Words hold such power and meaning that they tend to evolve over the years. As I begin reading Howard Gardner's "Theory of Multiple Intelligences", I seem to question the meaning of intelligence. Although I have never thought about a single word as feverishly as I have in the last two weeks, it was quite an effort. According to Merriam-Webster (2014), “Intelligence: the ability to learn or understand things or deal with new or difficult situations.” Howard Gardner first published his own view of intelligence in his book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983). In society, an individual with a high intelligence quotient (IQ) is considered intelligent or perhaps a genius. In certain contexts or social groups, this same individual may be considered a scholar. Status and treatment can be significantly different based on one set of numbers. But what would happen if that same individual were unable to apply themselves productively within society? How could this be logical? Howard Gardner was born on July 11, 1943 in Pennsylvania and is currently a professor of cognition and education at Harvard University. Although he did not start out in the field of psychology, Gardner definitely made an impact in the field of cognition and human nature. I imagine that if Howard Gardner had pursued a career in law, he might not have been as renowned or distinguished as he is today. The ambition for higher education and the thirst for understanding have continued to grow over the centuries. Intelligence is a subject that has been studied for a long time in the hope of better understanding and quantifying it. A psychologist named Alfred Binet was credited with creating the first test of reasonable intelligence in the 1900s...... middle of article ......roq, R., & Hussain , I. (2011). Regional differences in students' preferences for multiple intelligences theory in elementary school. International Academic Research,1(2),1-6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/docview/1034724738/5FC45A6D4D5A4DC4PQ/1?accountid=8289Gardner, H. (2011). States of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/lib/apus/docDetail.action?docID=10449816Gardner, H. (2008). Multiple intelligences: New horizons. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/lib/apus/Doc?id=10364618Intelligence [Def.1].(nd).Merriam-Webster Online. Accessed April 19, 2014, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intelligenceSmith, MK (2002, 2008). Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education. Retrieved from http://infed.org/mobi/howard-gardner-multiple-intelligences-and-education/