I am trying to better understand this: any insights into "natural talent" for particular fields?

Philosophy being all-inclusive, where else may I pose this question, because it really isn't about career advice. It's about the concept of "natural talent" as applied to different disciplines.


In which field of knowledge/discipline/profession is this thing called "natural talent" most relevant?

Am I understanding this correctly that the more practical the field or profession, the less requirement of natural talent? For example, medicine and definitely nursing requires less "natural talent" than does programming or...even philosophy?


I would like to gauge just how many "doses" of natural talent is required for medicine vs. nursing, web-designing vs. programming, and psychology vs. philosophy and all these disciplines compared to each other, especially medicine vs. philosophy.

Precisely, Jan Stolz! No one really talks about natural talent for these field, and so why not? I don't believe everyone can do philosophy and I certainly feel some have more natural talent than others. As for nursing, the field I'm in... I don't think it requires any talent, except the talent to care. I'm not really sure about it all. I'm partly dissatisfied with nursing because it has such a low celing for "talent". I've been interested in medicine in the past, but those who've entered the field usually "sacrificed" many other activities and talents to do so.

What do you think about all this? Any one?

To work effectively in the field of medicine you need the ability to memorize tons of data and the common sense of how and when to use it. These things can be aquired over time, and some people are born a step ahead in those areas. For both those ahead and those who are average, it takes drive and discipline to finish school and reach people who need this expertise. It also takes a certain amount of patience, tolerance, and people skills, because you will be seeing and treating people every day, and if you happen not to like someone or if somebody has bad hygiene, you still need to keep a certain professional politeness about you.

Philosophy also requires that you be mentally equipped, but you do not have to work so closely with the public. In fact, you can stay behind closed doors and write books all your life if that's your choice, and still be considered a great philosopher whose ideas inspired others.

Curious that you chose these particular fields to test your theory in, instead of, say, the arts or music, where natural ability is always talked about.

I have no natural talents which require more than natural ability to work for me. I have no medical training that couls save a life. What I have is profound faith in miracles and reason. I may not understand either or even expect them but I recognize their existence. I was caring for my terminally ill sister in 1991. She came to my home to live out whatever remained of her miserable life but it was too soon for her to die. I convinced her not to quit before the miracle. She's still here, living against her will! She still has business to finish and until she learns what that is, she can't die even if her cancer is still active and it killed Jackie O. She isn't suffering as badly as she was or even as badly as she caused others to suffer but that's because she doesn't listen to me. Lots of people don't. Not even when I NEED someone to listen. But that's ok...I just make better choices and it works FOR me instead of against me. That's a natural talent for living happily ever after.