PRE-READING EXERCISE
Knowledge Updating Page
- one of the best approaches to improve reading comprehension and retention of the new material.
The process:
1. Before you start reading a new book, it is beneficial to map your current understanding of the central subject the author aims to cover. For this book, the central subject is:
The basic principles behind the brain function and their effect our decision-making, emotions, and beliefs.
Now, to map your existing knowledge, prepare a blank sheet of paper and write down what you know about the aforementioned subject you are going to dive into – either in the form of bullets and definitions or in the style of a mind map (according to your preference).
2. Once you start with the reading - after each reading session, take a few minutes to add new inputs and ideas to your "list / map of prior knowledge". In this fashion, you will continuously rearticulate and update your previous opinions and add new information that will lead to the expansion of your knowledge and finding new connections.
*sidenote - you can use different colors for "prior" and "updated" knowledge.
3. Before each next reading session, review the updated list / mind map to refresh your memory and to attune yourself for the reading.
- example of the knowledge updating page, you can print a template here.
Before reading.
As you read.
Intelligent Skimming
- serves to understand what the book is about and the structure of the argument of its author.
01. Creating the map of the book & identifying the key concepts.
- cca 15 min.
02. Pre-reading routine.
- cca 30 min.
REFLECTING ON LESSONS 1/2 - 3
#1
“When it comes to body budgeting, prediction beats reaction.” – as Feldman Barrett pointed out in relation to the predation avoidance. If you look closer at how your body works, you can observe that “prediction beats reactions” applies to many of your body systems and functions. One example could be higher cortisol levels in the morning and lower in the later parts of the day. From an evolutionary standpoint, you were usually exposed to situations requiring action in the morning hours and to a lesser degree in the evening. Therefore, for your system to be energetically efficient – predictions in energy expenditure & activity levels are reflected in natural circadian rhythms of cortisol.
Think of other concrete examples, where you can apply "prediction beats reaction", concerning how your body functions.
#2
“Rational decisions are made using reason and plain facts, instead of being guided by your emotions.” – this argument might instinctively feel right, but after reading "lesson 2", you know this concept is incorrect.
Once you see rationality in terms of body budgeting – how does your view on the decision-making process change?
Reflect on some of your recent decisions. Did any seem irrational before, but when you look at rationality as spending or saving resources to succeed in your immediate environment, those decisions make more sense?
Try to apply the same type of logic to your behavior. How are your actions affected by the current state of your energy budget?
#3
What is it dangerous about using (often misleading/inaccurate) metaphors - in relation to our brain, as mentioned in the book, but also concerning our health and body in general?
Reflect on your own experience, when using metaphors have not paid out well.
#4
“We have the kind of nature that requires nurture”. Our brains wire themselves towards their immediate environment during early childhood, the cultural specifics are imprinted through words and actions as well.
How can we then relate to people of other cultures? What obstacles this "cultural wiring" present for us?
REFLECTING ON LESSONS 4 - 7
#1
"Your brain utilizes past experience to construct your reality and only correct the construct based on information from the outside."
When it comes to neuroscience (and other scientific areas), many descriptions (contrary to metaphors) defy common sense. You might resist to accept them as facts because these descriptions do not fall into your mental concept of understanding how things work. You might, therefore, fall for a more graspable and familiar, although wrong explanation.
Can you observe this trend, either in yourself or in somebody around you?
What are the risks of having an inaccurate/misleading idea about how something work?
#2
Based on your updated knowledge, try to articulate the notion of free will. In what ways you have the possibility of a free choice, and where you only have an illusion of free will?
#3
Following up on the author's statement – "Many brain regions that process language also control the insides of your body, including major organs and systems that support your body budget."
The use of language is not limited to interpersonal communication.
You have an internal monologue with yourself almost all the time. Does it affect your body-budget in the same manner? If yes - paying attention to how you talk to yourself goes a long way - for your health, decision-making, behavior. How do you manage your internal dialogue?
