Using Logical Mathematical Intelligence to Win the Lottery

Howard Gardner has long advised that we should use our intelligences for good purposes (see the blog post on Intertwining Multiple Intelligences and Good Work). Intelligences themselves are morally neutral, however, the examples of Nelson Mandela and Slobodan Milosevic, both of whom had considerable interpersonal intelligence, demonstrate how an intelligence can be used to inspire people around the world or foster ethnic hatred and even genocide.

In a recent review (link here) of the new movie, Jerry and Marge Go Large, the reviewer notes that the main character, Jerry, has exceptional logical-mathematical intelligence.

According to developmental psychologist Howard Gardner there are roughly 12 different types of intelligence: Musical-rhythmic and harmonic, Visual-spatial, Linguistic-verbal, Logical-mathematical, Bodily-kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalistic, and Existential. Jerry’s a logical-mathematical guy to a fault.

Jerry, played by Bryan Cranston, uses his logical-mathematical intelligence to game the lottery, exploiting a loophole in certain variations. In the movie, the financial gains are used by the protagonists in part to help their struggling local community.

The plot of the movie is taken from true events, first revealed in a Boston Globe article (link here). Two lotteries first in Michigan and, when that was shut down, another in Massachusetts were exploited by Gerald Selbee and his syndicate. They were not alone in gaming the Massachusetts lottery, a Boston University biomedical researcher and an MIT student had realized the same loophole and were also playing with their own syndicates.

This movie raises some interesting questions:

  • In the movie, was Jerry using his intelligence for good if the money he won was used to help his community?

  • Was it it ethical to game a lottery when no laws were broken?

  • Are lotteries themselves ethical as they generate needed revenue for state governments at the expense of low-income ticket buyers?

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash