Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences For The 21st Century by Howard Gardner Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Intelligence Reframed: Multiple Intelligences For The 21st Century
Book Review: A Nice, Well-Meaning Ruse
Summary: 3 Stars
Perhaps every good book has some axe to grind. In any case, knowing why it was written often helps more than anything else to understand what a book is about. In this case, the book is supposed to help deflate books like "The Bell Curve," and Arthur Jensen's seminal "The g Factor," which together argue that intelligence exists, is sociologically fateful, and highly heritable (i.e., that if everybody had the same genes for it, most of the variation presently observed in intelligence would not exist). This is related to "Herrnstein's syllogism" which says: intelligence significantly determines social status, and is also highly heritable, therefore, under equal opportunity in a free and fair meritocracy, social status will still be significantly heritable. This, of course, is considered politically unacceptible by many if not most Americans today (although Thomas Jefferson apparently accepted it, cf. his "natural aristocracy"), and so Gardner has been warmly received as a foe of it.
Gardner's tactic is simple: he denies that intelligence exists, or at least that IQ tests measure intelligence. Instead he postulates "multiple intelligences," such as "kinesthetic intelligence" (physical/athletic coordination/skill), and "social intelligence" (social grace/ability). Musical talent too gets a re-name, but I forget what it is.
So as you can see, all this, while certainly interesting (since all these various talents are certainly interesting to explore and very valuable) basically amounts to what an ordinary person with common sense usually calls a "purely semantic argument."
In other words, Gardner does not show that there is anything wrong with Herrnstein's heresy besides a choice of words. Remove the term "intelligence," and plug in the term "IQ test score," and the same politically heretical conclusion follows, thus: IQ test score significantly predicts social status, IQ test score is highly heritable, therefore in a free and fair meritocracy social status will be significantly heritable. Gardner has done nothing to forestall the dreaded heresy. He has, however, allowed people to believe that he does, and thus enjoyed an unearned boost from the forces of political correctness, as other reviews will show.
How many legs does a dog have, if you call a tail a leg? Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it one. Neither can calling athletic ability, musical talent, and social grace "multiple intelligences" do anything to change the biological heritability (or lack thereof) of socioeconomic status.
The meaning of a word depends on how people actually use it. If most ordinary English speakers call athletic ability, musical talent, and social grace "talents" rather than "intelligences," then that's what they are. Conversely, if IQ tests do measure what most people do call "intelligence," then IQ tests measure intelligence. To the extent that these things are true, they're just true by definition.
When it comes to the facts behind the words, Gardner's "intelligences" may themselves be just as heritable, if not more so, than traditional IQ test scores, and thus may even add to the expected biological heritability of social class. Gardner's work on the nature of various talents may be interesting, but his reputation as an ally of political correctness is a sham. The only thing politically correct about the MI theory is its capricious abuse of language in the service of an Orwellian attempt to alter reality by changing what things are called.
However, if you're just looking for a good book on these various talents, go for it.
Book Review: Education for individuation and understanding
Summary: 5 Stars
Since there are already five reviews, I just wish to add my endorsement of an excellent and timely book. For those who are not conversant with the MI (multiple intelligences) theory, this is the best updated and succint introduction. We get an understanding of the thinking processes of the author in breaking out of the straitjacket of intelligence defined by traditional I.Q. tests while maintaining stringent criteria in accepting what would come under the concept of intelligence. It is fascinating to see how he tentatively comes down to eight and half intelligences! In view of a whole industry of MI products and materials, quick MI profiles... enthusiasts must first read Chapter 6, "Myths and Realities about Multiple Intelligences". I personally fully share the ideal of developing understanding and the uniqueness of each person based on individual differences. We are given some clues. There is still an immense challenge in the implementation, esp. in having enough teachers with such competence for schools with large classes of 40 and above.Book Review: MI theory as a new way to look at human nature
Summary: 4 Stars
Gardner is the father of the theory of multiple intelligences (MI). For twenty years he has allowed his theory to take on a life of its own, as evidenced by a 20 page Appendix B listing works related to MI by others. In this book he attempts to clarify what MI theory is, and what it is not.MI theory is essentially a paradigm through which to "conceptualize human intellect." Gardner claims that MI theory is "an account of human cognition in its fullness ... a new definition of human nature, cognitively speaking." The essence of MI theory is not the specific 8.5 intelligences Gardner supports to date, but the eight criteria he developed by which to evaluate potential candidates for "intelligence" status.
His convictions are clearly stated. Humans possess multiple, distinct intelligences. These intelligences are a "potential to process information in a cultural setting." Each individual possesses a unique blend of potentials which can only be activated in response to environmental demands. Therefore, assessment attempts are wrongheaded.
With the exception of linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligences, an intelligence can only be tested by watching it in action, that is, problem solving or product creation. This is a sigficant weakness for direct application of MI theory to an educational setting. MI theory requires individualized education without meaningfully comparative assessment tools.
In place of comparative and competitve assessment of students, Gardner argues for teaching "understanding." The intelligences point to "entry points" through which students might engage curricular materials by performance. Instead of evaluating student test-taking skills, observation, critique and improvement of student performances are advocated. In this way Gardner hopes to enhance the overarching goals of education - the "transintellectual capacities" of analogy, synthesis and wisdom.
I question the practicality of Gardner's application of MI theory to classroom, while applauding his re-imagining of human nature and our innate potential for lifelong development.
Book Review: Essential to understanding MI theory
Summary: 5 Stars
In this book, Gardner clears up some of the big mixups of MI theory and does a great job in clarifying questions any student of MI might have. For example, Gardner asserts that each of the 9 intelligences is used only when one is fashioning new products or solving problems. Perhaps the greatest treasure in this book is the introduction of two new intelligences: existential intelligence and naturalist intelligence. This book is also different from other Gardner books I have read in that it seems more "wise": a good deal of Gardner's 20 years of experience after writing Frames of Mind has been distilled in this new book. I do suggest reading Frames of Mind first, though: you'll probably save yourself some headache by getting a good grasp of MI first. All said, I thought this book was great and suggests even more great things to come from Howard Gardner.Book Review: Excellent Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I enjoyed the Book thoroughly. The ideas Howard Gardner puts forth are very plausible and I am now a strong believer in the MI theory. I am a high school student ,and I realize that the present teaching method of today's traditional teachers is very flawed. I find myself lacking a profound understanding of subjects. I believe Howard Gardner explains why and how it can be changed in this book.