The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain [Hardcover]

ANew York TimesEditors’ Choice
AWashington PostBest Nonfiction Book of 2021
ANew York TimesNotable Book

A bold new book reveals how we can tap the intelligence that exists beyond our brains—in our bodies, our surroundings, and our relationships

Use your head.
 
Thats what we tell ourselves when facing a tricky problem or a difficult project. But a growing body of research in cognitive science indicates that weve got it exactly backwards. What we need to do, says acclaimed science writer Annie Murphy Paul, is thinkoutsidethe brain. A host of “extra-neural” resources—the feelings and movements of our bodies, the physical spaces in which we learn and work, and the minds of those around us— can help us focus more intently, comprehend more deeply, and create more imaginatively.
 
The Extended Mindoutlines the research behind this exciting new vision of human ability, exploring the findings of neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, and psychologists, and examining the practices of educators, managers, and leaders who are already reaping the benefits of thinking outside the brain. She excavates the untold history of how artists, scientists, and authors—from Jackson Pollock to Jonas Salk to Robert Caro—have used mental extensions to solve problems, make discoveries, and create new works. In the tradition of Howard GardnersFrames of Mindor Daniel GolemansEmotional Intelligence, The Extended Mind?offers a dramatic new view of how our minds work, full of practical advice on how we can all think better.

This paradigm-shifting guide to embodied cognition offers a dramatic new view of how our minds work, full of practical advice on how to think better:

• Mind-Body Connection:Learn how to think with the feelings and movements of your body to focus more intently, comprehend more deeply, and lS