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Mechanism of Mind
Paperback different cover, in very good condition, cleaned pages. Fast shipping...(A-12)
288 pages, Paperback
Published April 28, 1976
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About the author
Edward de Bono
233 books1,146 followersEdward de Bono was a Maltese physician, author, inventor, and consultant. He is best known as the originator of the term lateral thinking (structured creativity) and the leading proponent of the deliberate teaching of thinking in schools.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 4, 2014
This book is of two parts; the first part is very abstract and uses analogies such as the flow of water over various surfaces, light bulbs in a display, and hot water over jelly, to describe how the mind's 'surface' works.
The second half looks at four types of thinking:
Natural, Logical, Mathematical and Lateral.
The focus is on the latter, for which he invents a 'new' word, PO as an 'excitement' to provoke looking at problems from a new angle.
This allows us to break out of the natural progression of thought, and to come in at a new angle that the former wouldn't have suggested.
I found the first half a bit of a slog, but worth it for the introduction to the second.
The second half looks at four types of thinking:
Natural, Logical, Mathematical and Lateral.
The focus is on the latter, for which he invents a 'new' word, PO as an 'excitement' to provoke looking at problems from a new angle.
This allows us to break out of the natural progression of thought, and to come in at a new angle that the former wouldn't have suggested.
I found the first half a bit of a slog, but worth it for the introduction to the second.
June 1, 2008
Again, amazing concepts in this book of the Edward De bono's break down of how thinking happens. At times a difficult read, abstract comparison upon abstract comparison is sometimes hard to follow. A pioneer in tackling this most interesting and less explored area called 'thinking'
October 27, 2022
The Mechanism of Mind by Edward de Bono was published in 1969 where the author tries to present some toy models of how the mind works based on its functionality. The book is divided into two parts with the first part focussing on what the author calls "the memory surface" and the second part focusing on types of thinking. The book slowly builds up to focus the reader's attention on lateral thinking as opposed to natural, mathematical or logical thinking.
Despite writing this in simple English and with many examples, it is a very dry read. The content is repetitive and the writing is exhausting. Reading this book can feel like a chore and it seems quite outdated since most concepts presented in this book seem childishly obvious. There isn't anything scientific in this book and the author concedes as much towards the end of the book, since the motivation is to merely present some simplistic models of the mind and implore the readers to think about lateral thinking. His later book Po: Beyond Yes and No published in 1973 might be a better read than The Mechanism of Mind for the curious reader, although neither are great.
Despite writing this in simple English and with many examples, it is a very dry read. The content is repetitive and the writing is exhausting. Reading this book can feel like a chore and it seems quite outdated since most concepts presented in this book seem childishly obvious. There isn't anything scientific in this book and the author concedes as much towards the end of the book, since the motivation is to merely present some simplistic models of the mind and implore the readers to think about lateral thinking. His later book Po: Beyond Yes and No published in 1973 might be a better read than The Mechanism of Mind for the curious reader, although neither are great.
September 14, 2023
Great, amazing! It explains how behaviour and thinking patterns are created and altered. By using models and pointing out their advantages he creates an easy way to understand how vertical/lateral thinking are intertwined and how one may take advantage of this system. Great for understanding yourself and other, recommend!!
January 19, 2014
Phenomenal description and modelling of the brain as it pertains to learning and the formulation of habits, cognitive biases and more. The introduction of the concept of Po is also highly interesting- something that ought to be taught and practiced alongside traditional logic.
December 10, 2020
Good news was the author never repeated the previous books ideas.. He has own way of explaining his concept.. The figure run through out the book are lousy and confusing but the writing was good to travel along..
He is one of my favorite author and never disappointed me...
He is one of my favorite author and never disappointed me...
