Models of the Self

Models of the Self

Author: Shaun Gallagher

Publisher: Andrews UK Limited

Published: 2013-10-22

Total Pages: 913

ISBN-13: 1845407237

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A long history of inquiry about human nature and the self stretches from the ancient tradition of Socratic self-knowledge in the context of ethical life to contemporary discussions of brain function in cognitive science. It begins with a conflict among the ancients. On one view, which comes to be represented most clearly by Aristotle, the issue is settled in terms of a composite and very complex human nature. Who I am is closely tied to my embodied existence. The other view, found as early as the Pythagoreans, and developed in the writings of Plato, Augustine and Descartes, held that genuine humanness is not the result of an integration of 'lower' functions, but a purification of those functions in favour of a liberating spirituality. The animal elements are excluded from the human essence. The modern debate on the problem of the self, although owing much to the insights of Locke and Hume, can still be situated within the context of the two schools of ancient thought, and this has led many to despair over the lack of apparent progress in this problem. Today, of course, we often tend to look to science rather than philosophy to develop our understanding of a wide range of fundamental issues. To what extent is the problem of the self a scientific issue? Can insights from the study of neuropsychology and cognitive development in infancy provide a new perspective? Can the study of schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorders tell us anything about the nature of human self-consciousness? Many would answer yes to the above questions, but then is it not also the case that the study of exceptional 'self-actualised' human experience is equally relevant? And can the phenomenological tradition, dedicated to the systematic study of human experience, and contemporary analytic approaches in philosophy help us out of some of the impasses that have bedevilled the empiricist tradition? MODELS OF THE SELF includes all these perspectives in an attempt to cast light on one of the most intractable problems in science and the humanities.


Book Synopsis Models of the Self by : Shaun Gallagher

Download or read book Models of the Self written by Shaun Gallagher and published by Andrews UK Limited. This book was released on 2013-10-22 with total page 913 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A long history of inquiry about human nature and the self stretches from the ancient tradition of Socratic self-knowledge in the context of ethical life to contemporary discussions of brain function in cognitive science. It begins with a conflict among the ancients. On one view, which comes to be represented most clearly by Aristotle, the issue is settled in terms of a composite and very complex human nature. Who I am is closely tied to my embodied existence. The other view, found as early as the Pythagoreans, and developed in the writings of Plato, Augustine and Descartes, held that genuine humanness is not the result of an integration of 'lower' functions, but a purification of those functions in favour of a liberating spirituality. The animal elements are excluded from the human essence. The modern debate on the problem of the self, although owing much to the insights of Locke and Hume, can still be situated within the context of the two schools of ancient thought, and this has led many to despair over the lack of apparent progress in this problem. Today, of course, we often tend to look to science rather than philosophy to develop our understanding of a wide range of fundamental issues. To what extent is the problem of the self a scientific issue? Can insights from the study of neuropsychology and cognitive development in infancy provide a new perspective? Can the study of schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorders tell us anything about the nature of human self-consciousness? Many would answer yes to the above questions, but then is it not also the case that the study of exceptional 'self-actualised' human experience is equally relevant? And can the phenomenological tradition, dedicated to the systematic study of human experience, and contemporary analytic approaches in philosophy help us out of some of the impasses that have bedevilled the empiricist tradition? MODELS OF THE SELF includes all these perspectives in an attempt to cast light on one of the most intractable problems in science and the humanities.

Greek Models of Mind and Self

Greek Models of Mind and Self

Author: A. A. Long

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2015-01-05

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13: 067472903X

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A. A. Long’s study of Greek notions of mind and human selfhood is anchored in questions of universal interest. What happens to us when we die? How is the mind or soul related to the body? Are we responsible for our own happiness? Can we achieve autonomy? Long shows that Greek thinkers’ modeling of the mind gave us metaphors that we still live by.


Book Synopsis Greek Models of Mind and Self by : A. A. Long

Download or read book Greek Models of Mind and Self written by A. A. Long and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2015-01-05 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A. A. Long’s study of Greek notions of mind and human selfhood is anchored in questions of universal interest. What happens to us when we die? How is the mind or soul related to the body? Are we responsible for our own happiness? Can we achieve autonomy? Long shows that Greek thinkers’ modeling of the mind gave us metaphors that we still live by.

