Simple Philosophy

Simply deal with the situation as it is, rather then waste time with why, what and how???

Read Full Post »

Why Intelligence Increases When You Think Less

Intelligence increases when you think less

Guy Claxton in his book “Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind” argues that the mind works at different speeds. Some of its functions may be performed at lightening speed, others take seconds, minutes or even days to complete.

Some of these processes can be speeded up, like we can become quicker at crossword puzzles and math. Other processes cannot be rushed. We need to learn to respect these slower processes and give them the time they need. It is these slower, deeper thought processes that often enables us to lead fulfilling, deliberate lives.

The society we live in seems to operative on the motto “Think fast, we need the results”. This may sometimes be counterproductive.

Each individual learns, thinks and knows in different ways. These modes of mind operate at different speeds and are good for different mental jobs.

The proverbs, “He who hesitates is lost” and “Look before you leap” have opposing meanings. Yet both are true.

Roughly speaking, the mind has three processing speeds.  The first, which is faster than thought is wonderful for situations that demand an instantaneous reaction, like getting out of danger.  This is a reflex action and has evolved in our species enabling us to achieve rather complex manoeuvres without thinking about them.

Then there is thought itself.  The sort of intelligence which involves figuring matters out, weighing the pros and cons, constructing arguments and solving problems. Our society labels people good at solving these sorts of problems as “bright or clever”. Hence most education systems only focuses on developing this type of thinking.

But there is another mental mode that proceeds more slowly.  It is often less purposeful and more playful, leisurely and dreamy. In this mode we are ruminating or mulling things over, being contemplative or meditative. We may be pondering a problem, rather than trying to solve it.

Latest cognitive research show that this leisurely, apparently aimless ways of knowing and thinking are just as “intelligent” as the faster more direct ones. Allowing the mind time to meander is not a luxury that can be safely cut back as your life gets busier.

On the contrary some kinds of everyday predicaments and natural phenomena are better approached with a slow mind. Some mysteries can only be penetrated with a relaxed unquestioning attitude. Scientific evidence shows convincingly that the more patient, less deliberate modes of mind are particularly suited to making sense of problems that are intricate, shadowy and ill-defined – the truly intelligent stuff.

Einstein seems to have used the leisurely, slow mode of thinking and look where it got him.

It seems that we need the tortoise mind as much as we need the hare brain. Ensure that you develop yours, give yourself a chance to daydream. You never know where it may take you.

Read Full Post »

Positive Learning

Every single experience you have ever had has been for your own benefit, however bad it was at the time.

This feels like a strong statement and you are probably thinking that it cant be true for everything.

I challenge you to look back to a very negative experience that you had a few years ago. Now think about the decisions that you made due to this experience. Did those decisions bring you to where you are now? What did that experience teach you?

Every experience that you have ever had has taught you something. However, that learning may have been positive or negative.

Negative learning encourages us to:

• Retreat into a protective shell
• Blame others for what has happened
• Restrict our lives in order to protect ourselves
• Treat people and circumstances with suspicion
• Remain angry and bitter
• Perpetuate the damage the original event caused by remaining a victim
• Perpetuate the damage caused by the original event by repeating the action against others before they get us.

Whereas Positive learning allows us to

• Recognise our own responsibility in the event
• See how not to behave
• Recognise things in others that we do not want in ourselves. But also recognise their right to be however they are
• Recognise what we have learned such as what to do or not to do the next time
• Have better coping skills in future experience
• Learn things about ourselves that we did not recognise
• Heal ourselves and forgive ourselves for getting into the situation in the first place
• Forgive others and recognise that they have taught us valuable lessons.
• Move on and make our lives even better than it was before.

No matter what our experience was, the sooner we can forgive ourselves or the abuser, the sooner we can live and enjoy more fulfilling lives.

Guilt and regret are heavy burdens to carry.

Read Full Post »

Are We Losing Our Creativity?

Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we’re educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

Sir Ken argues that we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. Students with restless minds and bodies — far from being cultivated for their energy and curiosity — are ignored or even stigmatized, with terrible consequences. “We are educating people out of their creativity,” Robinson says.

Watch his TEDTalk to find out more. Would love to know your thoughts.

Read Full Post »