April 29, 2018
:
visualization of the working of mind is achieved through simple imagery models that lead to understanding the work of insight in forming efficient patterns
visualization of the working of mind is achieved through simple imagery models that lead to understanding the work of insight in forming efficient patterns
November 18, 2023
Brilliant, breathtaking. The spirit of "simplicity on the far side of complexity". Really made a lot of things fall into place for me in an extremely brief period of time. I read this and Think! using TTS. While I like TTS better than reading with my eyes, I like it markedly less than audiobooks. My motivation to start, continue, and finish this book in a day, and read another book by the same author in the same day using the same method should be a testament to the value I place on these concepts.
In this book, De Bono proposes a mechanism with extremely simple mechanics. Complex behavior coming out of very simple interactions. He uses 3 models. Gelatin boards, block towers, and light boards.
Gelatin boards are a memory surface. If you pour hot water onto a spot, it leaves a depression. If you pour more hot water, it is likely to fall into the existing depression, leaving no trace anywhere else. If there are a series of existing depressions, the water will flow through that series based on proximity, depth, etc. If there is little gradient between them, the flow will be swift and smooth. if there is a gradient between them, the flow will be staccato with the gelatin having to dissolve between moves.
Block towers are an excitation model. You have towers of blocks. These towers will tend to 'banana' at a certain height. As a model, we add the arbitrary rule that once a tower topples, we begin rebuilding it again but with an additional block to start. Thus towers that have toppled previously are more likely to topple again and the more times a tower has toppled previously, the more likely it will be to again and quicker.
For light boards, a lightbulb is activated in response to a triggered light sensor that is shielded from the particular bulb it is attached to. However, the sensor is not shielded from every other lightbulb on the board. So, one light goes off and surrounding lights will also have a higher probability of going off, possibly cascading from a minimal initial stimulus into an outsized response. This is an elegant description of network effects and emergent behavior.
Between these 3 models, you can explain phenomena such as short term and long term memory, why indecision does or doesn't strike, why it is difficult to break habits, how abstraction works, and why memory shapes perception.
He takes pains to point out toward the end of the book that while an unwary reader may have mistaken his mechanism of mind for a brain, it was only intended to be a mechanical illustration of how unintelligent matter can create behavior that appears intelligent to human observers, but then remarks on the similarity with the functioning of the brain. He talks a lot about the weaknesses and strengths of such a model, including its propensity to use existing recognition chunks to classify new objects, creating both false positives and false negatives. He talks about the difficulty in creating novelty using such a device without novel inputs, which later becomes his impetus for emphasizing new methods of thinking, including lateral thinking.
Please read this book. This book has been more instructive to me on the subject of thinking than any other book I've ever read.
In this book, De Bono proposes a mechanism with extremely simple mechanics. Complex behavior coming out of very simple interactions. He uses 3 models. Gelatin boards, block towers, and light boards.
Gelatin boards are a memory surface. If you pour hot water onto a spot, it leaves a depression. If you pour more hot water, it is likely to fall into the existing depression, leaving no trace anywhere else. If there are a series of existing depressions, the water will flow through that series based on proximity, depth, etc. If there is little gradient between them, the flow will be swift and smooth. if there is a gradient between them, the flow will be staccato with the gelatin having to dissolve between moves.
Block towers are an excitation model. You have towers of blocks. These towers will tend to 'banana' at a certain height. As a model, we add the arbitrary rule that once a tower topples, we begin rebuilding it again but with an additional block to start. Thus towers that have toppled previously are more likely to topple again and the more times a tower has toppled previously, the more likely it will be to again and quicker.
For light boards, a lightbulb is activated in response to a triggered light sensor that is shielded from the particular bulb it is attached to. However, the sensor is not shielded from every other lightbulb on the board. So, one light goes off and surrounding lights will also have a higher probability of going off, possibly cascading from a minimal initial stimulus into an outsized response. This is an elegant description of network effects and emergent behavior.
Between these 3 models, you can explain phenomena such as short term and long term memory, why indecision does or doesn't strike, why it is difficult to break habits, how abstraction works, and why memory shapes perception.
