Real-life Sherlock Holmes

[Trilby]

I got shown this blog [http://elementaryproblems.blogspot.com] by a friend the other day; it claims to be the records of someone trying to teach themselves Holmesian powers of deduction by means of analysing random people they see on the tube or train or whatnot. It seemed like an interesting idea, even if it's not worked brilliantly.

However, it got me thinking: is it actually possible for a human being to emulate Holmes' powers of deduction? As all the good little nerds know, Holmes is based on a real person, a Dr. Bell who taught Conan-Doyle early in his career, but presumably he fell far short of the fictional character.

So, what's your view? There's a lot of Sherlock Holmes revival around at the moment; the 2009 film, the recent BBC adaptation of a modern-day Sherlock (which you should definitely watch, by the way), but is it actually possible for someone to achieve that level of mental agility necessary to pull off deductions of the level of Holmes?

 

[Gilhelmi]

I suspect so, but not to the absurdly high levels in the books and movies as it would have require an expertise in everything imaginable, and the ability to observe even the most minuet detail.

Now I have become a good deal more observant because of my Army training and I suspect that someone who is a natural at observation and revived training could theoretically reach Holmes level but I still think it to be unlikely.

 

[Julianking93]

Ha! That's actually something I love doing and practicing.

It's somewhat a form of psychology only put more into the category of physiology as in you're studying their body movements rather than their subconscious.