Smartest Person Alive?

[Strider]

So I read something in the newspaper today about Ken Jennings. He's the guy that's smoked all of his competition on the best game show in the world, Jeopardy! Apparently, he finally lost. Yes, I know, it might not seem like a big deal, until you consider he dominated the show for 75 games in a row.

In the process, he likely answered somewhere in the ballpark of 3000 questions, ranging from "The Middle East" to "Publications Through History" to "Hanky Panky" to "The History of Cows" to heaven knows what else. The man is, in a word, "veryveryverysmart".

But could he stake a claim to being the smartest person alive? That, as of now, is up to you. Who do you consider to be top dog? Discuss.

[Agent Proto]

I'm pretty sure his downfall is the sports category. As for smartest person around. I have no clue. I'm pretty sure Ken Jennings is very knowledgeable about many things, but I don't think he's really the smartest.

[Kirobaito]

Thank you for making a topic about me, Stri.

[Lon611]

theres a difference between knowing nuclear physics and philosophy and knowing trivial things such as "the history of cows". i don't really know who the "smartest" person in the world is, but in no way is it ne1 who's appeared on Jeopardy

[Strider]

theres a difference between knowing nuclear physics and philosophy and knowing trivial things such as "the history of cows".

Exaggeration, my friend. I ran out of logical categories to write down.

[Kirobaito]

Not to mention that he dominated every Alcohol category, and he's a Mormon, thus, he doesn't even drink.

[Lon611]

Exaggeration, my friend. I ran out of logical categories to write down.

FALSE INFORMATION = DEATH TO SLANDER-ERS!!!!!! :rolleyes2

[Kirobaito]

July 6th, 2004

Double Jeopardy!

Category: Physics

Jennings got 4 of 5 questions.

[Lon611]

how much money did this guy make?after 75 shows, i wouldn't mind walking away with money for just being on a show.

EDIT:what happens if you're below zero?do you owe them money?is the simpson episode where marge is hustled by alex trebec have some truth behind it?!?!?!

[Strider]

No, if you're below zero at the end of either of the first two round, you're done for the game at that point.

And for the record, he made over $2.5 million dollars during the streak.

[Giga Guess]

Whoo-Hoo! Sounds like he won to me!

[edczxcvbnm]

I wouldn't call him the smartest man alive. The most knowledgeable man alive is a shoe in though.

Also he didn't do very bad in sports. He got all sorts of questions right in those catagories(at least from what I watched).

[Doomgaze]

the 75 wins thing isn't true - they don't tape THAT far in advance, and there was the same rumor after a month or so of him.


that said, Marilyn Vos Savant is supposedly the smartest person in the world.

[SeeDRankLou]

I think that the smartest person alive right now is the guy that solved Fermat's Last Theorm (horribly advanced calculus, 150 page proof). Just a guess.

[o_O]

John Nash?

Perhaps Stephen Hawking. As far as I'm concerned intelligence is measured my how innovative, ingenious or creative a person is.
I think somebody like Louis Braille, Earnest Rutherford or Helen Keller would be right up there too.