He takes pains to point out toward the end of the book that while an unwary reader may have mistaken his mechanism of mind for a brain, it was only intended to be a mechanical illustration of how unintelligent matter can create behavior that appears intelligent to human observers, but then remarks on the similarity with the functioning of the brain. He talks a lot about the weaknesses and strengths of such a model, including its propensity to use existing recognition chunks to classify new objects, creating both false positives and false negatives. He talks about the difficulty in creating novelty using such a device without novel inputs, which later becomes his impetus for emphasizing new methods of thinking, including lateral thinking.
Please read this book. This book has been more instructive to me on the subject of thinking than any other book I've ever read.
February 1, 2025
Contrary to the title, after talking and diagraming for some 260 pages, de Bono admits that what he outlined in this book might not even fit how the brain works at all. After reading it, I would safely conclude it doesn't because of the inconsistency of what he proposes. The main idea of the book is something de Bono calls a memory-surface (MS). A MS will catch things in itself and they can be represented as data. He gives such examples as a dog's footprints in the snow, pools of water collecting as it runs down a slope, and how we might approach problems. A special MS will also organize the objects as it collects them (e.g. a sieve with different sizes of holes). It is an interesting concept until it comes to actually applying it to the real world.
The issue is that minds, animals (and their behaviour patterns in snow), the shape of slopes, etc. operate by very different rules. They can represent data but they process things in vastly different ways. So when de Bono finally gets around to speaking on how to manipulate MSs in order to improve thinking two thirds of the way through the book, I had to recoil at the thought. Is he talking about inanimate real-world objects, shapes, lines, etc., as he did throughout the book and is now applying it to human memory? How can we change a MS from the inside? A slope cannot change itself, nor a line, nor a shape. For de Bono's theories to work, neither can the data inside the system change it because then it would not be organized by the MS. These have to be manipulated by a mind outside the MS. If so, then this would never work for the human mind because our memories might incorporate the data collected but there is little we can do from within the system to maximize our thought when our physiology changes (e.g. brain damage, dementia, etc.).
The only good part of the book is when de Bono starts talking about lateral thinking closer to the end, which I actually agree with. However, he tries to somehow say it changes MSs, which I just described cannot logically change like de Bono wants. So, instead of reading this book, read his "On Lateral Thinking" which is much better.
There was also a discussion on Po as a new word to use to redirect thought. Personally, it seemed redundant given all the words in English we use to express the same idea. If you want to know more about this instead of this poor book, de Bono also has two other books devoted to it. Don't bother with this one.
The issue is that minds, animals (and their behaviour patterns in snow), the shape of slopes, etc. operate by very different rules. They can represent data but they process things in vastly different ways. So when de Bono finally gets around to speaking on how to manipulate MSs in order to improve thinking two thirds of the way through the book, I had to recoil at the thought. Is he talking about inanimate real-world objects, shapes, lines, etc., as he did throughout the book and is now applying it to human memory? How can we change a MS from the inside? A slope cannot change itself, nor a line, nor a shape. For de Bono's theories to work, neither can the data inside the system change it because then it would not be organized by the MS. These have to be manipulated by a mind outside the MS. If so, then this would never work for the human mind because our memories might incorporate the data collected but there is little we can do from within the system to maximize our thought when our physiology changes (e.g. brain damage, dementia, etc.).
The only good part of the book is when de Bono starts talking about lateral thinking closer to the end, which I actually agree with. However, he tries to somehow say it changes MSs, which I just described cannot logically change like de Bono wants. So, instead of reading this book, read his "On Lateral Thinking" which is much better.
There was also a discussion on Po as a new word to use to redirect thought. Personally, it seemed redundant given all the words in English we use to express the same idea. If you want to know more about this instead of this poor book, de Bono also has two other books devoted to it. Don't bother with this one.
