I often find myself pondering, my mind constantly whirring whilst reading. I've consulted various scientific methods to aid my thinking process, such as advice on how to arrange my desk or maintain a quiet environment. However, upon encountering this book, I simply couldn't resist the urge to delve into it, as I'm well aware that both the brain and knowledge are boundless in their potential.
Introduction to the book: 📖The Extended Mind explores explores how we can extend and enhance our cognitive abilities by utilising resources beyond the brain, such as our bodies, environment and social interactions.
About the author: 👩Annie Murphy Paul is a renowned science writer and journalist specialising in psychology, cognitive science and education. Her work broadly covers how to enhance human thinking and learning abilities through scientific methods. She has over 20 years of writing experience in the fields of psychology and cognitive science research.
👩Annie Murphy Paul holds a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Her educational background laid a solid foundation for her work in science writing and journalism. Her career has primarily focused on science writing and reporting. Her articles and works frequently appear in prominent media outlets such as The New York Times, Time magazine and Scientific American. She is known for her accessible writing style and clear explanations of complex scientific concepts.
📖Key content of the book: Based on the latest research in cognitive science, psychology, biology and other fields, the author proposes a new mode of thinking - extended cognition. The book points out that the brain is not an isolated thinking machine, but is closely related to our bodily states, surrounding environment and interactions with others. By cleverly utilising these external factors, we can construct an extended system combining the organism and external resources, thereby gaining highly focused attention, amazing memory, rigorous logic, enormous "bandwidth" and sustained motivation.
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The book proposes three approaches to stimulate thinking:
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Using action to stimulate thinking,
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Using the environment to stimulate thinking,
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Using social interaction to stimulate thinking.
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The book also provides three suggestions to help reduce the brain's burden:
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Use external tools and resources to store and retrieve information,
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Use concrete and contextualised methods to aid understanding and memory,
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Promote active thinking through physical activity and environmental changes. The author concludes that returning to a more natural lifestyle can help us think better.
I also found notes about this book on the author's official website.
Meanwhile, I would also like to recommend some related books to you all📚.
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📖Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Author: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Synopsis: This book explores the concept of "flow", a state in which people experience complete immersion and vitality when focused on a particular activity. Through numerous case studies and research, the author reveals how to achieve a flow state by controlling one's attention and environment, thereby enhancing work efficiency and life satisfaction.
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📖Thinking, Fast and Slow
Author: Daniel Kahneman
Synopsis: In this book, Nobel laureate in Economics Daniel Kahneman introduces two systems of human thinking: the fast, intuitive thinking and the slow, logical thinking. By analysing how these systems work, Kahneman uncovers the errors and biases we are prone to in decision-making processes and proposes methods to improve our thinking and decision-making.
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📖Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organise Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential
Author: Tiago Forte
Recommendation: Tiago Forte introduces methods for using digital tools to extend and enhance our cognitive abilities in this book. This aligns with the concept of technology as an extension of thought discussed in The Extended Mind, providing practical techniques and tips for implementation.
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📖Intuition Pumps and Other Tools for Thinking
Author: Daniel Dennett
Synopsis: This classic work by cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett introduces a series of tools and techniques for enhancing thinking. Through these tools, readers can better understand complex issues, make more informed decisions, and improve their critical thinking skills.
💡I shall continue to delve deeper into this book, for a more comprehensive analysis, including cover aesthetics, mind maps, data models, and the book's limitations, amongst other aspects.please do not hesitate to contact me 💬.
🙏Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude for your love of reading. Should you find any typographical errors, inaccuracies, or copyright issues in this article, please do not hesitate to inform me. I offer our sincere apologies in advance for any such oversights.
📚I shall continue to read and share more fascinating content with you.☕️
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