Emotional inteligence
84/661Mr. Spock, the archetype of dry information bytes unmuddiedby feeling, embodying the idea that emotionshave no place in intelligence and only muddle our pictureof mental life.The cognitive scientists who embraced this view havebeen seduced by the computer as the operative model ofmind, forgetting that, in reality, the brain's wetware isawash in a messy, pulsating puddle of neurochemicals,nothing like the sanitized, orderly silicon that hasspawned the guiding metaphor for mind. The predominantmodels among cognitive scientists of how the mindprocesses information have lacked an acknowledgmentthat rationality is guided by—and can be swampedby—feeling. The cognitive model is, in this regard, animpoverished view of the mind, one that fails to explainthe Sturm und Drang of feelings that brings flavor to theintellect. In order to persist in this view, cognitive scientiststhemselves have had to ignore the relevance fortheir models of mind of their personal hopes and fears,their marital squabbles and professional jealousies—thewash of feeling that gives life its flavor and its urgencies,and which in every moment biases exactly how (andhow well or poorly) information is processed.The lopsided scientific vision of an emotionally flatmental life—which has guided the last eighty years of researchon intelligence—is gradually changing as
85/661psychology has begun to recognize the essential role offeeling in thinking. Rather like the Spockish characterData in Star Trek: The Next Generation, psychology iscoming to appreciate the power and virtues of emotionsin mental life, as well as their dangers. After all, as Datasees (to his own dismay, could he feel dismay), his coollogic fails to bring the right human solution. Our humanityis most evident in our feelings; Data seeks tofeel, knowing that something essential is missing. Hewants friendship, loyalty; like the Tin Man in The Wizardof Oz, he lacks a heart. Lacking the lyrical sense thatfeeling brings, Data can play music or write poetry withtechnical virtuosity, but not feel its passion. The lessonof Data's yearning for yearning itself is that the highervalues of the human heart—faith, hope, devotion,love—are missing entirely from the coldly cognitiveview. Emotions enrich; a model of mind that leavesthem out is impoverished.When I asked Gardner about his emphasis onthoughts about feelings, or metacognition, more than onemotions themselves, he acknowledged that he tendedto view intelligence in a cognitive way, but told me,"When I first wrote about the personal intelligences, Iwas talking about emotion, especially in my notion ofintrapersonal intelligence—one component is emotionallytuning in to yourself. It's the visceral-feeling signals
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psychology has begun to recognize the essential role of
feeling in thinking. Rather like the Spockish character
Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation, psychology is
coming to appreciate the power and virtues of emotions
in mental life, as well as their dangers. After all, as Data
sees (to his own dismay, could he feel dismay), his cool
logic fails to bring the right human solution. Our humanity
is most evident in our feelings; Data seeks to
feel, knowing that something essential is missing. He
wants friendship, loyalty; like the Tin Man in The Wizard
of Oz, he lacks a heart. Lacking the lyrical sense that
feeling brings, Data can play music or write poetry with
technical virtuosity, but not feel its passion. The lesson
of Data's yearning for yearning itself is that the higher
values of the human heart—faith, hope, devotion,
love—are missing entirely from the coldly cognitive
view. Emotions enrich; a model of mind that leaves
them out is impoverished.
When I asked Gardner about his emphasis on
thoughts about feelings, or metacognition, more than on
emotions themselves, he acknowledged that he tended
to view intelligence in a cognitive way, but told me,
"When I first wrote about the personal intelligences, I
was talking about emotion, especially in my notion of
intrapersonal intelligence—one component is emotionally
tuning in to yourself. It's the visceral-feeling signals
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