Creating Minds

When Howard Gardner first proposed his theory of "multiple intelligences" in 1983, he created a sensation. He argued that there is no single intelligence which could be reduced to verbal and analytical skills ? both of which are taught and measured in school; in his view, intelligences are multiple and comprise many aptitudes, including artistic creativity, spatial reasoning, and the ability to understand others. Gardner's approach has profoundly modified the way we regard the nature of the mied, genius, creativity and even leadership.In his new book, Gardner addresses another question: Are there any common psychological traits among people who accomplish great things, regardless of their field of endeavour or historical era?He begins his investigation by describing the process that each person follows to become a competent adult, and then proceeds to describe four exceptional iedividuals: Mozart, who can be regarded as the master of his domain: Freud, the founder of a new field; Virginia Woolf, the great introspective artist; and Gandhi, the leader of vast influence. What made them exceptional? Why did they accomplish great things? Gardner argues that their greatness was not only the result of their exceptional abilities; they became great because they were more capable than others of identifying their strengths and weaknesses, of carefully analysing events and of adapting the ups and downs of life to their utmost advantage.Genius is not a stroke of luck. It is the product of special qualities of the mied which may or may not be developed. This is a brilliant overview covering the various aspects of the making of greatness, which should offer readers many useful pointers. Howard Gardner is renowned for his work in the field of cognitive psychology, and particularly for his revolutionary theory on multiple intelligences. He teaches educational science in the Department of Education at Harvard University and is one of the directors Harvard's Project Zero. He also teaches neurology at Boston University's medical school.