December 6, 2025
思考的奧秘：心智的歷程(一)。愛德華•狄•波諾著。唐潔之譯。
心智是一張不公平的記憶表面
這本書表達方式的特點在於，作者刻意構造了一些模型，企圖以這些「實用」的、「易於了解」的模型來模擬大腦的運作過程。奇怪的是，作者的美意反而讓我產生了閱讀困難。既要理解作者講的模型是什麼，又要用不那麼清楚的模型去與不那麼清楚的大腦功能去對應，搞的曲折晦澀，好像在閱讀上個世紀以前的書。因此，我只能儘量去理解，希望能講出一點可靠的東西。首先，作者在〈引言〉中表示，他認為大腦是有機的信息處理系統，而他的論述方式就是：「把大腦逐步地組織起來，從簡單的單元開始，一步步地搭建，直到心智的機械結構組合完成為止。」他關於心智的結論則是：「組成的機械結構如同一大張寫有字跡的紙面。這張放在暗室的紙張，表面上有一小團光輪(如手電筒所照射的光線)移動，得到此光照明的字跡被讀出，字跡代表儲存於大腦中的訊息。」而這本書則是在「討論把字跡寫在紙面上的過程」，這似乎就是指“記憶”的過程。
這張用來寫字的的紙面(大腦)叫做「記憶表面」，它是一種「不公平表面」的特殊表面。「我們將水隨意噴灑在一個普通的表面上，水會均勻地覆蓋其上。但在一個不公平的表面之上，若干深陷的坑洞會自然形成，而水就會聚積其中。我們可以說，輸入的訊息顯然特別偏愛某些區域的表面。」作者說：「大腦是性能頗差的記憶，因為它並不僅僅儲存外來的訊息，它還會挑選與改變這些訊息。......因此，從記憶出來的訊息不大可能保留其原來的面目。」這與我們目前所知的記憶效能倒是相同。
「這種記憶表面的一般作用，在於從原來可能相當混亂的訊息中，確定、加強並建立出固定的型式。記憶表面只要讓輸入的訊息去自行組織，而且讓既有的型式引導整個組織的過程，就能發揮這個作用。總而言之，這系統是一個自我組織與自我最大限度增強的系統。」由這種記憶表面所造成的效果聯想到關於知識的變遷，就會像實用主義說的，新知識的接受總要建立在最大程度地符合舊知識的基礎上。「新的訊息只能透過既有的型式，才為記憶表面接收。」
但是就自我組織而言，記憶表面所進行的程序是：「型式塑造了表面的地勢，表面地勢接著組織輸入的型式，而輸入的型式又改變了表面的地勢。」這裡有兩種運作系統，作者將之統稱為循環系統效應。第一種系統叫正回饋，假設一地區有很多待遇不錯的工作空缺，起初大家固守現狀，��願意遷入。但最終有一些人會遷入，而這些人的遷入會使得其他人的遷入更形容易。即遷入新工作地區的人愈多，對其他人的吸引力就愈大。第二種系統叫負回饋，當新地區勞力市場趨於飽和時，工作條件每況愈下，終於竟使得有些人開始搬離那地區，亦即遷入的人愈多，工作機會就愈差，吸引力也就愈小，遷出的可能性愈大。最後，負回饋將主導整個過程，也就是說，這個地區的總人數將維持一個穩定的數目。所以，這類系統也可說是一個選擇系統，就像個人人格、解釋形態、思維定勢、價值觀等，正向引誘與負向引誘的吸引力因人而異(所以叫選擇)。
除了記憶以外，作者還提到“意識”問題。特殊記憶表面有一個最重要的普遍原則，叫做「有限的注意段落」，即是一般所說的「注意力」。循環系統總是由兩種因素同時作用而成，一是激發的因素，一是抑制的因素。在上例中，前者是工作機會，後者則是勞力市場的飽和。這兩個因素同時作用的結果就是造成「某固定區域內有限定數目的單元」。
有限的注意段落就是之前說過的手電筒燈光，一張寫滿字跡的紙面，只有當燈光照到時，字跡才會顯現。這就是注意對記憶所做的事：「特殊記憶處理訊息的行為，如它有一自我一般。這個自我操縱著注意力，從環境的一部份轉移至另一部份，選擇某些特色而忽略其他。這個自我還將各個型式加以拼湊組合，創造出現實中不存在的新型式；或者從四周環境中擷取一小型式，然後再把它加以想像引伸，這個自我有個統一的意識。但是，凡此種種，莫不是導源於在特殊記憶表面上訊息自己組織的被動行為。」「在此自然的發展過程中，何者為支配的型式，要視先前發生的型式序列與累積的經驗而定。」所以，童年的遭遇常決定了自我發展的方向，即所謂思維模式、解釋形態、人格等等。這個結論倒與目前心理學所知不違背。當然，目前無論哲學或腦神經科學對「自我」的解釋都還未成定論。總體而言，這本書提出的“不公平表面”模型還算有用，也給出了心智歷程的輪廓(自組織、初始決定)。
心智是一張不公平的記憶表面
這本書表達方式的特點在於，作者刻意構造了一些模型，企圖以這些「實用」的、「易於了解」的模型來模擬大腦的運作過程。奇怪的是，作者的美意反而讓我產生了閱讀困難。既要理解作者講的模型是什麼，又要用不那麼清楚的模型去與不那麼清楚的大腦功能去對應，搞的曲折晦澀，好像在閱讀上個世紀以前的書。因此，我只能儘量去理解，希望能講出一點可靠的東西。首先，作者在〈引言〉中表示，他認為大腦是有機的信息處理系統，而他的論述方式就是：「把大腦逐步地組織起來，從簡單的單元開始，一步步地搭建，直到心智的機械結構組合完成為止。」他關於心智的結論則是：「組成的機械結構如同一大張寫有字跡的紙面。這張放在暗室的紙張，表面上有一小團光輪(如手電筒所照射的光線)移動，得到此光照明的字跡被讀出，字跡代表儲存於大腦中的訊息。」而這本書則是在「討論把字跡寫在紙面上的過程」，這似乎就是指“記憶”的過程。