Models of the Self

Models of the Self

Author: Shaun Gallagher

Publisher: Andrews UK Limited

Published: 2013-10-22

Total Pages: 904

ISBN-13: 1845407229

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A long history of inquiry about human nature and the self stretches from the ancient tradition of Socratic self-knowledge in the context of ethical life to contemporary discussions of brain function in cognitive science. It begins with a conflict among the ancients. On one view, which comes to be represented most clearly by Aristotle, the issue is settled in terms of a composite and very complex human nature. Who I am is closely tied to my embodied existence. The other view, found as early as the Pythagoreans, and developed in the writings of Plato, Augustine and Descartes, held that genuine humanness is not the result of an integration of 'lower' functions, but a purification of those functions in favour of a liberating spirituality. The animal elements are excluded from the human essence. The modern debate on the problem of the self, although owing much to the insights of Locke and Hume, can still be situated within the context of the two schools of ancient thought, and this has led many to despair over the lack of apparent progress in this problem. Today, of course, we often tend to look to science rather than philosophy to develop our understanding of a wide range of fundamental issues. To what extent is the problem of the self a scientific issue? Can insights from the study of neuropsychology and cognitive development in infancy provide a new perspective? Can the study of schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorders tell us anything about the nature of human self-consciousness? Many would answer yes to the above questions, but then is it not also the case that the study of exceptional 'self-actualised' human experience is equally relevant? And can the phenomenological tradition, dedicated to the systematic study of human experience, and contemporary analytic approaches in philosophy help us out of some of the impasses that have bedevilled the empiricist tradition? MODELS OF THE SELF includes all these perspectives in an attempt to cast light on one of the most intractable problems in science and the humanities.


Book Synopsis Models of the Self by : Shaun Gallagher

Download or read book Models of the Self written by Shaun Gallagher and published by Andrews UK Limited. This book was released on 2013-10-22 with total page 904 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A long history of inquiry about human nature and the self stretches from the ancient tradition of Socratic self-knowledge in the context of ethical life to contemporary discussions of brain function in cognitive science. It begins with a conflict among the ancients. On one view, which comes to be represented most clearly by Aristotle, the issue is settled in terms of a composite and very complex human nature. Who I am is closely tied to my embodied existence. The other view, found as early as the Pythagoreans, and developed in the writings of Plato, Augustine and Descartes, held that genuine humanness is not the result of an integration of 'lower' functions, but a purification of those functions in favour of a liberating spirituality. The animal elements are excluded from the human essence. The modern debate on the problem of the self, although owing much to the insights of Locke and Hume, can still be situated within the context of the two schools of ancient thought, and this has led many to despair over the lack of apparent progress in this problem. Today, of course, we often tend to look to science rather than philosophy to develop our understanding of a wide range of fundamental issues. To what extent is the problem of the self a scientific issue? Can insights from the study of neuropsychology and cognitive development in infancy provide a new perspective? Can the study of schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorders tell us anything about the nature of human self-consciousness? Many would answer yes to the above questions, but then is it not also the case that the study of exceptional 'self-actualised' human experience is equally relevant? And can the phenomenological tradition, dedicated to the systematic study of human experience, and contemporary analytic approaches in philosophy help us out of some of the impasses that have bedevilled the empiricist tradition? MODELS OF THE SELF includes all these perspectives in an attempt to cast light on one of the most intractable problems in science and the humanities.

