Gail Trimble, Knowledge, Intelligence and Memory

Gail Trimble seems very nice to me.

The internet abuse seems to be subsiding and being topped on search engines by more favourable posts. This is as it should be.

Even so, some of these "good" posts fundamentally confuse analytical intelligence with mere recollection of facts quickly. In fact, Trimble is in ample possession of both faculties but the distinction still needs to be maintained.

Savants can remember huge sequences of numbers but may not always be able to put that ability to any analytical use.

Trimble can do both. One faculty is helpful to an intelligent person but not necessary. The other is essential.

Some of the questions on University Challenge test only the ability to recollect facts but others did test Trimble's analytic intelligence as well. For instance, the questions on the periodic table and the questions on Roman numbers.

So she entirely deserves the accolade of being probably amongst the most intelligent people to appear on University Challenge but not simply because she has a good memory. That simply diminishes her fantastic achievement.