這張用來寫字的的紙面(大腦)叫做「記憶表面」，它是一種「不公平表面」的特殊表面。「我們將水隨意噴灑在一個普通的表面上，水會均勻地覆蓋其上。但在一個不公平的表面之上，若干深陷的坑洞會自然形成，而水就會聚積其中。我們可以說，輸入的訊息顯然特別偏愛某些區域的表面。」作者說：「大腦是性能頗差的記憶，因為它並不僅僅儲存外來的訊息，它還會挑選與改變這些訊息。......因此，從記憶出來的訊息不大可能保留其原來的面目。」這與我們目前所知的記憶效能倒是相同。
「這種記憶表面的一般作用，在於從原來可能相當混亂的訊息中，確定、加強並建立出固定的型式。記憶表面只要讓輸入的訊息去自行組織，而且讓既有的型式引導整個組織的過程，就能發揮這個作用。總而言之，這系統是一個自我組織與自我最大限度增強的系統。」由這種記憶表面所造成的效果聯想到關於知識的變遷，就會像實用主義說的，新知識的接受總要建立在最大程度地符合舊知識的基礎上。「新的訊息只能透過既有的型式，才為記憶表面接收。」
但是就自我組織而言，記憶表面所進行的程序是：「型式塑造了表面的地勢，表面地勢接著組織輸入的型式，而輸入的型式又改變了表面的地勢。」這裡有兩種運作系統，作者將之統稱為循環系統效應。第一種系統叫正回饋，假設一地區有很多待遇不錯的工作空缺，起初大家固守現狀，��願意遷入。但最終有一些人會遷入，而這些人的遷入會使得其他人的遷入更形容易。即遷入新工作地區的人愈多，對其他人的吸引力就愈大。第二種系統叫負回饋，當新地區勞力市場趨於飽和時，工作條件每況愈下，終於竟使得有些人開始搬離那地區，亦即遷入的人愈多，工作機會就愈差，吸引力也就愈小，遷出的可能性愈大。最後，負回饋將主導整個過程，也就是說，這個地區的總人數將維持一個穩定的數目。所以，這類系統也可說是一個選擇系統，就像個人人格、解釋形態、思維定勢、價值觀等，正向引誘與負向引誘的吸引力因人而異(所以叫選擇)。
除了記憶以外，作者還提到“意識”問題。特殊記憶表面有一個最重要的普遍原則，叫做「有限的注意段落」，即是一般所說的「注意力」。循環系統總是由兩種因素同時作用而成，一是激發的因素，一是抑制的因素。在上例中，前者是工作機會，後者則是勞力市場的飽和。這兩個因素同時作用的結果就是造成「某固定區域內有限定數目的單元」。
有限的注意段落就是之前說過的手電筒燈光，一張寫滿字跡的紙面，只有當燈光照到時，字跡才會顯現。這就是注意對記憶所做的事：「特殊記憶處理訊息的行為，如它有一自我一般。這個自我操縱著注意力，從環境的一部份轉移至另一部份，選擇某些特色而忽略其他。這個自我還將各個型式加以拼湊組合，創造出現實中不存在的新型式；或者從四周環境中擷取一小型式，然後再把它加以想像引伸，這個自我有個統一的意識。但是，凡此種種，莫不是導源於在特殊記憶表面上訊息自己組織的被動行為。」「在此自然的發展過程中，何者為支配的型式，要視先前發生的型式序列與累積的經驗而定。」所以，童年的遭遇常決定了自我發展的方向，即所謂思維模式、解釋形態、人格等等。這個結論倒與目前心理學所知不違背。當然，目前無論哲學或腦神經科學對「自我」的解釋都還未成定論。總體而言，這本書提出的“不公平表面”模型還算有用，也給出了心智歷程的輪廓(自組織、初始決定)。
May 28, 2023
READ MAY 2023
Another seminal work from De Bono on how the mind works. De Bono does an effective job of describing and contrasting natural, logical, and lateral thinking. In this work, De Bono shows how the mind efficiently (not always effectively) works to recognize (pattern making) and categorize information and interactions. Other factors that influence how the mind works include sequencing and the cumulative effect over time. These work together on what he describes as a memory-surface to create contours (you may think of these as ruts) that either serve us well to channel information to making decisions, or do not serve us well, leaving us with rigid perceptions and understanding of what is happening.