Being No One

Being No One

Author: Thomas Metzinger

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2004-08-20

Total Pages: 896

ISBN-13: 0262263807

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According to Thomas Metzinger, no such things as selves exist in the world: nobody ever had or was a self. All that exists are phenomenal selves, as they appear in conscious experience. The phenomenal self, however, is not a thing but an ongoing process; it is the content of a "transparent self-model." In Being No One, Metzinger, a German philosopher, draws strongly on neuroscientific research to present a representationalist and functional analysis of what a consciously experienced first-person perspective actually is. Building a bridge between the humanities and the empirical sciences of the mind, he develops new conceptual toolkits and metaphors; uses case studies of unusual states of mind such as agnosia, neglect, blindsight, and hallucinations; and offers new sets of multilevel constraints for the concept of consciousness. Metzinger's central question is: How exactly does strong, consciously experienced subjectivity emerge out of objective events in the natural world? His epistemic goal is to determine whether conscious experience, in particular the experience of being someone that results from the emergence of a phenomenal self, can be analyzed on subpersonal levels of description. He also asks if and how our Cartesian intuitions that subjective experiences as such can never be reductively explained are themselves ultimately rooted in the deeper representational structure of our conscious minds.


Book Synopsis Being No One by : Thomas Metzinger

Download or read book Being No One written by Thomas Metzinger and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2004-08-20 with total page 896 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: According to Thomas Metzinger, no such things as selves exist in the world: nobody ever had or was a self. All that exists are phenomenal selves, as they appear in conscious experience. The phenomenal self, however, is not a thing but an ongoing process; it is the content of a "transparent self-model." In Being No One, Metzinger, a German philosopher, draws strongly on neuroscientific research to present a representationalist and functional analysis of what a consciously experienced first-person perspective actually is. Building a bridge between the humanities and the empirical sciences of the mind, he develops new conceptual toolkits and metaphors; uses case studies of unusual states of mind such as agnosia, neglect, blindsight, and hallucinations; and offers new sets of multilevel constraints for the concept of consciousness. Metzinger's central question is: How exactly does strong, consciously experienced subjectivity emerge out of objective events in the natural world? His epistemic goal is to determine whether conscious experience, in particular the experience of being someone that results from the emergence of a phenomenal self, can be analyzed on subpersonal levels of description. He also asks if and how our Cartesian intuitions that subjective experiences as such can never be reductively explained are themselves ultimately rooted in the deeper representational structure of our conscious minds.

The Origins of Self

The Origins of Self

Author: Martin P. J. Edwardes

Publisher: UCL Press

Published: 2019-07-22

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 1787356302

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The Origins of Self explores the role that selfhood plays in defining human society, and each human individual in that society. It considers the genetic and cultural origins of self, the role that self plays in socialisation and language, and the types of self we generate in our individual journeys to and through adulthood. Edwardes argues that other awareness is a relatively early evolutionary development, present throughout the primate clade and perhaps beyond, but self-awareness is a product of the sharing of social models, something only humans appear to do. The self of which we are aware is not something innate within us, it is a model of our self produced as a response to the models of us offered to us by other people. Edwardes proposes that human construction of selfhood involves seven different types of self. All but one of them are internally generated models, and the only non-model, the actual self, is completely hidden from conscious awareness. We rely on others to tell us about our self, and even to let us know we are a self.


Book Synopsis The Origins of Self by : Martin P. J. Edwardes

Download or read book The Origins of Self written by Martin P. J. Edwardes and published by UCL Press. This book was released on 2019-07-22 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Origins of Self explores the role that selfhood plays in defining human society, and each human individual in that society. It considers the genetic and cultural origins of self, the role that self plays in socialisation and language, and the types of self we generate in our individual journeys to and through adulthood. Edwardes argues that other awareness is a relatively early evolutionary development, present throughout the primate clade and perhaps beyond, but self-awareness is a product of the sharing of social models, something only humans appear to do. The self of which we are aware is not something innate within us, it is a model of our self produced as a response to the models of us offered to us by other people. Edwardes proposes that human construction of selfhood involves seven different types of self. All but one of them are internally generated models, and the only non-model, the actual self, is completely hidden from conscious awareness. We rely on others to tell us about our self, and even to let us know we are a self.

