Journey of the Mind: How Thinking Emerged from Chaos PDF Download

Author: Ogi Ogas
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 1324006587
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 432

View

Book Description
Two neuroscientists reveal why consciousness exists and how it works by examining eighteen increasingly intelligent minds, from microbes to humankind—and beyond. Why do you exist? How did atoms and molecules transform into sentient creatures that experience longing, regret, compassion, and even marvel at their own existence? What does it truly mean to have a mind—to think? Science has offered few answers to these existential questions until now. Journey of the Mind is the first book to offer a unified account of the mind that explains how consciousness, language, self-awareness, and civilization arose incrementally out of chaos. The journey begins three billion years ago with the emergence of the universe’s simplest possible mind. From there, the book explores the nanoscopic archaeon, whose thinking machinery consists of a handful of molecules, then advances through amoebas, worms, frogs, birds, monkeys, and humans, explaining what each “new” mind could do that previous minds could not. Though they admire the triumph of human consciousness, Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam argue that humans are hardly the most sophisticated minds on the planet. The same physical principles that produce human self-awareness are leading cities and nation-states to develop “superminds,” and perhaps planting the seeds for even higher forms of consciousness. Written in lively, accessible language accompanied by vivid illustrations, Journey of the Mind is a mind-bending work of popular science, the first general book to share the cutting-edge mathematical basis for consciousness, language, and the self. It shows how a “unified theory of the mind” can explain the mind’s greatest mysteries—and offer clues about the ultimate fate of all minds in the universe.

Author: Elaine Walker
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
ISBN: 1457543583
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 328

View

Book Description
Matter Over Mind begins with a thought-provoking journey through the Cosmos to illustrate the startling contrast between nature’s chaotic but rich processes, and the human mind’s organized but under performing habits. This book reveals how humanity could achieve even greater heights if we allow ourselves to rethink how we think. Chaos theory, which is wonderfully explained in this book, is a foundational recipe in nature and large group behavior. Abstract thinking is the opposite force that leads to frustrating inconsistencies in society and even limitations in technology. Viewing the world through both lenses illuminates the deeper dynamics of the world and a better way forward for humanity.

Author: Kiera Woodhull
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781453836477
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 86

View

Book Description
My mind is chaos. This is my attempt at resolution.A collection of poetry and short prose covering topics including leaving home, lost love and the writing process itself. Reader beware: this is a Pandora's Box type deal.

Author: Frederick J. Ruf
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780791407011
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 216

View

Book Description
This is the first book-length study of William James' style, arguing that the manner in which James writes The Principles of Psychology and The Varieties of Religious Experience serves to construct a chaotic world for his readers. The book examines the uses of chaos in western literature and philosophy and reaches two conclusions: that chaos may be "utter confusion and disorder," but, paradoxically, that disorder is communicated through some particular order -- in Joyce's term, all chaos is "chaosmos." Secondly, what is essential about chaos is what it does: nothing is inherently chaotic, rather chaos is used to contrast with or challenge something that is more structured or formed. Finally, the author presents an examination of the religious function of James' chaotic worldview as a disorientation which orients.

Author: Robin Robertson
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 1317780086
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 414

View

Book Description
This book represents the best of the first three years of the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology conferences. While chaos theory has been a topic of considerable interest in the physical and biological sciences, its applications in psychology and related fields have been obscured until recently by its complexity. Nevertheless, a small but rapidly growing community of psychologists, neurobiologists, sociologists, mathematicians, and philosophers have been coming together to discuss its implications and explore its research possibilities. Chaos theory has been termed the first authentic paradigm shift since the advent of quantum physics. Whether this is true or not, it unquestionably bears profound implications for many fields of thought. These include the cognitive analysis of the mind, the nature of personality, the dynamics of psychotherapy and counseling, understanding brain events and behavioral records, the dynamics of social organization, and the psychology of prediction. To each of these topics, chaos theory brings the perspective of dynamic self-organizing processes of exquisite complexity. Behavior, the nervous system, and social processes exhibit many of the classical characteristics of chaotic systems -- they are deterministic and globally predictable and yet do not submit to precise predictability. This volume is the first to explore ideas from chaos theory in a broad, psychological perspective. Its introduction, by the prominent neuroscientist Walter Freeman, sets the tone for diverse discussions of the role of chaos theory in behavioral research, the study of personality, psychotherapy and counseling, mathematical cognitive psychology, social organization, systems philosophy, and the understanding of the brain.

