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1 - The Concept of Intelligence

from Part I - Intelligence and Its Measurement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2019

By
Robert J. Sternberg
Edited by
Robert J. Sternberg
Robert J. Sternberg
Affiliation:
Cornell University, New York
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Summary

In this chapter, I discuss the metaphors of mind that underlie researchers’ thinking about intelligence. I discuss the geographic, computational, biological, genetic-epistemological, sociological, anthropological, and systems metaphors. I point out some of the advantages and disadvantages of the various metaphors. I conclude by arguing that metaphors are not “right” or “wrong” but rather more or less useful for particular purposes. Sometimes, it is optimal even to mix metaphors to understand how different ways of understanding intelligence can be mutually enhancing.

Keywords

anthropological metaphorbiological metaphorcomputational metaphorgenetic-epistemological metaphorgeographic metaphorintelligencesociological metaphorsystems metaphor
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Intelligence , pp. 3 - 17
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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