Multiple Intelligences: Existential Intelligence
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Existential intelligence refers to the ability to contemplate profound questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, the nature of consciousness, and what happens after death. Students with strong existential intelligence frequently ask deep questions that adults struggle to answer. To nurture this intelligence, teachers can relate lessons to global themes, incorporate multiple perspectives, and allow students to apply their understanding in new contexts.
Multiple Intelligences: Existential Intelligence
- 2. Existential intelligence can be defined as the ability to be sensitive to, or have the capacity for, conceptualizing or tackling deeper or larger questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why are we born, why do we die, what is consciousness, or how did we get here.
- 3. • Why am I here? Why are we here? • Are there other dimensions, and if so what are they like? • Can animals understand us, or do animals go to heaven? • Are there really ghosts? • Where do we go when we die? • Why are some people evil? • Is there life on other planets? • Where is heaven? • Why does God live?
- 4. These may be those children who can be described as "fully aware" of the cosmos ─ of its diversity, complexity, and wonder. Frequently, these are the children who persist in asking those "big" questions that adults cannot answer.
- 5. Students with a strong existential intelligence: • Seek meaningful learning • Look for connections across the curriculum • Like to synthesize ideas based on their learning • Enjoy literature and customs from other cultures • Have a strong connection with family and friends • Develop a strong identity with their neighborhood and town • Express a sense of belonging to a global community • Like to get involved with social and political causes • Can have a strong commitment to their health and well-being • Tend to look at information relative to the context in which it is presented
- 6. Support this intelligence in the classroom by: • Offering an overview before starting new instruction • Considering topics from multiple points of view • Relating material to global themes and concepts • Integrating your instruction across the curriculum • Including the arts in instruction where appropriate • Discussing how topics are important to the classroom, school, community or world • Bringing in resource people who offer additional perspective on a topic • Helping students learn to cohesively summarize what they have learned • Allowing students to demonstrate learning by applying understanding in new and different contexts • Having students participate in rubric development for performance-based tasks so that they take ownership for their learning
- 7. • scientist • philosopher • theologian • politician Careers