Review of ‘Sent Before Their Time’ by Edward Dutton

Genius is not simply high intelligence but an extraordinary and transformative influence on human history.

Written by Lipton Matthews.

Edward Dutton’s Sent Before Their Time sets out to solve a puzzle: why so many figures recognised as geniuses were born in circumstances normally considered disadvantageous. Premature birth and low birth weight are almost always harmful, increasing the risk of illness, mental disorder and early death. Yet as Dutton argues, these conditions appear to be disproportionately common among history’s most eminent innovators. Prematurity and frailty may, in rare and unpredictable cases, generate the cognitive profile of a genius.

The book opens with the striking story of Isaac Newton, born in Lincolnshire in 1642. Newton arrived roughly two months before his due date and was so small he could fit into a quart mug. In 17th century England, where infant mortality was high and premature babies rarely lived to see adulthood, Newton’s survival was a miracle. Yet the more remarkable fact is not that Newton lived, but that he went on to revolutionize physics, developing calculus and discovering the laws of motion. For Dutton, Newton is not an isolated case but just one example of a broader phenomenon. Prematurity is linked to genius because it reshapes brain development in ways that sometimes prove extraordinarily useful.

Dutton does not romanticize prematurity. He is explicit that being born too early is almost always a negative. Premature infants tend to have learning disabilities, psychiatric disorders and impaired executive function. Their brains develop atypically, with some regions not growing enough and others compensating. Indeed, they have a much higher likelihood of developing ADHD—a condition that brings challenges but which also nurtures creativity. In other words, prematurity forces the brain to rewire itself, and while this usually leads to problems, it occasionally produces the cognitive profile we associate with genius.

An important clarification is that many historical figures thought to be premature were in fact born at term but with unusually low birth weight. Yet Dutton maintains that, from the perspective of brain development, this distinction often matters little. Both conditions involve suboptimal development and they create similar psychological profiles. Low birth weight, like prematurity, increases the risk of developmental instability, autism spectrum traits and obsessive behaviors. The fact that so many eminent figures fall into one of these categories arguably strengthens Dutton’s claim that developmental disadvantage sometimes, paradoxically, fosters brilliance.

Having established a link between prematurity/frailty and later achievement, Dutton turns to the nature of genius itself. Genius, he argues, is not simply high intelligence but an extraordinary and transformative influence on human history. Geniuses are those who shift paradigms. In science, Newton, Darwin and Einstein fit the mold. In art, Shakespeare and Michelangelo. And in politics, Churchill and Alexander the Great. The distinguishing feature is not mere ability but originality and enduring influence.

Dutton also notes that genius is inseparable from personality. High intelligence may be necessary, but it is never sufficient. Geniuses tend to be aloof, obsessive and eccentric. They are less empathic and often indifferent to social norms, which allows them to pursue unconventional ideas without concern for the offence they may cause. They display an openness to radical ideas, which explains why so many geniuses, including Newton, dabbled in alchemy, mysticism or esoteric speculation. In short, the personality of the genius is one of imbalance: they are capable of extraordinary insight in one domain but while being deficient in social and practical matters.

Indeed, the distinction between intelligence and the broader phenomenon of genius is central to the book’s argument. IQ tests measure general problem-solving ability, and scores are normally distributed around an average of 100. A small fraction of individuals score above 130 and are considered highly intelligent. Yet, Dutton stresses, high IQ does not equate to genius. The overwhelming majority of high-IQ individuals live conventional lives without producing revolutionary breakthroughs.

Some of the greatest geniuses of the 20th century did not score at the extreme end of IQ scores. James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, scored only 124. William Shockley, who invented the transistor, had an IQ of 125. These scores are above average but fall far short of the 150 or higher that is assumed to characterize geniuses. Dutton’s explanation is that IQ tests measure balanced ability across domains, whereas geniuses often possess lopsided intelligence. They may perform extraordinarily well in one area, such as spatial reasoning or mathematical abstraction, but poorly in others. IQ tests average these results, yielding scores that underestimate their true intellectual power. In short, genius cannot be reduced to IQ, because it involves a unique configuration of intelligence and personality.

To support his argument, Dutton discusses the Flynn Effect, the well-documented rise of IQ scores during the 20th century. On the surface, it suggested that populations were becoming smarter. Yet, as Dutton and others have argued elsewhere, the rise was largely illusory. Other measures—such as reaction times and measures of vocabulary—indicate that general intelligence has actually declined. Genetic studies confirm that alleles associated with higher education and intelligence have become less common.

The explanation is that modern environments train people to think in abstract, test-friendly ways which enhances measured IQ. However, this does not reflect an underlying increase in intelligence. In fact, lower fertility among the intelligent and higher fertility among the less intelligent have produced dysgenic trends. So while IQ scores rose, the pool of potential geniuses actually shrank. This helps to explain why the modern world, despite being so well-educated, produces fewer revolutionary breakthroughs than the periods that gave us Newton or Darwin.

Another element of Dutton’s argument is the eccentric personality of geniuses, which he links to the developmental disruptions caused by prematurity and low birth weight. Geniuses often display traits associated with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD or depression. They are obsessive and averse to disorder. They struggle with empathy and often alienate those around them. Yet these traits are also what allow them to focus intensely on a problem, to persist despite opposition, and to perceive details others ignore.

Albert Einstein is a clear example. He was unable to drive. He relied heavily on others, including his first wife, to manage correspondence and daily organization. Yet his intellectual focus was unmatched, allowing him to transform physics with the theory of relativity. Einstein’s inability to handle the ordinary was not incidental but indicative of his genius: extreme competence in one domain and striking ineptness in others. Premature and low-birth-weight individuals, Dutton argues, show this same profile.

Dutton also discusses how hormones, particularly androgens, shape the personality of geniuses. Prematurity often disrupts hormone exposure in utero, causing atypical patterns of sexual development. Geniuses, Dutton suggests, often embody a blend of hyper-masculine assertiveness and hypo-masculine sensitivity or aloofness. These irregularities may contribute to both their intellectual creativity and their frequent sexual eccentricity. Dutton’s interpretation is supported by the work of Felix Post, who documented that many eminent figures displayed unconventional sexuality or fluid orientations.

Dutton develops his argument within the evolutionary framework of group selection. Individually, geniuses are often maladaptive. They are socially awkward, prone to depression and often die childless. Yet at the level of the group, their contributions are invaluable. A society that produces a Newton or an Einstein gains enormous advantages. Weapons, technologies or cultural shifts generated by geniuses help groups to outcompete their rivals.

In premodern societies, most preemies died young. But those who survived were sometimes atypical, possessing the eccentric traits that (in rare cases) blossomed into genius. So while prematurity was usually a liability, it occasionally produced individuals whose insights greatly benefitted their groups. From an evolutionary standpoint, tolerating and even venerating such individuals was therefore advantageous.

Sent Before Their Time is persuasive because it combines evidence from history and psychology with theory from evolution and human development. Dutton shows that prematurity, far from ruling out greatness, is disproportionately present among geniuses. He explains how the condition’s very pathologies give rise to creativity and innovation. And he argues that societies tolerated maladjusted geniuses because their insights conferred group advantages. Historically, most preemies did not survive through childhood. Yet some of those who did gave humanity its greatest breakthroughs.

‘Sent Before Their Time’ is available for purchase online.

Lipton Matthews is a research professional and YouTuber. His work has been featured by the Mises Institute, The Epoch Times and Chronicles. He is the author of The Corporate Myth. You can reach him at: lo_matthews@yahoo.com

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