I was thinking for a while about there being basically two types of intelligence: intellectual and relational. But really there are many more, as many as you want to reasonably delineate.

1. •    Intellectual: The time-honoured ability to analyse and turn experience into abstracted concepts. Intellectuals are usually articulate and good with words, written or spoken.
   

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3. •    Relational: People who are good at understanding interaction and context whether that be with material causes or with human affairs.
   

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5. •    Emotional: Those who have a developed sense of feelings, both their own and other’s.
   

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7. •    Moral: Is about having an intuition for how we should behave especially with respect to each other.
   

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9. •    Creative: All the artists, writers, inventors etc - those who use their vision and imagination to contribute something meaningful.
   

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11. •    Practical: Includes people who can get things done whether with material objects as with building and construction, trades, crafts and the likes or with project organising and advancement in general.
    

Obviously these categories merge and any given individual might be gifted in more than one or many. Some might have small amounts of aptitude in all the categories. Most can claim at least some capacity in one. Rarely if ever would a person be well developed in all of these as one type of talent invariably excludes another - great intellectuals for example are often emotionally and practically deficient, practical types tend to be low on moral intelligence.

In the old world, intelligence was synonymous with intellect. To be good with words and to have academic ability was pretty much what it meant to be an intelligent person. Now in a time of changing priorities where legitimacy is demanded for all kinds of abilities it is appropriate to widen the net and attribute intelligence more liberally. This is not dumbing-down. It is about giving equally valid and useful skills similar status.