Handbook of Self-Regulation

Handbook of Self-Regulation

Author: Monique Boekaerts

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2005-07-25

Total Pages: 814

ISBN-13: 0123695198

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The Handbook of Self-Regulation represents state-of-the-art coverage of the latest theory, research, and developments in applications of self-regulation research. Chapters are of interest to psychologists interested in the development and operation of self-regulation as well as applications to health, organizational, clinical, and educational psychology.This book pulls together theory, research, and applications in the self-regulation domain and provides broad coverage of conceptual, methodological, and treatment issues. In view of the burgeoning interest and massive research on various aspects of self-regulation, the time seems ripe for this Handbook, aimed at reflecting the current state of the field. The goal is to provide researchers, students, and clinicians in the field with substantial state-of-the-art overviews, reviews, and reflections on the conceptual and methodological issues and complexities particular to self-regulation research. Coverage of state-of-the-art in self-regulation research from different perspectives Application of self-regulation research to health, clinical, organizational, and educational psychology Brings together in one volume research on self-regulation in different subdisciplines Most comprehensive and penetrating compendium of information on self-regulation from multi-disciplinary perspectives


Book Synopsis Handbook of Self-Regulation by : Monique Boekaerts

Download or read book Handbook of Self-Regulation written by Monique Boekaerts and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2005-07-25 with total page 814 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Handbook of Self-Regulation represents state-of-the-art coverage of the latest theory, research, and developments in applications of self-regulation research. Chapters are of interest to psychologists interested in the development and operation of self-regulation as well as applications to health, organizational, clinical, and educational psychology.This book pulls together theory, research, and applications in the self-regulation domain and provides broad coverage of conceptual, methodological, and treatment issues. In view of the burgeoning interest and massive research on various aspects of self-regulation, the time seems ripe for this Handbook, aimed at reflecting the current state of the field. The goal is to provide researchers, students, and clinicians in the field with substantial state-of-the-art overviews, reviews, and reflections on the conceptual and methodological issues and complexities particular to self-regulation research. Coverage of state-of-the-art in self-regulation research from different perspectives Application of self-regulation research to health, clinical, organizational, and educational psychology Brings together in one volume research on self-regulation in different subdisciplines Most comprehensive and penetrating compendium of information on self-regulation from multi-disciplinary perspectives

Re-Thinking Men

Re-Thinking Men

Author: Anthony Synnott

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-04-08

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 1317063945

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Much writing on men in the field of gender studies tends to focus unduly, almost exclusively, on portraying men as villains and women as victims in a moral bi-polar paradigm. Re-Thinking Men reverses the proclivity which ignores not only the positive contributions of men to society, but also the male victims of life including the homeless, the incarcerated, the victims of homicide, suicide, accidents, war and the draft, and sexism, as well as those affected by the failures of the health, education, political and justice systems. Proceeding from a radically different perspective in seeking a more positive, balanced and inclusive view of men (and women), this book presents three contrasting paradigms of men as Heroes, Villains and Victims. With the development of a comparative and revised gender perspective drawing on US, Canadian and UK sources, this book will be of interest to scholars across a range of social sciences.


Book Synopsis Re-Thinking Men by : Anthony Synnott

Download or read book Re-Thinking Men written by Anthony Synnott and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-08 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Much writing on men in the field of gender studies tends to focus unduly, almost exclusively, on portraying men as villains and women as victims in a moral bi-polar paradigm. Re-Thinking Men reverses the proclivity which ignores not only the positive contributions of men to society, but also the male victims of life including the homeless, the incarcerated, the victims of homicide, suicide, accidents, war and the draft, and sexism, as well as those affected by the failures of the health, education, political and justice systems. Proceeding from a radically different perspective in seeking a more positive, balanced and inclusive view of men (and women), this book presents three contrasting paradigms of men as Heroes, Villains and Victims. With the development of a comparative and revised gender perspective drawing on US, Canadian and UK sources, this book will be of interest to scholars across a range of social sciences.

