Cognitive science and what we do here at Moreno?

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This is a discussion with the author of a new book, David Brooks. He has summarised the main findings he considers are important from cognitive science. 1) Most of our thinking is below awareness, 2) Emotion is the foundation of reason, and 3) we are deeply linked and respond quickly to others. Tell me this does not interest you. I dare you! This certainly interests us. 

Is there one insight from the cognitive sciences that really stands out for you?

I guess there are three. The first is that most of our thinking is below the level of awareness and that these processes are very different from the linear and logical processes of consciousness.

The second is that we are not primarily rational creatures. Emotion is the foundation of reason and you have to pay close attention to instant emotional responses: that is what tells us what we value.

And the third is that we are not really self-contained individual creatures. Instead, we are deeply linked and respond very quickly to others in ways that we don't even think about.

And the rest of this interview is here: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20928041.800-we-are-not-primarily-...


If you get to read the book before I do, the Social Animal, then please let me know what you think of it.