Session 3 :: Form(s) of intelligence Licensed under :: by () @
Hedgehogs and foxes
πόλλ' οἶδ' ἀλώπηξ, ἀλλ' ἐχῖνος ἓν μέγα
Multa novit vulpes, verum echinus unum magnum
"a fox knows many things, but a hedgehog knows one big thing"
The Cat & The Fox
Once a Cat and a Fox were traveling together. As they went along, picking up provisions on the way—a stray mouse here, a fat chicken there—they began an argument to while away the time between bites. And, as usually happens when comrades argue, the talk began to get personal.
"You think you are extremely clever, don't you?" said the Fox. "Do you pretend to know more than I? Why, I know a whole sackful of tricks!"
"Well," retorted the Cat, "I admit I know one trick only, but that one, let me tell you, is worth a thousand of yours!"
Just then, close by, they heard a hunter's horn and the yelping of a pack of hounds. In an instant the Cat was up a tree, hiding among the leaves.
"This is my trick," he called to the Fox. "Now let me see what yours are worth."
But the Fox had so many plans for escape he could not decide which one to try first. He dodged here and there with the hounds at his heels. He doubled on his tracks, he ran at top speed, he entered a dozen burrows,—but all in vain. The hounds caught him, and soon put an end to the boaster and all his tricks.
Foxes
Foxes draw on a wide variety of experiences. For foxes, the world cannot be boiled down to a single idea.
Berlin's examples from literature and philosophy: Herodotus, Aristotle, Desiderius Erasmus, William Shakespeare, Michel de Montaigne, Molière, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Aleksandr Pushkin, Honoré de Balzac, James Joyce etc.
Fox theories of intelligence
Fox theories argue that intelligence is not a single, unitary quality but rather a collection of several distinct types of intelligences.
Howard Gardner's Theory of multiple intelligence is a fox theory par excellence.
Hedgehogs
Hedgehogs view the world through the lens of a single defining idea.
Isaiah Berlin gives following examples in domains of art and philosophy: Plato, Lucretius, Dante Alighieri, Blaise Pascal, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Friedrich Nietzsche, Henrik Ibsen, Marcel Proust and Fernand Braudel.
Hedgehog theories of intelligence
Hedgehogs would represent individuals or theories that focus on a single type of intelligence or a unifying principle of intelligence. Traditional views of intelligence, such as IQ tests, often fall into this category, as they tend to measure a narrow set of abilities.
Questio
Are You a hedgehog or a fox ?
General Intelligence
Generic intelligence refers to the overall, broad cognitive ability that an individual possesses. It's a general concept that encompasses a range of cognitive skills, including memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and learning. In an educational context for undergraduates, think of generic intelligence as the foundational mental capacity that enables you to adapt to new situations, solve diverse problems, and acquire knowledge in various domains. It's not limited to academic learning but also includes practical problem-solving and everyday reasoning. This concept suggests that some aspects of intelligence are universal and not specific to a particular skill or area of knowledge.
Spearman's Universal Unity of the Intellective Function
Whenever branches of intellectual activity are at all dissimilar, then their correlations with one another appear wholly due to their being all variously saturated with some common fundamental Function (orgroup of Functions).
(Spearman, 1904, p.273 in "General Intelligence: Objectively determined and measured")
Intelligence Quotient
IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, is a numerical measure of a person's cognitive abilities relative to their age group. By evaluating a range of cognitive skills, so-called "IQ tests" attempt to quantify the g factor, providing a score that reflects an individual's overall intellectual ability. An average IQ score is set at 100, with the majority of people scoring within a range around this center point. IQ tests aim to quantify cognitive capability and potential, providing a standardized way to evaluate intellectual abilities across different individuals.
G Factor
The 'g factor,' or general intelligence factor, is a theoretical construct proposed by psychologist Charles Spearman. It suggests that a single, underlying intelligence influences an individual's performance across various cognitive tasks. In simpler terms, if you're good at one intellectual task, you're likely to be good at others because of this general intelligence. For undergraduates, this concept implies that some people have a higher overall cognitive ability that contributes to their performance in different academic and intellectual areas. It's a controversial yet influential idea in psychology, as it argues for a single, quantifiable measure of intelligence rather than multiple, distinct abilities.
A little IQ test maybe ?
This is an IQ test loosely modeled after Raven's Progressive Matrices. The questions take the form of a 3x3 matrix from which one tile is missing. For each question there are eight possible answers A-H. You must choose the tile that completes that matrix best.
Take Your time. When done earlier than Your colleagues, feel free to take a break.
