I'd like to direct curious readers to my favorite story by Isaac Asimov, called "Profession": http://www.inf.ufpr.br/renato/profession.html http://www.inf.ufpr.

I'd like to direct curious readers to my favorite story by Isaac Asimov, called "Profession": http://www.inf.ufpr.br/renato/profession.html http://www.inf.ufpr.br/renato/profession.html It deals with pretty much exactly this topic -- in the story, peoples' professions are determined by brain scans (as in the study), and the requisite professional knowledge is then loaded via a similar device (which seems much further off). The story explores some of the ethical/societal implications of being "exceptional" in terms of brain structure. It's an incredible piece of fiction, and it has stuck with me over years and years even when the appeal of stories like "The Last Question" have somewhat worn off for me.