#4
“Affect is like a barometer for how you are doing. Remember, your brain is constantly running a budget for your body. Affect hints at whether your body budget is in balance or in the red. Ideally, evolution would have given you something more specific to regulate your body budget precisely. Unfortunately, it has not- affect only provides you with the unspecific signal in form of feeling like crap. Then your brain must predict what to do next to keep you alive and well.”
To navigate yourself better in life, the question, therefore, is – how can you understand what is happening to you/inside of you with more precision?
Could developing observational skills – through a mindful form of physical practice, mental work of meditation, and regular reflection – help us to be more accurate?
#5
You have the power to modify your mind - in real-time. You can alter your mental state to better match whatever you are after.
The author mentioned caffeine and amphetamines intake to alter your neurochemistry as an example. But you have many ways and tools at your disposal to modify your current mind/mental state. What you can do internally and how you can manipulate the external to get your mind where you want it to be?
Hints:
internal - altering the breathing pattern
external - changing the visual scenery around you
#6
“The human brain misunderstands itself and mistakes social reality for physical reality, which can cause all sorts of problems.”
Reflect on the recent news around the world. Can you find specific examples of the consequences of mistaking social reality for a physical one? Are there any ways to minimize these “side effects” of interchanging those two realities?
FEYNMAN ONE-PAGER
- a technique derived from Richard Feynman, who excelled in his ability to synthesize and explain even complex scientific concepts. By using this technique right after you have finished the book, you will further enhance your understanding of the book's subject, identify the possible gaps in your knowledge and master the ability to clearly communicate the newly acquired information.
It consists of the following steps:
01. Teach it to a child
Take out a blank sheet of paper and write the central concept of the book you have just finished in the top corner. Underneath, write down everything you know about this concept, without revisiting your notes or the book. The trick is, however, that you have to write in style, as if you wanted to teach a given concept to a 12-year-old child. Unlike your intelligent adult friends, 12-year-olds do not have scientific / technical terminology and specific jargon. Plus, they do not hold attention for too long. Therefore, you need to be clear and concise, and use language, which vocabulary can be easily understood by a child, so it can grasp the basic ideas and relationships.
02. Identify your knowledge gaps
As you write, you will get to points where you will not be able to explain something in simple words, you will not be able to recall some key information, or you will have trouble tying the individual parts together to make clear connection.
In other words, you will encounter gaps in your knowledge... and that is the point, where you are really starting to learn!
Now that you know where you got stuck, go back and re-read particular passages in the book, review your own notes, or look for other source materials that address this concept. This process is necessary for you to fill in all the cracks that emerged from the previous step, and skipping it leads to the illusion of your knowledge.
03. Organize, simplify and tell a story
At this point, you have a set of manually created notes in front of you. Go through them and create one continuous story, which will contain the key terms, relationships, and ideas of the concept you have just studied.
Practice reading the created story aloud. Pretend you're telling a story to a class of younger students. This way you will hear where your speech ceases to be simple and concise - avoid jargon and complicated sentences. Stumbles in the speech will again indicate to you the incompleteness of your thoughts. Practice until you are satisfied with the simplicity, straightforwardness, and fluency of your presentation. Ideally, invite live listeners who will give you feedback.
TAKING ACTION
- knowledge is power. But without application it is useless - you can call it "dry cognition". Therefore, let's put your new understanding into action!
01. Changing your behavior
Write down 3 actionable things you can incorporate into your behavior / life, based on the information you have learned in the book.
02. Where does it lead?
You won't change anything unless you envision its actual value. To each of the actions written in the previous step, write down how will your future looks like:
a. if you will stick to those actions on the most occasions.
b. if you won't incorporate them into your life.
03. Reminder.
Your intentions, willpower, and reasoning fade away with time. Set out a specific time window in your calendar, when you go through and analyze your behavior / habits and their impact on your life. Take the necessary steps to put yourself back on the path to a good life!