So yesterday, psychologist and genius Howard Garnder came to speak at Skirball. He spoke as the inaugural Jacob K. Javits lecturer, and is a Visiting Professor at NYU. Howard Gardner is best known as the architect of the theory of multiple intelligences, the director of Project Zero, Harvard University, and one of the most influential names in education reform.
His lecture was titled "From Multiple Intelligences to Future Minds," and in it, he tried to link his classic theory of multiple intelligences, "MI" theory, to his most recent research concerning the five minds and good work. If you're unfamiliar with Gardner's work, these titles seem kind of strange and abstract, but it makes a lot of sense if you hear him out.
So, before Gardner's MI theory, everyone thought that there was only one intelligence, general intelligence, or "G." There was a consensus that if you were good a piano, or good at math, etc., it was because you were a generally smart person. All your talents stemmed from this one "smartness", and all these skills were connected to one intelligence. Gardner's MI theory essentially debunked these ideas, and suggested that the pianist is good at piano not because he is generally intelligent, but because he is musically intelligent. The mathematician is good at math because he is logically intelligent. Gardner originally outlined 8 different intelligences that pretty much cover the gamut.
Makes sense, right? Doesn't is seem like it's almost common sense? Well, thats because Gardner's work is almost 40 years old. At the time, it was a completely radical theory, and Gardner made everyone in the fields of psychology, neurology and education take a serious look at his research. By studying adults with brain damage, autistics, and savants, Gardner was able to prove that intelligence is not just "G," but that it is multi-faceted, with the different aspects of intelligence working relatively independently of each other.
His lecture basically outlined MI theory and introduced the newer ideas of the five minds and good work. I really enjoyed the lecture, and I was shocked at how down-to-earth and funny he was. Here's this man - this certified genius - who has changed the way the world thinks about being smart, and he's talking to this crowd like he sees us everyday.
I'm sorry for making such a long, maybe even boring, post (I know some of you out there hate them!), but I just thought the whole thing was really cool. And now you know all about Howard Gardner and MI.