Howard Gardner defined intelligence as “the ability to solve problems or create products that are valued in one or more cultural contexts” (Gardner 33). Modern human beings would most likely include the words “smart” and “stupid” in their definition of intelligence. Gardner questioned the belief in a single intelligence and therefore created his own theory which involved seven different discoveries. He did not want to call these discoveries “skills,” “talents,” or gifts” because all of that suggested a downside, so he chose the word “intelligence,” creating his theory of multiple intelligences (Gardner 33). Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, including linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial, intrapersonal, and interpersonal, has many implications for modern education and culture. Howard Gardner grew up in Pennsylvania in the late 1940s, although his parents were originally from Germany. He attended Harvard as an undergraduate hoping to become a lawyer and majoring in history. However, once he became a mentee of Erik Erikson, a renowned psychoanalyst, his interests began to change. Gardner entered the doctoral program at Harvard and received his doctorate in 1971 with a dissertation on style sensitivity in children. During his doctoral years, he joined Project Zero, which conducts research on arts education, and he now co-directs the project. Gardner's work with Project Zero led to the Human Potential Project, which resulted in his well-known first book, Frames of Mind. Since then, he has written numerous books, including The Shattered Mind and Multiple Intelligences, and is "currently the Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at Har...... middle of paper ......ly." Gardner's goal is not to take over the education system and reform it entirely, but he wants educators to rethink their daily lessons and see if they can improve them using his theory to broaden the understanding of ideas to all students. All that remains for our society is to learn to use this theory as an advantage and to bring all intelligences to bear. Gardner started this concept of multiple intelligences, but no one knows where it will end up and what other implications it will have along the way. Works Cited Gardner, Howard. Intelligence reframed: multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York, NY: Basic, 1999. Print. Smith, Mark K. “Howard Gardner, Multiple Intelligences and Education.” The Encyclopedia of Informal Education. 2008. Internet. February 23. 2011.