In footnote #37 Shenk addresses the idea of the developing definition of intellegence. He mentions and analyzes how the word has moved from having a true definite meaning to a vauge and very general understanding of what is truely intended when using the word. He also implies that those who use the words so loosely and so unclearly are the biggest culprits in that they are perptuating a fallacy in humans to overgeneralize and put people in compartments. This compartment however is not univerally characterized and when "two dozen prominent theorists were recently asked to define intelligence, they gave two dozen somewhat different definitions" (206).
How do you see the misinterpretation of the word intellegence? How can his definition be used as a globally accepted definition? How does this connect to the idea of growth mindset and the ever-changing, and superficial definition of intellegence that has been develping?
Hannah Perl (hannahperl94@gmail.com)
Shenk makes an argument that "intelligence is not directly measurable" (Shenk 231). He also states that the tests we use in our society in order to measure intelligence is mistaken since the standardized tests are only allowing the testers to "learn [from intelligence tests] that some kids do better than others in school" (231). If our current society cannot measure intelligence directly and only measure characteristics on how well the student was taught in schools with the skills that the test measures, the testers themselves are a bit confused on the definition of intelligence. Shenk is clearly proving a point that intelligence is misinterpreted as how well a student does at school, but that is not true. During psychology, I have learned that there are 9 different types of intelligence, analyzed by Dr. Howard Gardener. The categories are: "naturalist intelligence, musical intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, existential intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, linguistic, intra-personal, and spatial intelligence" (http://skyview.vansd.org/lschmidt/Projects/The%20Nine%20Types%20of%20Intelligence.htm). Having any of these strong point would be considered very extraordinary and I would consider them to be very intelligent in that field of area.
ReplyDeleteThis idea of growth mindset and the changing definition of the word intelligence shows that our society can be applied to the biological theme of continuity and change. Although the definition of highly intelligent is still having a strong point in a particular subject, the change would be the definition of intelligence. The "old" definition being, taking and doing well on standardized test that only measures a few of the 9 different intelligence characteristics, and the "new" definition being the 9 categories of intelligence by Gardner. Although the society is still looking for intelligent people, the definition of intelligence has changed, which relates to continuity and change. Also, genes passed on from generation to generation may have allowed the definition of intelligence to change. Throughout a human's life, they will go through many abiotic and biotic factors (Campbell 1151) and this would lead to some people's gene to be strong at the interpersonal intelligence, while others being talented musically. A lot of these characteristics are passed down through generations mostly giving meiosis the power to decide (Campbell ch. 13). The differences and the changes the peoples' genes go through may allow other people to acknowledge different types of intelligence.
-Sally Park (sypark1029@gmail.com)