Five minds, a suggestion for understanding

For using the power of mind for full understanding and performance in the best way, Gardner suggests a categorization system which classifies different functions of mind. These are disciplined mind, synthesizing mind, creating mind, respectful mind, and ethical mind.

Disciplined mind: in this definition, a person can accomplish mastery in a specific discipline, such as mathematics, art, history, or music. As Gardner explains, this mastery must be in a way that he or she can use the so called discipline for solving the problems in other areas. All disciplines have their own way of investigating and the disciplined mind can use this specific way of investigating for discovery in other areas. 

Synthesizing mind: this mind is the one which can recognize what the important information truly is and what information is wrong. This mind can review a large body of information (Gardner, 2004).

Creating mind: this mind can think about new questions and new answers, and it can discover new knowledge. For the best result, cultivating the creating mind must begin from childhood, and then the manner of education for the creative mind must be allowing risk-taking by the student (Gardner, 2004).

Respectful mind: respectful mind is the one that helps individuals to understand others and to perceive their situation and can understand a common cause for working together (Gardner, 2004). It helps students to understand the different conditions of a variety of human beings. In this way they can understand the reason of each decision that people make (Perkins, 1993).

 

Ethical mind: this mind is the one which helps people to accomplish their roles in society as best as they can, a moral and ethical manner (Gardner, 2004). 

Reference:

—Gardner, H. (2004). The unschooled mind: why even the best students in the best schools do not understand. New York: Basic Books.