Summary of Annie Murphy Paul's The Extended Mind

By IRB Media

Get the Summary of Annie Murphy Paul's The Extended Mind in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. Original book introduction: The Extended Mind outlines the research behind this exciting new vision of human ability, exploring the findings of neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, 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 Gardner’s Frames of Mind or Daniel Goleman’s Emotional 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Jan 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798350063349

IRB Media

With IRB books, you can get the key takeaways and analysis of a book in 15 minutes. We read every chapter, identify the key takeaways and analyze them for your convenience.

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Summary of Annie Murphy Paul’s The Extended Mind

Contents

Overview

Thinking Outside the Brain

Thinking with Sensations

Keeping a Journal

Reappraising Emotions

Thinking with Movement

Three Kinds of Helpful Motion

Thinking with Gesture

Thinking with Natural Spaces

Thinking with Built Spaces

Thinking with the Space of Ideas

Thinking with Experts

Thinking with Peers

Argument and Conflict

Thinking with Groups

The General Principles of Effective Extending

About the Author

Overview

There is a common misconception that the brain is a closed-off control room where thinking takes place and that intelligence is something we are born with, not a skill we can improve. However, in The Extended Mind (2021), science writer Annie Murphy Paul uses research from psychologists, cognitive scientists, and neuroscientists to prove that intelligence, superior memory, and sharp attention stem from interactions between our brains, bodies, spaces, and relationships. Using Paul’s practical methods, we can unlock our mind’s full potential and think more effectively.

Thinking Outside the Brain

Our culture insists that the brain, where cognition happens, is a cordoned-off space. However, it is more like a nest-building bird, constructing a whole out of parts. These parts can include our bodily feelings and movements, the physical environments in which we study and work, and the other minds with which we engage. Thinking occurs both inside and outside the brain. Scientists, artists, authors, inventors, and entrepreneurs have all used the world as a starting point for their ideas. For example, scientist James Watson discovered the double-helix structure of DNA by physically manipulating handmade cardboard cutouts.

Today, engagement is low in schools and businesses, and it’s hard for teams and groups to work together in a way that’s both effective and satisfying. That’s because the current belief that thinking happens only inside the brain, which is known as the brain-bound paradigm, is inadequate and