This Will Make You Smarter: New Scientific Concepts To Improve Your Thinking (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
The book is a collection of articles written by scientists who explain how to improve our cognitive toolkits. Rather than improve my cognitive tool kit I just want to point out what I found of interest in the book. Strangers apparently find people more likable and form good first impressions if they are holding a cup of hot coffee. Rainy weather makes us introspective and thoughtful which improves our memory. It also drives down the stock market which loves sunny days.A salient point in the book is the fact that “Change is the law” in our lives. Stability and consistency are only illusions. The book was alright however it didn’t motivate me to want to pick it up and read. This book has a pretentious title. I prefer the original question: "What scientific concept would improve everybody’s cognitive toolkit?" A long list of deep thinkers were asked this question and they each provide a brief answer in this book. If you would like to read it for free, you can find their answers on Edge.org under the title of the original question.The book is pretty interesting. If you're already a scientific thinker, then you will be familiar with many of the ideas. I found it to be worth reading for the handful of ideas that were not familiar to me. The first answer in the book is, perhaps, the most enlightening: Nothing In Life Is As Important As You Think It Is, While You Are Thinking About It.
What do You think about This Will Make You Smarter: New Scientific Concepts To Improve Your Thinking (2012)?
Probably would have enjoyed the read more if I hadn't done it all at once.
—Emily
Very interesting ideas in it's mayority. Some others not so much.
—David24
