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I didn't claim he was the first case? That would be ridiculous. And this is a tangent, but I used that example to subtly poke at this kind of "common wisdom":

by chubot 7y ago

I didn't claim he was the first case? That would be ridiculous. And this is a tangent, but I used that example to subtly poke at this kind of "common wisdom": Mr James' proficiency is basketball is super-human and impressive enough by itself. It is very unlikely that he is also super-human in other dimensions. Why do you think that an exceptional memory would not contribute to exceptional basketball playing? Are those two things completely unrelated? In other words, you're probably underestimating the cognitive skill it takes to win at high levels. Of course I can't know for sure, because I haven't done it, but you haven't either. I don't remember what the best sources for his memory were, but they seemed credible to me at the time, e.g.: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44106321 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44106321 https://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-turnovers-photographic-memory-2018-5 https://www.businessinsider.com/lebron-turnovers-photographi... There are also some video of him recalling games that seem credible too.

harry8 7y ago
Yep. Looking at those links in particular Le Bron James has made no claims that he has a photographic memory and it seems he does not have one. Maybe he's deliberately hiding it but that seems unlikely. Precise recollection of detail is not a photographic memory by any of the usual definitions of that term. Photographic memory != impressive memory display. The BBC link you provide suggests there isn't anything especially remarkable about his impressive memory for detail in a just played match and that such is quite common among highly trained athletes. I'm told it's common for cricketers to be able to recall the detail every single ball they faced in a score of over 200. ie facing more than 500 separate deliveries. I'm impressed by it, it's great. It isn't photographic memory. I'm not belittling him, the levels of training and skill he has attained are utterly amazing. If a very famous person is also a decent human being through it all and uses their fame for a positive impact on the world that is far more impressive to me than claims of additional genius outside their field of expertise.

by chubot 7y ago

harry8 7y ago

Yep. Looking at those links in particular Le Bron James has made no claims that he has a photographic memory and it seems he does not have one. Maybe he's deliberately hiding it but that seems unlikely. Precise recollection of detail is not a photographic memory by any of the usual definitions of that term. Photographic memory != impressive memory display. The BBC link you provide suggests there isn't anything especially remarkable about his impressive memory for detail in a just played match and that such is quite common among highly trained athletes. I'm told it's common for cricketers to be able to recall the detail every single ball they faced in a score of over 200. ie facing more than 500 separate deliveries. I'm impressed by it, it's great. It isn't photographic memory. I'm not belittling him, the levels of training and skill he has attained are utterly amazing. If a very famous person is also a decent human being through it all and uses their fame for a positive impact on the world that is far more impressive to me than claims of additional genius outside their field of expertise.