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A SILENCE OF A DECADE'S LENGTH is sometimes a good idea. I published Frames of Mind, an introduction to the theory of multiple intelligences (MI theory) in 1983.(1) Because I was critical of current views of intelligences within the discipline of psychology, I expected to stir controversy among my fellow psychologists. This expectation was not disappointed.
I was unprepared for the large and mostly positive reaction to the theory among educators. Naturally I was gratified by this response and was stimulated to undertake some projects exploring the implications of MI theory. I also took pleasure from--and was occasionally moved by--the many attempts to institute an MI approach to education in schools and classrooms. By and large, however, except for a few direct responses to criticisms,(2) I did not speak up about new thoughts concerning the theory itself.
In 1993 my self-imposed silence was broken in two ways. My publisher issued a 10th-anniversary edition of Frames of Mind, to which I contributed a short, reflective introductory essay. In tandem with that release, the publisher issued Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice, a set of articles chronicling some of the experiments undertaken in the wake of MI theory--mostly projects pursued by colleagues at Harvard Project Zero, but also other MI initiatives.(3) This collection gave me the opportunity to answer some other criticisms leveled against MI theory and to respond publicly to some of the most frequently asked questions.
In the 12 years since Frames of Mind was published, I have heard, read, and seen several hundred different interpretations of what MI theory is and how it can be applied in the schools.(4) Until now, I have been content to let MI theory take on a life of its own. As I saw it, I had issued an "ensemble of ideas" (or "memes") to the outer world, and I was inclined to let those "memes" fend for themselves.(5) Yet, in light of my own reading and observations, I believe that the time has come for me to issue a set of new "memes" of my own.
In the next part of this article, I will discuss seven myths that have grown up about multiple intelligences and, by putting forth seven complementary "realities," I will attempt to set the...