Dewey's Notion of Intelligence

Excerpt: 

“For Dewey the human animal was intelligent, but intelligence was not a faculty of the mind—

that is, an element or factor, or a part among parts, or a platonic essence. Nor was intelligence a

quantity of ‘something’ of which some people had more and others less.” (Sarason, 1988)




Commentary:

I found Dewey's notion of intelligence to be very resonant. The term "intellect" has historically

been applied negatively to students with disabilities. People with disabilities are frequently perceived

as being unintelligent and incapable of achieving their full potential. The opposite is true, as you can

see. By using Dewey's concept of intelligence, people are no longer judged by academic standards but

rather by their capacity to be impactful, proactive citizens. This new perspective on individuals with

disabilities would treat them as equals rather than as outsiders.


Citation:

Sarason, S. (1988). Chapter 2: Worldview, intelligence, and psychological tests. In The challenge

        of art to psychology. 






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