Smarter: The New Science of Building Brain Power Author: Visit Amazon's Dan Hurley Page | Language: English | ISBN:
1594631271 | Format: PDF
Smarter: The New Science of Building Brain Power Description
Review
“Smarter is an essential read. It's a riveting look at the birth of a new science as well as a user’s manual for anyone who wants to be better at solving problems, learning new things, and coming up with creative ideas.”
—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind
“Hurley captures the history and mystery of intelligence, but, most of all, the exciting new science of intellectual growth. This may be the most important revolution of our time!”
—Carol Dweck, Author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
“Dan Hurley isolates just what cognitive exercise boosts intelligence. Anyone who doubts that environment can make a real difference to cognition should start with this book.”
—James R. Flynn author of What is Intelligence
“Filled with beautifully explained science, Smarter is engaging and inspiring, offering much-needed hope to those of us whose smarts seem to be declining. Smarter, in fact, is that rare thing: enjoyable reading that can also improve your life.”
—Gretchen Reynolds, author of The First 20 Minutes
About the Author
DAN HURLEY is an award-winning science journalist whose 2012 feature in the New York Times Magazine, "Can You Make Yourself Smarter?" was one of the magazine's most-read articles of the year. In 2013 he published another article for the magazine, "Jumper Cables for the Mind," describing his experience with transcranial direct-current stimulation. He has written on the science of increasing fluid intelligence for the Washington Post and Neurology, and is featured in the 2013 PBS documentary, "Smarter Brains." His books have been excerpted in Wired and Discover magazine. Hurley has written nearly two dozen science articles for the New York Times since 2005.
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- Hardcover: 304 pages
- Publisher: Hudson Street Press (December 26, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1594631271
- ISBN-13: 978-1594631276
- Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.4 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
*A full summary of this book is available here: An Executive Summary of Dan Hurley's 'Smarter: The New Science of Building Brain Power'
The main argument: The idea that we can boost our brain power through interventions of various kinds has been around a long time. Over the years, numerous drugs, diets and other practices (including everything from physical exercise to learning a new language or musical instrument to meditation to even zapping the brain with electrodes) have been purported to pump up our mental strength. And lately, a new practice has been added to this list: brain-training games and exercises. Indeed, in the past decade a whole new industry has emerged around brain-training programs. Built on the premise that specific types of mental activities can strengthen our cognitive skills and add to general intelligence, companies such as Lumosity and LearningRx have convinced millions of paying customers that their product will give them an edge in the brains department.
The more skeptical among us, however, may find ourselves wondering just what is the scientific basis behind all these brain games and other interventions. It was just this thought that occurred to science writer Dan Hurley; and so, following his skeptical sense, Hurley decided to investigate the matter for himself. What Hurley found was a scientific field that, though young, is bustling with activity (and controversy).
The new science of building brain power may be said to have truly kicked off in 2002.
With rare exception, the best works of non-fiction provide a journey of discovery for their reader and that is certainly true of this one, together with the significant value-added benefit that those who read it accompany Dan Hurley on his own journey of discovery as he attempts to determine whether or not he or anyone else is smart enough to make himself smarter. As he explains, he met with more than 200 eminent scientists and other experts on brain training and road-tested many of the methods on himself. He was his own guinea pig while learning to play the Renaissance lute, joining an intense "boot camp" mental exercise class, attempting mindfulness meditation, and even undergoing transcranial direct-current stimulation ("Jumper Cables for the Mind"). He shares what he learned in this book.
For example:
o Although results vary between and among those who receive mental training, it really can help almost anyone to become smarter.
o Some of these programs are more scientific than others in terms of design, instruction, and measurement.
o Becoming smarter does not necessarily mean becoming wiser.
o Mental training as a science is less than ten years old, in its infancy, and so much more needs to be learned about how it can help make people smarter about becoming smarter.
o One of the most valuable -- and most exciting -- areas of research to explore consists of ways to train certain functions for those who belief in plasticity, "which is really indisputable at this point."
When reflecting back on his journey of discovery, Dan Hurley observes, "If intelligence is calculated by what we do, you hold in your hands the single best measure of mine. My days of training were filled purposeful, challenging tasks of all kinds...
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