Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2013 - (Page 36)

off the shelf Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman Review by Alex Caine Answer the following question as quickly as you can: A bat and a ball cost $1.10. The bat costs one dollar more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? If your answer to this question was 10 cents, you are not alone. More than half of the students asked this question at Harvard gave the same answer. Like you, they were wrong. Chances are very good that you (and those Harvard students) are easily capable of simple math problems like this one, so why was your initial answer wrong? At first glance, Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman might seem like just another book about psychology and the human brain. It focuses on several case studies and original research conducted by both the author and his colleagues to draw conclusions about the way people behave in certain situations, the way they answer simple questions, and what causes them to do so. What makes this book remarkable is that Kahneman uses extremely simple anecdotes, problems, and stories to create a narrative that is clear and compelling for a lay audience, yet interesting and informative enough to be a worthwhile read for students of psychology or neurology. The book begins by defining two “systems” in the brain. System 1, Kahneman says, is responsible for quick decisions and “thoughtless” actions. It operates without being told to do so and is responsible for what people call intuition (the same intuition that gave you the incorrect answer to the bat and ball problem). System 2, on the other hand, is responsible for attention and complex computations. You almost definitely used System 2 when you went back and checked your math, realizing that your initial answer to the bat and ball problem was indeed incorrect. Kahneman then goes on to examine how each system plays a role in the actions and decisions people make every day. Tackling everything from our subconscious biases to the flawed ways we make conscious choices and decisions, this book shows us how strikingly irrational humans truly are. While background knowledge can certainly enrich the experience of reading Thinking, Fast and Slow, it isn’t necessary. This book has received almost universal praise from critics and book reviewers: it has been called “brilliant” (The Globe and Mail), “astonishingly rich” (New York Times Book Review), and the “only... masterpiece” (Financial Times) on the subject of human rationality and irrationality. An incredibly fascinating text, Thinking, Fast and Slow is for anyone who wonders how their brain works or why they make certain mistakes or have certain tendencies. If you have ever been even slightly curious about how you “work,” and are willing to be surprised by finding out, this book should definitely be on your reading list. Alex Caine, 17, is a senior at ridgewood high school in ridgewood, nJ, who became interested in neuroscience after taking classes in psychology and anatomy. he has attended CtY as well as Brain Camp, an intensive study program at muhlenberg College. Also recommended Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig A story of dual journeys—one internal, one external—Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance shines as a work of philosophy. Pirsig tells the tale of a man attempting to connect not only to his son, but also to his past. The characters are vivid, the observations astute, and the novel as a whole delicious. Ultimately, Pirsig’s ideas will stay with you long after you’ve put the book down, as will the narrator, a philosopher with dirt under his fingernails. —Mary Jane Porzenheim, 16, IL The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff Hoff explores the principles of Taoism by intertwining Taoist doctrine with the classic western story of Winnie the Pooh. Taoism seemed hard to relate to today’s society until Hoff explains that Pooh and his successful adventures are the result of living life in sync with nature. The narrator holds conversations with Pooh throughout the story, which is both entertaining to read and insightful as to how simple thinking and working with the universe allows for problems to sort themselves out. —Kim Sorensen, 17, IA 36 imagine Jan/Feb 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2013

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2013
Contents
Big Picture
In My Own Words
The Week I Turned Green
No Turning Back
Landsat: A Continuing Legacy of Earth Observation
Sensing Danger
The Black Gold Miners
Cleaner Water, Brought to You by Sunlight and Science
Journey to the Frozen Continent
CTY Paleobiology
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Innovation in the Real World
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2013