"...contours are made up from an interaction of the internal patterns (emotions) of the moment, what is being presented to the surface at the moment, and the record of what has happened in the past. It is a matter of acknowledging the useful existence of the patterns (biases) but also being aware of the possibility of changing them to better patterns. So long as one is aware of this possibility then the dangers of arrogant fixity are lessened." (pg. 338-339).
Another seminal work from De Bono on how the mind works. De Bono does an effective job of describing and contrasting natural, logical, and lateral thinking. In this work, De Bono shows how the mind efficiently (not always effectively) works to recognize (pattern making) and categorize information and interactions. Other factors that influence how the mind works include sequencing and the cumulative effect over time. These work together on what he describes as a memory-surface to create contours (you may think of these as ruts) that either serve us well to channel information to making decisions, or do not serve us well, leaving us with rigid perceptions and understanding of what is happening.
"...contours are made up from an interaction of the internal patterns (emotions) of the moment, what is being presented to the surface at the moment, and the record of what has happened in the past. It is a matter of acknowledging the useful existence of the patterns (biases) but also being aware of the possibility of changing them to better patterns. So long as one is aware of this possibility then the dangers of arrogant fixity are lessened." (pg. 338-339).
February 11, 2025
It is very philosophical and not in a good way. In the end I just got tired and did not finish it.
This is like ChatGPT but just written quite some years back.
This is like ChatGPT but just written quite some years back.