Author: Phillip Moffitt
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0142196762
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 306

View

Book Description
The groundbreaking psychology and self development book with step-by-step plans to achieve emotional health and clarity. “Emotional Chaos to Clarity is a masterwork. Be inspired by the possibilities it opens.” —Jack Kornfield, Ph.D., author of The Wise Heart Despite our best-laid plans, life is difficult, and we sometimes experience anger, anxiety, frustration, and doubt. This emotional chaos can negatively affect the way we live our lives. Yet, Phillip Moffitt shows us that by cultivating a responsive mind rather than a reactive one, we can achieve a state of emotional clarity that allows us to act with a calm mind and a loving heart. Drawing on both Western psychology and Buddhist philosophy, Moffitt’s step-by-step exercises help us to: • Know and act from our core values at all times • Gain wisdom from both pleasant and unpleasant experiences • Free ourselves from the past • Achieve a peaceful inner life, even if our outer life is filled with challenges

Author: Max Fisher
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0316703311
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 419

View

Book Description
Finalist for the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism From a New York Times investigative reporter, this “authoritative and devastating account of the impacts of social media” (New York Times Book Review) tracks the high-stakes inside story of how Big Tech’s breakneck race to drive engagement—and profits—at all costs fractured the world. The Chaos Machine is “an essential book for our times” (Ezra Klein). We all have a vague sense that social media is bad for our minds, for our children, and for our democracies. But the truth is that its reach and impact run far deeper than we have understood. Building on years of international reporting, Max Fisher tells the gripping and galling inside story of how Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social network preyed on psychological frailties to create the algorithms that drive everyday users to extreme opinions and, increasingly, extreme actions. As Fisher demonstrates, the companies’ founding tenets, combined with a blinkered focus on maximizing engagement, have led to a destabilized world for everyone. Traversing the planet, Fisher tracks the ubiquity of hate speech and its spillover into violence, ills that first festered in far-off locales, to their dark culmination in America during the pandemic, the 2020 election, and the Capitol Insurrection. Through it all, the social-media giants refused to intervene in any meaningful way, claiming to champion free speech when in fact what they most prized were limitless profits. The result, as Fisher shows, is a cultural shift toward a world in which people are polarized not by beliefs based on facts, but by misinformation, outrage, and fear. His narrative is about more than the villains, however. Fisher also weaves together the stories of the heroic outsiders and Silicon Valley defectors who raised the alarm and revealed what was happening behind the closed doors of Big Tech. Both panoramic and intimate, The Chaos Machine is the definitive account of the meteoric rise and troubled legacy of the tech titans, as well as a rousing and hopeful call to arrest the havoc wreaked on our minds and our world before it’s too late.

Author: Ellen Northcott
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780646839127
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 234

View

Book Description
Have you ever wondered what it's like to hear things that aren't there? Or believe things that aren't true? Perhaps you've questioned how someone with a good life could kill themselves. Or why someone with a severe mental illness would stop taking life saving medication. These are all things Ellen Northcott has experienced and documented. The Chaos of My Mind is a deeply personal book, written during Ellen Northcott's darkest moments and her highest highs. The writing is raw and confronting in its honesty, giving a rare insight into the fight to survive against a brain determined to die. The book delves into the struggles with accepting a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and the battle with medication. Being a psychologist Ellen Northcott has the unique ability to contrast the personal experience, and the professional viewpoint. Ultimately this is a story of hope, of surviving the worst bipolar has to offer, and thriving. As the author writes "It is worth the fight."

Author: Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg
Publisher: Lindhardt og Ringhof
ISBN: 8750045628
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 146

View

Book Description
Michael Pram Rasmussen, Chairman of the Board in A.P. Møller Mærsk: "From the boardroom to the bridge of a tanker, every leader must master the art of dealing with crises and emergencies. With great skill, Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg shows us that there is a method behind the art" Nils Wang, Rear Admiral, Commandant at The Royal Danish Defence College: "Any leader who expects to come under fire will eventually feel an urgent need to understand Battle Mind. Reach out for this thoughtful and instructive book well in advance of those critical moments". Søren Kyhl, Executive Vice President, Danske Bank: "A stimulating tour through the mind on high alert. Full of useful insights on sustainable high-performance and how you can learn to bounce back from major setbacks." Jesper Kløve, Senior Vice President at Novo Nordisk A/S: "Wedell-Wedellsborg has spent a lot of time studying and focusing on performance under pressure, and it shows. This is a truly well-researched book. Battle Mind is highly informative and provides a hands-on framework and specific ideas for achieving great results. There are great cases in this book for every leader". Anne-Marie Søderberg, Professor, Copenhagen Business School: "With a solid grounding in psychology and leadership studies Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg does an exemplary job when framing the stories told with lucid concepts for dealing constructively with common management derailers". Christian Ørsted, bestselling author of Lethal Leadership: "If you are seeking answers to one of the core mental demands of modern leadership, you need this book. It features a fascinating mix of psychology, research and case studies from the military, business and politics. A terrific read". Helena Boas, Founder and President, Bodas: " Merete Wedell-Wedellsborg’s fascinating account examines a critical aspect of the minds of leaders, managers, and founders of businesses worldwide. However, the mental reflexes she examines and the tools she suggests/prescribes are are also more broadly applicable and invaluable for everyone across all aspects of their lives". Maria Hjorth, CEO, Mercer Denmark: "To succeed in business you have to perform under pressure and it demands more than just talent. You need to perform when it counts. I believe that 'Battle Mind' is a core life skill for everyone and I can highly recommend Merete's book."

Author: Bob Miglani
Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ISBN: 1609948262
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 155

View

Book Description
An accomplished Fortune 50 executive translates for a western audience the lessons he learned from the land of his birth, India. Bob Miglani was stressed out, burnt out, and stuck until he rediscovered the enduring lessons of his childhood: celebrate impermanence, serve others, and move forward no matter what. Bob's message: chaos isn't going away--embrace it!