@ Polx
"they are without use."

Can't you look at this from a neuropsychological perspective? It's particularly interesting how a person can develop these amazing abilities after an aquired brain injury. Perhaps we all have the potential to develop these sorts of abilities if only we were able to strengthen certain connections in the brain.

There is so much we can learn from these people about the different types of memory, perception, and the connections in our brains. They can help us to better understand how the most mysterious (and important) organ in our body works.

I'm not arguing the genious point, but to say they are useless is really ignoring the whole picture. One of the best ways that has enabled us to learn about the brain and pioneer important brain surgery techniques is by studying people with cognitive defecits and aquired brain injuries. Who's to say that we can't learn from people who have heightened abilities?

Take patient Phineas Gage, a famous case of a man who, after an aquired brain injury developed severe behavioural problems and changes in personality. His case gave rise to the idea (and eventual confirmation) that the frontal lobe plays a large role in behaviour and personality.

Woops. Didn't mean to post that sarcastic bit of criticism about you Polx. However I meant every word.

@ Polx:

You know not all autistic people are "useless" as you put it. Daniel Tammet for example has Aspergers (occasionally referred to as functional autism). He can certainly bathe himself, and do everything else "normal" people can for that matter. He is also capable of abstract thought and interpreting this "information" in creative ways. He is just different from you and I in that he is socially awkward, has difficulty expressing and interpreting emotions, is set in his ways, has an extremely high IQ (a measure that takes into account a broad range of skills related with intelligence), and pursue his areas of interest with an all consuming passion. If a person with Aspergers is able to choose a career where they can use the excessive knowledge they have gathered over the years in pursuing their special areas of interest, they frequently contribute a great deal to society.

Immanuel Kant talked about phenomenon: the world as we see it, and noumenon: the world as it is, or the thing in itself. As humans, we have many limitations and biases. We are restricted to perceiving the world only in the way our biology allows us to. For example, we can only see a very small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, but some fish can see a much larger portion of that spectrum. In other words, some animals can perceive colours that we will never know or comprehend.

These savants obviously see the world in very different ways that we do. Sure, they are still restricted by their own personal phenomenon, but to say that they are useless is a fallacy. They have much to teach us if we’re willing to open our eyes.

@ Polx:

"Bla bla bla.

I like to dominate the comments section of Neatorama.

Bla bla bla.

Double spacing takes up more room and allows me to more successfully dominate the comments section of Neatorama."

You know not all autistic people are "useless" as you put it. Daniel Tammet for example has asperger's (occasionally refered to as functional autism). He can certainly bathe himself, and do everything else "normal" people can for that matter. He is also capable of abstract thought and interpreting this "information" in creative ways. He is just different from you and I in that he is socially akward, set in his ways, has an extremely high IQ (a measure that takes into account a broad range of skills related with intelligence), and persues his areas of interest with an all consuming passion.