the late 18th century, his writings have been deemed ‘classical.’ In a European context, he stands as the central and peerless figure of the Romantic movement, in its broadest sense.

Sources: Genius IQ Estimates, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Wikipedia

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