Theory of Multiple Intelligences
Contrasting traditional views that focus on a single, general intelligence, Theory of Multiple Intelligences proposed by Howard Gardner in 1983 posits that humans possess a variety of distinct intelligences. These include linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic intelligences. Each intelligence represents a different way of processing information and solving problems, challenging the notion of intelligence as a singular, measurable trait. This theory emphasizes the unique cognitive strengths individuals have and suggests a more personalized approach to education and learning.
Linguistic Intelligence
The ability to master language and communicate effectively. People with high linguistic intelligence are adept at reading, writing, telling stories, and memorizing words. They tend to learn best by reading, taking notes, and discussing.
Defining criteria of an intelligence
Gardner identifies several key criteria that a cognitive ability must meet to be considered an intelligence:
Potential Isolation by Brain Damage
Existence of Savants, Prodigies, and Other Exceptional Individuals
An Identifiable Core Operation or Set of Operations
A Distinct Developmental Trajectory
An Evolutionary History and Evolutionary Plausibility
Support from Experimental Psychological Tasks
Support from Psychometric Findings
Susceptibility to Encoding in a Symbol System
Potential Isolation by Brain Damage
It seems like AI-generated content also have potential to cause brain damage.
The criterion "Potential Isolation by Brain Damage" refers to the notion that distinct intelligences can be independently affected by brain damage. This means that a specific type of intelligence can be impaired or lost while others remain intact, indicating its unique neurological basis. For instance, a person might suffer damage to a part of the brain responsible for linguistic abilities, losing their capacity to use language, while their mathematical or musical abilities remain unaffected. This criterion supports Gardner's idea that multiple intelligences are separate from each other, each residing in different areas of the brain.
The story of Phineas Gage
Phineas P. Gage (1823–1860) was an American railroad construction foreman remembered for his improbable survival of an accident in which a large iron rod was driven completely through his head, destroying much of his brain's left frontal lobe, and for that injury's reported effects on his personality and behavior over the remaining 12 years of his life—effects sufficiently profound that friends saw him (for a time at least) as "no longer Gage".
Existence of Savants, Prodigies, and Other Exceptional Individuals
The criterion "Existence of Savants, Prodigies, and Other Exceptional Individuals" highlights the presence of individuals with extraordinary abilities in specific cognitive domains as evidence of distinct intelligences. Savants and prodigies often display remarkable skills in areas like music, mathematics, or art, despite potential deficits in other cognitive functions. This extraordinary proficiency in a particular area suggests that intelligences are modular and independent.
An Identifiable Core Operation or Set of Operations
This criterion posits that each type of intelligence must have a core set of cognitive processes or operations. For example, linguistic intelligence involves operations like the ability to use language for expression and comprehension, while logical-mathematical intelligence includes the capacity for deductive reasoning and problem-solving with numbers. The distinct operations characterize each intelligence, making them identifiable and unique. This aspect is crucial as it provides a concrete basis for differentiating between the various intelligences, emphasizing that each is not just a skill but a distinct cognitive domain.
Distinct Developmental Trajectory
Each intelligence has its own unique developmental trajectory. This means that these intelligences emerge and develop at different stages and rates in an individual's life. For instance, linguistic intelligence develops rapidly in early childhood, while interpersonal intelligence might evolve more significantly during later childhood or adolescence. This criterion underscores the belief that intelligences are not static but evolve with age and experience. The distinct developmental paths of each intelligence imply that educational strategies should be tailored to the maturity level of each intelligence in an individual.
Evolutionary history and evolutionary plausibility
Criterion of evolutionary history and plausibility suggests that each intelligence has evolved to solve specific problems faced by our ancestors. For example, spatial intelligence helped in navigation and understanding the physical environment, while interpersonal intelligence was crucial for social communication and cooperation. This evolutionary perspective implies that these intelligences are rooted in human survival and adaptation needs. It gives the theory an evolutionary framework, suggesting that these intelligences are not arbitrary but have developed in response to real-world demands.
Support from Experimental Psychological Tasks
For an ability to be considered an intelligence in Theory of Multiple Intelligence framework, it must be supported by empirical research, particularly through experimental psychological tasks. These tasks should demonstrate the operations and capabilities of the intelligence in question. For instance, tests of musical intelligence might involve discerning pitch or rhythm, while spatial intelligence could be evaluated through tasks involving mental rotation or spatial judgment. The ability to measure and observe these intelligences in controlled experimental settings lends scientific credibility to the concept of multiple intelligences.
Support from Psychometric findings
Gardner asserts that each intelligence should be measurable to some extent by psychometric tests. However, he also criticizes the overreliance on such tests in traditional intelligence testing. Psychometric support means that standardized tests should be able to reliably measure and differentiate between the various intelligences. This criterion is important for validating the theory within the scientific community and for practical applications, like educational assessments. It ensures that the concept of multiple intelligences is not just theoretical but has practical, measurable implications.
