Undergraduate /
Geerd Diercksen, Essay A: some one who has made an impact in your life [7]
Psychology really piques my interest, so even if I hadn't taken the required classes in the subject, I'd probably still be familiar with the theory of multiple intelligences proposed by Gardner. As I recall, the problem of defining intelligence is a huge topic of interest in the field, and no approach is free of problems. I'm a strong proponent of the theory that intelligence is fragmented in different aspects, but I don't think those aspects number as many as proposed in the various dimensions Gardner identified. I think there are at most, a handful of distinct areas, across which intelligences vary in composition; the intelligences that permeate the way we think and conceptualize. I mean, the ability to apprehend abstract concepts, recognize patterns in our experiences, visualize spatially, express our thoughts in language, follow a set approach, evaluate and respond in reference to our own feelings and emotions and those of others... in my opinion they are all faculties composed of unique elements, and each ability probably merits a separate category of intelligence.
Drawing is horrible and I can't sketch a hangman, but consolation that it's one of the "best" things to suck at, very much as music is, helps. I know that I'm terrible at manipulating objects mentally, and not the most able at adopting a process and sticking with it. I'm usually oblivious to external details, wrapped up in thinking. Certain abstract concepts jam my mode of thinking, almost as if there is a dam preventing the rush of crushing water, but the water is actually a crescendo of foreign thoughts. If I remove the obstruction, I'm suddenly inundated, swept totally under. Even though I'll most likely resurface, I'd rather not go through the whole anguish, because there are endless more of dreadful questions/problems that you cannot exhaust.
At the same time, I have always had an innate, insatiable curiosity and an instinct for detecting "why", getting to the bottom of things or harboring pestering unease until I do. Just the allure of imagining possibilities consumes a lot of my energy. I'd rather dabble than work with tedious details necessary to achieve whatever passes for proficiency in a given subject area. Language is the only true medium to transmit communications with measurable surety; you can't help but be amazed at the free range to share, or try sharing, everything you've entertained so far in silence. Given its overarching function, excellence is worthy, ever increasingly. This is naturally part of the reason I embrace it, I think.