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation

Author: Edward L. Deci

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 325

ISBN-13: 1461344468

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As I begin to write this Preface, I feel a rush of excitement. I have now finished the book; my gestalt is coming into completion. Throughout the months that I have been writing this, I have, indeed, been intrinsically motivated. Now that it is finished I feel quite competent and self-determining (see Chapter 2). Whether or not those who read the book will perceive me that way is also a concern of mine (an extrinsic one), but it is a wholly separate issue from the intrinsic rewards I have been experiencing. This book presents a theoretical perspective. It reviews an enormous amount of research which establishes unequivocally that intrinsic motivation exists. Also considered herein are various approaches to the conceptualizing of intrinsic motivation. The book concentrates on the approach which has developed out of the work of Robert White (1959), namely, that intrinsically motivated behaviors are ones which a person engages in so that he may feel competent and self-determining in relation to his environment. The book then considers the development of intrinsic motiva tion, how behaviors are motivated intrinsically, how they relate to and how intrinsic motivation is extrinsically motivated behaviors, affected by extrinsic rewards and controls. It also considers how changes in intrinsic motivation relate to changes in attitudes, how people attribute motivation to each other, how the attribution process is motivated, and how the process of perceiving motivation (and other internal states) in oneself relates to perceiving them in others.


Book Synopsis Intrinsic Motivation by : Edward L. Deci

Download or read book Intrinsic Motivation written by Edward L. Deci and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 325 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As I begin to write this Preface, I feel a rush of excitement. I have now finished the book; my gestalt is coming into completion. Throughout the months that I have been writing this, I have, indeed, been intrinsically motivated. Now that it is finished I feel quite competent and self-determining (see Chapter 2). Whether or not those who read the book will perceive me that way is also a concern of mine (an extrinsic one), but it is a wholly separate issue from the intrinsic rewards I have been experiencing. This book presents a theoretical perspective. It reviews an enormous amount of research which establishes unequivocally that intrinsic motivation exists. Also considered herein are various approaches to the conceptualizing of intrinsic motivation. The book concentrates on the approach which has developed out of the work of Robert White (1959), namely, that intrinsically motivated behaviors are ones which a person engages in so that he may feel competent and self-determining in relation to his environment. The book then considers the development of intrinsic motiva tion, how behaviors are motivated intrinsically, how they relate to and how intrinsic motivation is extrinsically motivated behaviors, affected by extrinsic rewards and controls. It also considers how changes in intrinsic motivation relate to changes in attitudes, how people attribute motivation to each other, how the attribution process is motivated, and how the process of perceiving motivation (and other internal states) in oneself relates to perceiving them in others.

Self-Regulation and Ego Control

Self-Regulation and Ego Control

Author: Edward R. Hirt

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2016-08-08

Total Pages: 494

ISBN-13: 012801878X

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Self-Regulation and Ego Control examines the physiological effects of depletion, the effects of psychological variables in self-control depletion effects, the role of motivational and goal states on self-control depletion effects, and a number of cognitive perspectives on self-control exertion. This insightful book begins with an introduction of self-control theories, ego depletion phenomena, and experimental examples of research in self-control, and concludes by delineating more inclusive and comprehensive models of self-regulation that can account for the full spectrum of findings from current research. In recent years, researchers have had difficulty identifying the underlying resources responsible for depletion effects. Moreover, further research has identified several psychological and motivational factors that can ameliorate depletion effects. These findings have led many to question assumptions of the dominant strength model and suggest that capacity limitations alone cannot account for the observed effects of depletion. Self-Regulation and Ego Control facilitates discourse across researchers from different ideological camps and advances more integrated views of self-regulation based on this research. Covers the neuropsychological evidence for depletion effects, highlighting the roles of reward, valuation, and control in self-regulation Reviews the roles of willpower, expectancies of mental energy change, and individual differences in the modulation of self-control exertion Highlights the effects of various states such as positive mood, power, implementation intentions, mindfulness, and social rejection as moderators of depletion Provides clarification of the distinctions between self-control in the context of goal-directed behavior versus related terms like self-regulation, executive control, and inhibition Details the overlap between mental and physical depletion, and the potential interplay and substitutability of resources Challenges the view that depletion reflects capacity limitations and includes newer models that take a more motivational account of resource allocation Facilitates discourse across researchers from different ideological camps within the field. Informs and enriches future research and advances more integrated views of self-regulation