Susceptibility to Encoding in a Symbol System
This criterion means that each intelligence can be articulated and communicated through some form of symbolic system. For example, linguistic intelligence is expressed through language, musical intelligence through musical notation, and logical-mathematical intelligence through mathematical symbols. The ability to encode these intelligences in symbolic forms allows for communication, teaching, and further development of these skills. It underscores the human capacity to abstractly represent and transmit complex cognitive abilities, making them accessible and teachable. This aspect is key to understanding how different intelligences are manifested and utilized in cultural and educational contexts.
Musical Intelligence
The capacity to discern pitch, rhythm, timbre, and tone. This intelligence enables people to recognize, create, reproduce, and reflect on music.
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
Involves the capacity to analyze problems logically, carry out mathematical operations, and investigate issues scientifically. It's characterized by strong reasoning, recognizing patterns, and logically analyzing problems.
Warm up Exercise : Wason Selection Task
You are in possesion of a card set. On one side there is a shape, a circle or a triangle. On the other side there is a colour, blue or yellow. There is one rule: If there is a circle on one side of a card, then the other side is blue. You have four cards placed on a surface next to each other, one depicting a circle, one a triangle, one is blue and one is yellow.Which card or cards do you need to turn around in order to confirm the abovementioned rule?
The Origins of Mathematics
Agricultural Societies
Ancient Egypt
Mesopotamia/Babylon
Ancient China
Ancient India
First sign of mathematics-Nile Bank
calendar
religion: Nile river god Hapi
measuring device
landmeasure
measure unit
legth and area calculation
decimal system
binary counting system
fractions
Eye of Horus: geometric theory
accurate value of pi
Pyramid - the golden ratio, right angle
Śūnyatā: Indian
the decimal place-value system
0 and infinity
pi
Brahmagupta
negative numbers
unknowns in equations
trigonometry
Al-Khwarizmi
algebra
Power of proof: Acient Greece
Pythagoras
right-angled triangles
the harmonic serie
Euclid
300BC "The Elements": axioms
Archimede
Urban, industrial & digital societies
Urban, industrial, digital societies
Defining criteria
What is logic and what is mathematics?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines logic as follows: a science that deals with the principles and criteria of inference and demonstration: the science of the formal principles of reasoning
mathematics is the science of abstract structures and patterns, constructed out of different statements, which need to be proven true
Identifiable set of operations & Symbol system
object -> actions -> statements -> relationships
Henri Poincaré distinguished between the memory for steps in a chain of reasoning and the appreciation of the links between propositions. The later was regarded as the more important ability for a mathematician.
There are symbol systems for encoding actions performed upon objects and symbol systems for relations between objects.
1 + 1 = 2 | 2 - 1 = 1 | 2 x 2 = 4 | 4/2 = 2
Prodigies
Extraordinary Individuals are Individuals with...
... remarkable counting abilities, such as Shakuntala Devi: she was able to multiply two 13 digit numbers in 28 seconds in 1980
... intuitive understanding, such as Srinivasa Ramanujan: he wrote down nearly 3.900 new results (theorems, identities and equations)
... insight into abstract structures, such as Alexander Grothendiek: he worked on a rebuilding of algebraic geometry
Crosslink between phonology, music and mathematical description
Semantics and symbol manipulation
logics and reasoning
Mediator of mathematics
Vectorization of language
Human & Machine
Vectorization, stochastic and noise
IQ test
Turing test
Q+ model?
Non-computational problems
Outset exercise
Visual-Spatial Intelligence
Involves the potential to recognize and use patterns of wide space and more confined areas. It's often found in architects, artists, and navigators.
Bodily-Kinaesthetic Intelligence
Entails using one's body effectively, such as dancers or surgeons. It involves a sense of timing, clear physical coordination, and using fine and gross motor skills.
Personal Intelligences
Personal Intelligences
Interpersonal Intelligence
The ability to understand and interact effectively with others. It involves effective verbal and nonverbal communication, sensitivity to the moods and temperaments of others.
Intrapersonal intelligence
The capacity to understand oneself, to appreciate one's feelings, fears, and motivations. It involves having a deep understanding of the self; what one's strengths/weaknesses are, what makes one unique.
Hausaufgabe
in #edu-intelligence room, put an emoticon of Your choice under intelligence X of Your choice
take note of who else is in Your group
read the chapter in Gardner's Frames of Mind
read additional literature
every group should present X in any way You find appropriate (be creative!)
topics which should be adressed in the presentation: Gardner's 8 criteria respective to X; examples of persons who exemplified high (or low) degree of X; relations of X to other inteligences
two most important questions: How would You evaluate X of human subjects ? How would You evaluate X of a machine ?
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