August 3, 2017
For a long time it's not clear what kind of book this is. It's not cognitive neurology, nor is it philosophy of mind. Given de Bono's background in physiology and medicine, it is strange that it is not a popular account of how neurologists thought the brain worked back then (1969). Towards the end of the book, there is a short chapter on Physiology. Here de Bono claims that, given the knowledge physiologists had, the human brain could work like the information processing system that he describes. I suppose the problem de Bono faced was that then there was simply not enough science available to write a book on the mechanism of mind. So he turned to philosophy instead.
The first part of the book reads like a series of thought experiments, speculations on how 'memory surfaces' could 'process information'. Here we have sheets of jelly, tumbling tower blocks, restraining springs, and arrays of tiny bulbs. This section I found confusing, and abandoned this book here the first time I tried to read it (1984). These days I'm made of sterner stuff...and I've studied some philosophy. I'm still not sure what this section is here for, perhaps to illustrate the development of his own thinking, or perhaps to provide the reader with a series of stepping stones, physical objects which we are familiar with, to the mechanism of the mind, with which we are not. I would have prefered to start with neurons, not least because I don't like to think of my mind as jelly.
What de Bono's towers and bulbs do do is get us swiftly away from any idea of mind-body dualism, the belief that the mental and the physical are essentially different. Having constructed his physical memory surfaces, he then explores their behaviour and considers whether it looks like the mental phenomena we are familiar with; attention, self, emotion, insight, bias, and prejudice (this list looks quite biased itself). Of course they do, so we don't need to concern ourselves with any non-physical accounts of mind. Or indeed anything that minds can do that jelly and springs cannot. I very much like the idea that the information processing of the mind is a result of it's structure, it doesn't need any outside programming. But I dislike the idea that the mind is just an information processing device. The biggest oversight de Bono makes here is language. Probably the most significant distinction between the minds of humans and the minds of jellyfish - which are probably as sophisticated as the special memory surface - is the use of language. Traditionally philosophers of mind have been more concerned with the products of the mind, thoughts, rather than with the mechanism of the mind. And those thoughts are usually couched in language. Any convincing account of the human mind is going to have to include an account of language.
Without any attempt at explaining how language and mind interact, de Bono moves on to give accounts of natural, logical, and mathematical thinking. For me these all require language; logic and mathematical thinking are culturally refined forms of language. Still without any grounding in philosophy - philosophical logic this time - he goes on to point out the limitations of logic. This, he thinks, functions merely to put a brake on particular lines of thought. "No!" our culture tells us, and we cease to think about something. His account of natural thinking is quite persuasive, and does remind me of discussions with people who can't get beyond their prejudices, the well worn grooves of their special memory surface. But it seems to be a prejudice of his that nothing positive can come of logic, and he doesn't consider that logic can equally show us that no 'No!' actually exists, and we are logically free to develop a non-'natural' line of thought.
In the absence of the good 'No!', the last part of the book offers us 'Po!' a new functional word that will liberate our thinking. I think at this point it becomes clear what kind of book this is, it's a self-help book, not philosophy, not cognitive neurology, it will probably pass as psychology. I shelve mine with religion.
The first part of the book reads like a series of thought experiments, speculations on how 'memory surfaces' could 'process information'. Here we have sheets of jelly, tumbling tower blocks, restraining springs, and arrays of tiny bulbs. This section I found confusing, and abandoned this book here the first time I tried to read it (1984). These days I'm made of sterner stuff...and I've studied some philosophy. I'm still not sure what this section is here for, perhaps to illustrate the development of his own thinking, or perhaps to provide the reader with a series of stepping stones, physical objects which we are familiar with, to the mechanism of the mind, with which we are not. I would have prefered to start with neurons, not least because I don't like to think of my mind as jelly.
