Mechanism of Mind

This is perhaps one of de Bono's most subtle and exquisitely crafted books. In it, he lays out his theory of how the mind works -mechanically, that is. His theory, interestingly has preceded the actual findings by, among others, biologists, other neurologists and medical scientists. And after the fact, has proven to be more or less correct. What is most striking about de Bono's theories is that he does not (as many other scientists do) make lavish claims about the brain's computing powers and abilities, but in fact makes just the opposite claim: that the human brain is a rather crude, clumsy, passive and slow mechanical device as measured by normal computing standards. And further, that it is precisely because of this lack of precision, speed -- and its own passivity -- that makes the human brain good at what it does best: self organization. Once processing begins, the mind has a life of its own. The key component of mind is of course memory. In fact, following de Bono's lead, it is not too strong to suggest that memory is all there is to mind and consciousness. Everything else in the brain is just mechanics: special and often fleeting arrangements, configurations, modules and sub-modules and functional components of memory formed mostly as byproducts of the mind's activity and processing. But it is how memory actually is arranged to do its work that is novel and key to understanding the mechanics of the brain. Most often, memory operates "passively" rather than actively. As things happen to it, it reacts by taking on new forms and reorganizing itself into new functions. Taking on new shapes, forms and functions IS the brains way of reacting. "Taking on new shapes and forms" becomes "braining processing." For it is precisely in these forms and shapes that the weight of mind (as memory functions and activity) is carried; functions that when taken together become the sum toll of mind. As usual, de Bono has his own heuristics for driving his mechanical points home. Pneumatics, filling and draining of bathtubs, pistons and valves all play a role and make up his repertoire of mechanical heuristics for explaining the minds way of reacting. Most of them do their jobs well. One of his best examples is the heuristic of "passive reaction": of water rolling down a hill. As it does so, it can etch out grooves, gullies, ravines and even rivers and oceans: So too can thoughts that ripple through the mind, leaving their tracks and imprints on memory cells. It is these memory traces and tracks that come together as sub-modules, and that can undergo further processing and similar secondary changes, to become larger grooves and gullies that constitute additional and often larger and ever newer functional forms and sub-modules. And so it goes as the mind builds up in connections, complexity and in activity. de Bono's key point of course is, that there is no deus ex machina, no magic in the brain: It is all rather subtle passive processing. Five Stars

1. The brain may not be as difficult to understand as previously thought. Instead, the problem may be it is too easy to understand. 2. Explanations may be highly acceptable without relevance to what is being explained. 3. Descriptions may reveal something that is not apparent and may be unfamiliar. 4. Words usually describe things or actions. A few words don't describe things, but are helpful tools for dealing with words: multiplication, division, and additions (symbols) 5. Words represent information stored in the brain. 6. The brain's bad memory feature provide for a computer computing function 7. Thinking has four types: natural, logical, mathematical, and lateral. 8. Systems do not have to be complicated or unintelligible 9. What happen in the brain are information and the way it happens in thinking. Thinking is the arrangement of information processed by brain and the restructuring of information to improve results. 10. Making use of the characteristics of the system can be used to improve performance or achieve some end. 11. Language, notion, mathematics are aids to thinking. 12. The brain has poor memory recall. The brain picks and chooses and alters information in what is called processing behavior, so what comes out is very different than what goes in. 13. Simple basic processes can be put together to give a system complicated behavior, as the brain. 14. Some knowledge of the properties of the basic unit is required at each level of information form, but a detailed knowledge of the basic level does not yield any information about higher levels of organization. For example, nerves and synaptic connection detailed information does not give insight into notion and idea formation abstracts. If the units are too small, the functional description can not be described and if the units are too big, the description will be too broad for use at all. The perfect size is a unit big enough to be usable as an explanation but also capable of making predictions. 15. Once a model is constructed, it has a life and working of its own. With a model, you put the pieces together and learn from what happens. A model is a method of transferring some relationship or process from its actual setting to a setting where it is more conveniently studied. In a model, relationships and processes are preserved unchanged though the things that are being related may be changed. All models involve the transformation of relationship from their original setting into another. Once the transformation has been made, then the relationship within the model itself indicates what can happen. 16. A notion is model-building system. Basic principles are arranged and applied differently created a notion. Newton mathematics used Leibniz limits to explain areas under curves, and Newton symbol condensed Leibniz principles. Leibniz principles were still a part of Newton notion. A convenient notion may make possible the development of different ideas. 17. The mechanism mode

This book is a revolutionary examination of thinking and perception that should be a must read for anyone seeking to understand the why's and how's of human thinking. Elegant, and profound are the two terms that come to mind when describing DeBono's prose.

This is one of the best books I have read. It does not describe the mind in neurochemical or psychological terms, but hits the spot by providing a simple model of how the mind works. From that model, De Bono provides insight on how memory, learning, attention, 'pig-headedness' and insight can occur. He shows how the brain stores information and experience efficiently, but also shows how those storage units can become rules unto themselves, thereby inhibiting further clear thinking. He then describes lateral thinking, as a means of disrupting the learnt rigid patterns that can make people blind to the simplest of ideas. It is curious that this work is not more extensively discussed in texts on psychology. Those texts often describe research on how certain neurons in the brain become selected through use, but do not take the simple step back to this original work by De Bono. Another interesting interpretation of the De Bono work is provided in Cookson's book 'Our wild niche', where he coins the word mindrules (similar to De Bono's d-lines). Mindrules are experience learnt instincts, and have wider connotations for human ecology and adjustment to various niches, both natural and artificial. I recommend you buy the Mechanism of Mind. Then you will almost see how the cogs in your own mind turn. [email protected]

Mechanism of Mind is one of my most treasured books. It gave me very practical insights into how humans process information. The book is easy enough to understand, and doesn't require any previous knowledge of psychology. It's a fairly serious, engrossing read, though, even with de Bono's nice little explanatory diagrams and simple examples. (I've read six of de Bono's books, and this was the most demanding, and the one I'd only recommend to my most intellectual friends). It compares the brain to an array of a thousand lightbulbs. All the bulbs in the array have a simple device that makes them responsive to light (from an image projected onto the array. Each bulb also has a simple device that makes them "tire" (grow dim) without stimulus). It's fascinating how the array behaves. De Bono explains how it "processes" patterns, easily mimicing brain functions such as attention and diversion, memory and forgetting, pattern recognition (generalization), creativity and insight. This book certainly changed my life. I understand much more confidently how my mind works, and the minds of others.