Experts have traditionally seen a high level of intelligence as applicable across the board to most human activities, guaranteeing its possessor success in whatever s/he does. In the 1980s, however, Prof. Howard Gardner proposed the theory of multiple intelligences, suggesting that the mind does not possess just one kind of intelligence, but rather many distinct intelligences, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, naturalistic intelligences, among others.

   A person with a high level of linguistic intelligence is endowed with a large vocabulary and the ability to express him or herself well. Gardner sees the poet as the best example of an astute user of language. In creating poems, poets make use of the full complexity of meaning and the widest range of linguistic dynamics. Naturally, people with a high level of linguistic intelligence would excel at language-related activities such as writing, teaching and persuading others.

   Logical-mathematical intelligence refers to the skills often associated with scientists and mathematicians. Scientists tend to give it a more significant role than other intelligences. Gardner certainly disagrees with this point of view. He sees logical-mathematical intelligence as simply one among a set of intelligences, asserting that though it may have been exceptionally important in western societies, it has played a more modest role in other societies.

   Spatial intelligence refers to the ability to visualize things in the mind accurately and precisely. This intelligence is therefore associated with artists, who are experts in visualizing and making intelligent use of forms and colors. A person with a high level of spatial intelligence may also have excellent visual memory, and perhaps even a so-called photographic memory.

   Naturalistic intelligence has been quite controversial and critics generally see it as an area of interest. Gardner hypothesizes that people who have a high level of naturalistic intelligence are more sensitive to nature and to their own relationship to it. A person who is successful at growing plants or raising animals could be said to have a high level of naturalistic intelligence. Such a person could be a successful gardener or farmer, and would also make a good scientist studying the natural world.

   The revolutionary theory of multiple intelligences has resulted in several criticisms. Some have questioned the criteria that qualify something as an intelligence. Others have pointed out that the existence of multiple intelligences has never been proven through scientific research. These criticisms notwithstanding, the theory of multiple intelligences has sparked fascinating debate about the value and the nature of intelligence. Its applications in the field of education have led to more diverse educational methods as teachers seek to access and develop the multiple intelligences of students.