For over half a century, Howard Gardner has studied the mind in its various shapes, forms, and operations, culminating in his best-known work, the theory of multiple intelligences. This volume compiles his most compelling essays on the conduct, contours, and complexity of the human mind. After introducing the thinkers who had the greatest influence on him, Gardner traces the multiple aspects of mind that he has illuminated: the development of cognition, notably in the arts; the breakdown of cognition under condition of brain damage; a probing examination of human cognition at its highest levels, including creativity, leadership, artistry, and "good work" (work that is excellent, engaging, and ethical) in the professions; and, most recently, our extraordinary synthesizing capacities as human beings. This fascinating book captures in one place the long and compelling arc of a major scholar's contribution to understanding intelligence, thinking, and the development of the range of cognitive strengths. Book Features:Presents Howard Gardner's essential essays on mind over the course of his long and distinguished career. Traces the influences on Gardner's own thinking, among them psychologists Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner, philosophers Susanne Langer and Nelson Goodman, neurologist Norman Geschwind, and anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss. Shows how an understanding of human cognitive capacities and processes manifests itself in several domains, such as artistry, leadership, creativity, and excellence in the professions.