Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Daniel Kahneman's in, Thinking, Fast and Slow
describes the differences in two thought processing mechanisms that all humans have. We have a very fast method of analyzing a situation or a problem (system 1) and a more slow and methodical method of analyzing a problem (system 2). The first method takes things at face value and often does a couple of mental short cuts. Its great for quickly sizing up a situation and determining that a person is upset with you based on their facial expression. The second method is slower and requires more effort. It is used for solving complex math problems and maintaining a moral compass. In one particular study, students had been given a mentally taxing task. After this task, half were given a sugar free item to consume and the other were given an item with sugar. A short time later they were given another mentally taxing task. The individuals in the sugar free group performed poorly where as the group that ate the sugar did well. The previous mentally taxing exercise had removed the available stores of glucose and there was no energy available for creative thought.
The book provides a guide to making better decisions. We can thoughtfully use system 2 as a check for laziness. We can avoid lazy decision making by employing system 2 to prevent incorrect snap judgements. I've been reading it a chapter at a time to better absorb the material. This is a very helpful book for individuals wanting to make good decisions and for emergency responders where both systems are needed to achieve the best outcome.
Fast (system1) and Slow (system 2) - Episode 1 - 3 min.
Fast and slow - Episode 2 - to be continued - 3 min.
Brain Tricks - 5 minutes
Avoiding decision making mistakes - 7 min.
Daniel Kahneman's talk at Google - 62 minutes
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