What de Bono's towers and bulbs do do is get us swiftly away from any idea of mind-body dualism, the belief that the mental and the physical are essentially different. Having constructed his physical memory surfaces, he then explores their behaviour and considers whether it looks like the mental phenomena we are familiar with; attention, self, emotion, insight, bias, and prejudice (this list looks quite biased itself). Of course they do, so we don't need to concern ourselves with any non-physical accounts of mind. Or indeed anything that minds can do that jelly and springs cannot. I very much like the idea that the information processing of the mind is a result of it's structure, it doesn't need any outside programming. But I dislike the idea that the mind is just an information processing device. The biggest oversight de Bono makes here is language. Probably the most significant distinction between the minds of humans and the minds of jellyfish - which are probably as sophisticated as the special memory surface - is the use of language. Traditionally philosophers of mind have been more concerned with the products of the mind, thoughts, rather than with the mechanism of the mind. And those thoughts are usually couched in language. Any convincing account of the human mind is going to have to include an account of language.
Without any attempt at explaining how language and mind interact, de Bono moves on to give accounts of natural, logical, and mathematical thinking. For me these all require language; logic and mathematical thinking are culturally refined forms of language. Still without any grounding in philosophy - philosophical logic this time - he goes on to point out the limitations of logic. This, he thinks, functions merely to put a brake on particular lines of thought. "No!" our culture tells us, and we cease to think about something. His account of natural thinking is quite persuasive, and does remind me of discussions with people who can't get beyond their prejudices, the well worn grooves of their special memory surface. But it seems to be a prejudice of his that nothing positive can come of logic, and he doesn't consider that logic can equally show us that no 'No!' actually exists, and we are logically free to develop a non-'natural' line of thought.
In the absence of the good 'No!', the last part of the book offers us 'Po!' a new functional word that will liberate our thinking. I think at this point it becomes clear what kind of book this is, it's a self-help book, not philosophy, not cognitive neurology, it will probably pass as psychology. I shelve mine with religion.
October 9, 2015
one of my all time favorite books, much better the second time around. de bono creates a mechanism which is comparable to the memory surface of the mind, and then breaks down the advatages and disadvantages of the mind's memory. de bono goes further to create a new line of thinking whichs makes up for the flaws of natural, mathmatical, and logical thinking. if you have ever heard of the term 'lateral thinking' this is the man who created it.... good read for anyone interested in teaching yourself how to think 'outside the box.'
May 21, 2008
Euard de Bono has an interesting approach on how humans think. His descriptions of mechanism is very recognisable and at the time reading it broadened my views. Reflecting back on it with using other theories his findings can be confirmed.
In itself de Bono's approach are good metaphores for what is going on but what is lacking is the approach of 'the mechanism behind the mechanism'. The metaphores reaveal little about the why...
Still a recomender for people outside the psy-field as de Bono writes in a comprehensive language that is easily understood.
In itself de Bono's approach are good metaphores for what is going on but what is lacking is the approach of 'the mechanism behind the mechanism'. The metaphores reaveal little about the why...
Still a recomender for people outside the psy-field as de Bono writes in a comprehensive language that is easily understood.
June 6, 2021
This book is ridiculous. Every other sentence contains an unnecessary analogy overexplaining a simple statement. For example, to illustrate the fact that not knowing the nature of a system can lead to user errors (which is fairly obvious, if you ask me), the author felt the need to use an analogy about British hotel services versus American hotel services. This came directly before a different analogy about racecars. I couldn't get past the third chapter.
August 15, 2012
My mechanism of the mind has been de-mechanised by this book. I will have to re-read (maybe again) sometime. To rate the book now would be unmerited, so the judgement is reserved. 3 is provisional rating.
March 22, 2008
Another interesting book by de Bono about lateral thinking and the structure of the brain--terrific reading for all thinking and creative people.
July 9, 2008
The most concise, consistent and simply delineated explanation of how the mind works that I believe has ever been written and made available to the general public.
July 26, 2011
I suppose, even if you don't agree with all his ideas, like I don't, at least it gets you thinking.
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