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This question links to the idea of math as a skill or a talent. I'm well aware that some people's minds work in certain areas better than others, but I also know that a lot of people with difficulties still manage to pull through and do incredible things.

A person with a severe intellectual disability, who nothing more than to anything wants to learn higher level math, remains committed to continue practicing until they get there. Would there be a point at which they cap off and cannot go any further or would the neurological development contributed by practice alter the "mathematical IQ", allowing them to learn further? Can anyone learn math if they are committed to it?

N.D.H.
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  • Question: would you consider those with Asperger syndrome intellectually disabled? – Sentinel135 Mar 14 '17 at 02:41
  • Asperger Syndrome and High Functioning Autism are often defined in terms of relatively high IQ's-- I would consider that to be a social functioning disability. – N.D.H. Mar 14 '17 at 02:44
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    Those who place limits on what others can do are often proven wrong by the sufficiently determined. – Plutoro Mar 14 '17 at 02:44
  • @AlexS I personally agree, though this is just my personal opinion-- I believe that provided a person wants it enough, they can achieve University level math skills. I'm looking for a person's opinion that is backed up with evidence (either for or against), to see what people are capable of from an analytical standpoint. – N.D.H. Mar 14 '17 at 02:49
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    Indeed. While this is an interesting question, I do not think it is on topic for this site. May I suggest MathematicsEducation.SE? – Plutoro Mar 14 '17 at 02:55
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    This is entirely a non-mathematical question, so completely off topic here. That is is an interesting question is irrelevant. – Mariano Suárez-Álvarez Mar 14 '17 at 03:15
  • @MarianoSuárez-Álvarez Allow me to rephrase my question as, "is mathematics possible for anyone who wants it enough", also I would think that it is a mathematical question, despite not involving the use of math, because it regards math as a concept handled by humans.

    The other aspect of my question also regards the potential to understand and use math, regarding issues with problem solving and cognition.

     – N.D.H. Mar 14 '17 at 03:34
  • To answer the question, I think you can go as far as you want. Any mathematical theory can be written as a series of logical implications, each statement following the next. "$P$ implies $Q$. $P$. Therefore $Q$." If you can do that a few thousand times, you can do math. – D_S Mar 14 '17 at 03:44
  • @N.D.H., that is a question about education, psychology and what not, and not about mathematics. Sometimes the line is blurry: not in this case. – Mariano Suárez-Álvarez Mar 14 '17 at 03:52

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