Book Synopsis Self-Regulation and Ego Control by : Edward R. Hirt

Download or read book Self-Regulation and Ego Control written by Edward R. Hirt and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2016-08-08 with total page 494 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Self-Regulation and Ego Control examines the physiological effects of depletion, the effects of psychological variables in self-control depletion effects, the role of motivational and goal states on self-control depletion effects, and a number of cognitive perspectives on self-control exertion. This insightful book begins with an introduction of self-control theories, ego depletion phenomena, and experimental examples of research in self-control, and concludes by delineating more inclusive and comprehensive models of self-regulation that can account for the full spectrum of findings from current research. In recent years, researchers have had difficulty identifying the underlying resources responsible for depletion effects. Moreover, further research has identified several psychological and motivational factors that can ameliorate depletion effects. These findings have led many to question assumptions of the dominant strength model and suggest that capacity limitations alone cannot account for the observed effects of depletion. Self-Regulation and Ego Control facilitates discourse across researchers from different ideological camps and advances more integrated views of self-regulation based on this research. Covers the neuropsychological evidence for depletion effects, highlighting the roles of reward, valuation, and control in self-regulation Reviews the roles of willpower, expectancies of mental energy change, and individual differences in the modulation of self-control exertion Highlights the effects of various states such as positive mood, power, implementation intentions, mindfulness, and social rejection as moderators of depletion Provides clarification of the distinctions between self-control in the context of goal-directed behavior versus related terms like self-regulation, executive control, and inhibition Details the overlap between mental and physical depletion, and the potential interplay and substitutability of resources Challenges the view that depletion reflects capacity limitations and includes newer models that take a more motivational account of resource allocation Facilitates discourse across researchers from different ideological camps within the field. Informs and enriches future research and advances more integrated views of self-regulation

The Great Mental Models, Volume 1

The Great Mental Models, Volume 1

Author: Shane Parrish

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2024-10-15

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 0593719972

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Discover the essential thinking tools you’ve been missing with The Great Mental Models series by Shane Parrish, New York Times bestselling author and the mind behind the acclaimed Farnam Street blog and “The Knowledge Project” podcast. This first book in the series is your guide to learning the crucial thinking tools nobody ever taught you. Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have credited their success to mental models–representations of how something works that can scale onto other fields. Mastering a small number of mental models enables you to rapidly grasp new information, identify patterns others miss, and avoid the common mistakes that hold people back. The Great Mental Models: Volume 1, General Thinking Concepts shows you how making a few tiny changes in the way you think can deliver big results. Drawing on examples from history, business, art, and science, this book details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making and productivity. This book will teach you how to: Avoid blind spots when looking at problems. Find non-obvious solutions. Anticipate and achieve desired outcomes. Play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, … and more. The Great Mental Models series demystifies once elusive concepts and illuminates rich knowledge that traditional education overlooks. This series is the most comprehensive and accessible guide on using mental models to better understand our world, solve problems, and gain an advantage.


Book Synopsis The Great Mental Models, Volume 1 by : Shane Parrish

Download or read book The Great Mental Models, Volume 1 written by Shane Parrish and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2024-10-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the essential thinking tools you’ve been missing with The Great Mental Models series by Shane Parrish, New York Times bestselling author and the mind behind the acclaimed Farnam Street blog and “The Knowledge Project” podcast. This first book in the series is your guide to learning the crucial thinking tools nobody ever taught you. Time and time again, great thinkers such as Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have credited their success to mental models–representations of how something works that can scale onto other fields. Mastering a small number of mental models enables you to rapidly grasp new information, identify patterns others miss, and avoid the common mistakes that hold people back. The Great Mental Models: Volume 1, General Thinking Concepts shows you how making a few tiny changes in the way you think can deliver big results. Drawing on examples from history, business, art, and science, this book details nine of the most versatile, all-purpose mental models you can use right away to improve your decision making and productivity. This book will teach you how to: Avoid blind spots when looking at problems. Find non-obvious solutions. Anticipate and achieve desired outcomes. Play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses, … and more. The Great Mental Models series demystifies once elusive concepts and illuminates rich knowledge that traditional education overlooks. This series is the most comprehensive and accessible guide on using mental models to better understand our world, solve problems, and gain an advantage.