Existentially Gifted

The term gifted implies a set of domain-specific abilities that surpass those of one's same-age peers. The evaluation of ability through a measurable and comparable assessment is commonly considered intelligence. As such, those who are considered to be existentially gifted can be said to have high existential intelligence. Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences is the only current intelligence theory that has applied the term intelligence to existential concerns. There has been [Page 341]considerable effort to delineate a discrete “existential intelligence” factor that includes a spiritual-philosophical component. Gardner has advanced the most widely accepted definition of existential intelligence: “the capacity to locate oneself with respect to the furthest reaches of the cosmos—the infinite and infinitesimal—and the related capacity to locate oneself with respect to such existential features of the human condition as the significance of life, the meaning of death, the ultimate fate of the physical and the psychological worlds and such profound experiences as love of another person or total immersion in a work of art” (1999, p. 60). In short, this is the ability to successfully place transcendent concepts within a meaningful context. This entry describes existential giftedness and how it fits within the context of multiple intelligences and spiritual intelligence.

Traditionally, existentialism has been incorporated into psychology through the examination of four “ultimate concerns”: meaning, responsibility, isolation, and death. Meaning refers to the creation or assignment of significance to life experience; responsibility to the understanding of how one's choices affect one's relationship to the world and to oneself; isolation refers to the unbridgeable separation between the self and the outside world; and death refers to the annihilation that befalls all living creatures. These concerns are considered ultimate in that they are universal and inevitable aspects of the human condition.

Existential giftedness is the ability to comprehend and appreciate these aspects of life and includes spiritual connectedness and subjective experiences of aesthetic ecstasy. Those who are gifted in the existential domain are comfortable grappling with the ineffable, infinite, and symbolic components of life; are concerned with larger themes and patterns; and look for larger frameworks of meaning, purpose, and truth. They seek answers to the fundamental questions that underlie their world. Those without strengths in this area may avoid these topics because they are nebulous, abstract concepts that often lack definitive answers.

The abilities associated with existential giftedness include the ability to create meaning from life experiences, determine and internalize existentially significant patterns within the world, and foster—within themselves and others—a sense of purpose. People with existential giftedness are adept at seeing the big picture and usually work best when integrating and synthesizing information. The occupational interests of these individuals may include jobs with overtly existential characteristics, such as the clergy and philosophy, or they may use their existential mindedness in more common fields, such as education or business. For instance, a corporate executive may use existential intelligence to pose such questions as, “Why does this organization exist?” “Where does this company fit into the larger economy?” and “What are the ultimate goals of this corporation?”

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