In order to sharpen our reasoning skills, we must have a good grasp of our own cognitive biases, as well as the basic laws of the universe.
But in a dynamic world, those laws are constantly changing.
The editors over at Edge.org asked some of the most influential thinkers in the world — including neuroscientists, physicists and mathematicians — what they believe are the most important scientific concepts of the modern era.
The result is "This Will Make You Smarter: New Scientific Concepts To Improve Your Thinking," a compilation of nearly 200 essays exploring concepts such as the "shifting baseline syndrome" and a scientific view of "randomness."
We've highlighted 35 of the concepts here, crediting the author whose essay highlights the theory.
Cognitive humility
Decades of cognitive research shows that "our minds are finite and far from noble. Knowing their limits can help us become better reasoners. ... Perhaps the most dire consequence is that human beings tend to be better at remembering evidence consistent with their beliefs."
Gary Marcus, director, New York University, Center for Child Language. Author, Kluge: The Haphazard Evolution of the Human Mind from This Will Make You Smarter: New Scientific Concepts to Improve Your Thinking
Cognitive load
Our brains can only hold so much information at once. When there's too much "information overload," we tend to get distracted easily and not retain what we're learning.
"Working memory is what brain scientists call the short-term store of information where we hold the contents of our consciousness at any given moment — all the impressions and thoughts that flow into our mind as we go through the day."
Nicholas Carr, author, The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing To Our Brains, from This Will Make You Smarter: New Scientific Concepts to Improve Your Thinking.
Constraint satisfaction
When presented with too many choices — no matter how beautiful or beneficial — it can be overwhelming, and we are paralyzed by indecision.
That's why having constraints, or any sort of limits, is beneficial and leads to solutions.
In fact, "much creativity emerges from constraint satisfaction. ... Einstein had one of his major breakthroughs when he realized that time need not pass at a constant rate."
Stephen M. Kosslyn, director, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, from This Will Make You Smarter: New Scientific Concepts to Improve Your Thinking.
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