Caitie Velat

Professor Hunter
Research Paper-Multiple Intelligences
3/29/15

My thoughts about the book Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner are that there is a
cognitive deficiency, that it is true the loss of a certain physical capacity could cause an
individual to have problems just as the loss of hearing or sight could cause problems with
linguistic or spatial capacities. In such cases, therapists are challenged to substitute other
systems, whether adapted bodily mechanisms or prostheses. (Multiple Intelligences, page 96) If
an individual has problems with either their hearing or sight, then the reason why it would cause
problems with linguistic or spatial capacities is because you have to use your eyes for the spatial
capacity. You use your eyes and ears for the linguistic capacity. I agree with the definition of
theory according to the physical scientists. it is reserved for an explicit set of propositions
linked conceptually and having individual and joint validity that can be assessed through
systematic experimentation. (Multiple Intelligences, page 97)
This information fits in with my experiences; because, I am a spatial type person; as well
as, bodily-kinesthetic; I do not use my linguistic side of the brain that much. I had assumed that
leaders were people who had the capability to change the behavior of other people. According to
Multiple Intelligences, it says traditionally, leaders are people who can change the thoughts,
feelings and/or behaviors of a significant number of other people. They may bring about changes
coercively, as in the case of a tyrant or an authoritarian regime. But in these instances, the

leadership is only as effective as the force that grasps the trigger, and once the coercion has been
removed, the leaders effectiveness wanes. (Multiple Intelligence, page 126)
As I was reading the book Multiple Intelligences the inherent biases that I had toward this
book before reading it were that all Caucasian males were
going to do well on the intelligence tests. I also believed that there was only one kind of
intelligence tests instead of there being more than one that are superior to one another. I also
thought when people took intelligence tests it was just mainly to find out how smart you were.
The thing that changed my mind was the following fact: Also, labeling intelligences
involves two erroneous assumptions:(1) We know exactly how to assess intelligence, and (2) The
determination of an intelligence represents a lasting judgment. If I were asked to assess
someones intelligences , I would not be satisfied until I had observed him solving problems and
fashioning products in a number of settings. (Multiple Intelligences, pages 138-139)
I feel that this has changed my mind because it has allowed me to see that there are a number of
different kinds of intengent tests for a variety of people. After all, not everyone will be
academically inclined, some people are more spatial, and some people are more bodily-kinestetic
learners.
My feelings about the reading are that ir was a very good and insightful book; as well, as
an eye opener. The buttons that it pushed for me is that it made me feel like I was in school when
I got to the part about reading about readiness and culture. The reason why I feel this way is
because I was always pushed to be ready for the next step in my culture when I went to school. I
think that my feelings for the most part felt validated throughout the whole book. I would like to
say to the author that I agree with him with the following statement: Despite the strong
possibility that intelligence testing will remain with us indefinitely, this book is based on a

different premise, namely, that intelligence is too important to be left to the intelligence testers.
(Multiple Intelligence, page 3) I think I would also like to ask him to have him explain the M1
theory in the workplace a little bit better too.
The quote is important because one has to realize that even though intellengence tests are
most likely to be around forever, people need to realize that they do have a choice of intelligence
tests and that if they feel that they may be more qualified in another area then they have the right
to try to take the intelligence test in the area that they feel more gifted in.