Our thoughts are intrinsically connected to our wellness, health, and cognitive tasks such as problem-solving and decision-making.  

I think most people believe thinking happens the same way a superhero uses superpowers: whether flying or reading minds, all a hero needs to save the day is contained within abilities that are solely managed by their brains.

Sounds simple enough. But what we don’t realize is, just like superheroes need a bite from a spider or a nearby building to crush their enemies, our brains also reach out to the external world to construct our thoughts. Our brains rely on our feelings, our surroundings, and, of course, our relationships with our fellow humans.

Maybe that’s our superpower – not reading minds, but using what’s in the mind of others. 🙂

Annie Murphy Paul has revolutionized the way we think about thinking by proposing we actively and consciously engage with our surroundings. This has profound implications to our mental health and, of course, opens new possibilities in the technology realm.

Together with Hagit Alon, Stephanie DuPont, Silvana Carolina Joy, Terence Daniels, Tara Lutman, Eric Nielsen, Quintus Jett, Maria Reina, Peter Tjeerdsma, we embarked on a journey to learn from The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain by Paul. Below is what we think matters for Transformative Tech.

Thinking happens outside the brain

Human brains are usually perceived as computers – a piece of hardware made with organic matter and electrical current, reseted to factory settings with proprietary software upon birth. A more dynamic analogy sees the brain as a muscle that can be exercised, improved, and grown. Paul, on the other hand, suggests that the brain is actually like magpies, a bird that builds its nest not only with tree branches but with materials found all around their environment. 

In her book, Paul presents the theory of the extended mind: thinking doesn’t happen solely inside the brain and is instead a result of incorporating what we learn from our bodies (through feelings, movement, and gestures), our surroundings (through natural spaces, built interiors, and externalized ideas), and our relationships (through experts, peers, and groups). 

Big Ramifications for Transformative Tech

Paul’s The Extended Mind makes us question whether our common way of perceiving thinking – that the only thinking which matters is the mental kind – really tells the whole story. 

Transformative technologies can support the myriad ways in which we expand our brains to solve problems, make decisions, and form relationships. For example:

• If our bodies respond to the external world before our brains even have a chance to process that information, how can we become more aware of our feelings, reactions, and physical responses? Interoception, for instance, is the perception of sensations inside the body. Can technology improve our interoception by providing us with biofeedback and biological frameworks to identify and use our sensations?
• Are there technologies supporting the creation of environments that are more conducive to extending our minds? How can technology help us revel in unbuilt, natural environments to take full advantage of nature’s impact on our brains? 
• Because we use other people’s thoughts to construct our own, how can technology bridge people and facilitate communication? How can it help us translate what is in our minds so other minds can use it?

Big Ethical Considerations for Transformative Tech

Needless to say, the consequences of Paul’s revolutionary approach to thinking are huge for us.

For instance, as architects, designers, and engineers, we could soon build workspaces and living spaces that promote brain overflow, allowing us to easily tap into our environment to think more creatively and solve problems more efficiently. 

We could create wearables, sensors, and monitors that increase our interoception so we can name our body responses and feel our feelings.

Further, we could soon create technologies that will easily tap into other people’s minds. Which, of course, has ethical considerations and can get scary (“thought piracy” holds potential threat). 

Below is a summary of each team member’s take-away for our Transformative Tech community within the chapters of The Extended Mind.

As always, I am excited about your thoughts and opinions on how this new understanding of the brain changes the way you view, use, or create transformative technologies.

Love,
Nichol, and Hagit Alon, Stephanie DuPont, Silvana Carolina Joy, Terence Daniels, Tara Lutman, Eric Nielsen, Quintus Jett, Maria Reina, Peter Tjeerdsma.

P.S. If you want to participate in the next session.  We will be reading the classic Embodied Mind with the session on Dec 16th from 10-12 AM PST.  Sign-up here if you want to join.

CHAPTER REFLECTIONS