Ruolan Wang
FYS
Teddy
September 18, 13
Intelligence based on Experience
According to Howard Gardener, the author of “multiple Intelligence”, the three indicators of high intelligence are problem solving ability, creativity and learning ability. Basically, I agreed with his statement, but there is one more element to add, which is the experience. Some may say that being intelligent is an instinct, but I want to make a point that the people whose eyesight is broaden may have more wisdom than the inexperienced genius. To support my opinion, I want to make an example.
The one I regard as an intelligent person is Charles Darwin. This British naturalist is being remembered because of his theory of evolution. He was a great man with considerable experience, and the most well-know theory, which he came up with, was based on his experience as well. He went to a five-year voyage when he was at the age of 22. During the voyage, he was focusing on land investing geology and natural history collection. Puzzled by the geographical distribution of wildlife andfossilshe collected on the voyage, Darwin began detailed investigations and in 1838 conceived his theory of natural selection.（Desmond & Moore 1991, pp.263–274）After several years’ research, he finally published his theory. For me, the publication of the evolution theory is a significant mark of Darwin’s high intelligence.
Though it actually took Darwin about twenty years to publish his theory, I am still very impressed and still hold the idea that he was an intelligent man. Darwin with no doubt accord with the indicators of high intelligence, First of all, it’s the problem solving ability. Darwin solve the mystery, the descent of the human, on a scientific base. Secondly, the creativity – he had made the new idea at the background when most people believed in Christianity that God created people. Then, it’s the learning ability that Darwin could learn from his study and observation. Without the learning ability, he couldn’t have published the theory. The last one, experience, Darwin got the idea of the theory from his own experience. It was the experience that made the theory convincing and let Darwin made such a huge contribution to human and science.
Darwin himself always had talked about intelligence in his own words. He said that, “Intelligence is based on how efficient a species became at doing the things they need to survive.” On the natural selection side, Darwin held the idea that the species that can adapt to the environment and survive shows a high intelligence. Darwin, a naturalist, had his own definition toward intelligence based on his “natural selection” theory. As an expert in education and phycology field, intelligence in Gardener’s eyes, as I mentioned above are academic. It seems like how people is going to see the world or even define the word “intelligence” is based on the experience.
Intelligence is going to be judged in several ways included experience. Experience has made difference in individual’s intelligence. In conclusion that, the people who is considered to be intelligent may have a experienced life in his/her own field. At last, I want to stress that we can always learn from out experience to get intellectual stimulation.