The knowledge illusion : why we never think alone / Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach.
2017
B105.T54 S56 2017 (Mapit)
Available at General Collection
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Details
Title
The knowledge illusion : why we never think alone / Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach.
Author
Sloman, Steven A., author.
ISBN
9780399184352 (hardcover)
039918435X (hardcover)
039918435X (hardcover)
Published
New York : Riverhead Books, 2017.
Language
English
Description
296 pages ; 24 cm
Call Number
B105.T54 S56 2017
Dewey Decimal Classification
153.4/2
Summary
"Two cognitive scientists explain how the human brain relies on the communal nature of intelligence and knowledge, constantly gathering information and expertise stored outside our mind and bodies, to overcome its shortcomings of being error prone, irrational and often ignorant, "--NoveList.
"We all think we know more than we actually do. Humans have built societies and technologies of extraordinary complexity, but most of us don't even know how a pen or a toilet works. How have we achieved so much despite understanding so little? Cognitive scientists Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach argue that we survive and thrive despite our mental shortcomings because we live in a rich community of knowledge. The key to our intelligence lies in the people and things around us. We're constantly drawing on information and expertise stored outside our heads: in our bodies, our environment, our possessions, and the community with which we interact--and usually we don't even realize we're doing it. The human mind is both brilliant and pathetic. We have mastered fire, created democratic institutions, stood on the moon, and sequenced our genome. And yet each of us is error prone, sometimes irrational, and often ignorant. The fundamentally communal nature of intelligence and knowledge explains why we often assume we know more than we really do, why political opinions and false beliefs are so hard to change, and why individual-oriented approaches to education and management frequently fail. But our collaborative minds also enable us to do amazing things. This book contends that true genius can be found in the ways we create intelligence using the community around us."--Jacket.
"We all think we know more than we actually do. Humans have built societies and technologies of extraordinary complexity, but most of us don't even know how a pen or a toilet works. How have we achieved so much despite understanding so little? Cognitive scientists Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach argue that we survive and thrive despite our mental shortcomings because we live in a rich community of knowledge. The key to our intelligence lies in the people and things around us. We're constantly drawing on information and expertise stored outside our heads: in our bodies, our environment, our possessions, and the community with which we interact--and usually we don't even realize we're doing it. The human mind is both brilliant and pathetic. We have mastered fire, created democratic institutions, stood on the moon, and sequenced our genome. And yet each of us is error prone, sometimes irrational, and often ignorant. The fundamentally communal nature of intelligence and knowledge explains why we often assume we know more than we really do, why political opinions and false beliefs are so hard to change, and why individual-oriented approaches to education and management frequently fail. But our collaborative minds also enable us to do amazing things. This book contends that true genius can be found in the ways we create intelligence using the community around us."--Jacket.
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references (pages [269]-284) and index.
Added Author
Fernbach, Philip, author.
Record Appears in
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Table of Contents
Ignorance and the community of knowledge
What we know
Why we think
How we think
Why we think what isn't so
Thinking with our bodies and the world
Thinking with other people
Thinking with technology
Thinking about science
Thinking about politics
The new definition of smart
Making people smart
Making smarter decisions
Appraising ignorance and illusion.
What we know
Why we think
How we think
Why we think what isn't so
Thinking with our bodies and the world
Thinking with other people
Thinking with technology
Thinking about science
Thinking about politics
The new definition of smart
Making people smart
Making smarter decisions
Appraising ignorance and illusion.