Intuition Pumps

This useful exploration of thinking provides a master class on thought by someone who has spent his life thinking about thinking. Philosophy professor Daniel C. Dennett’s clear prose and quiet humor make the book pleasant, and his insight makes it valuable. Be prepared, however: The text is more than 400 pages long and, as the introduction reminds you, “thinking is hard,” and, sometimes, so is reading about it. This treatise clearly springs from a larger conversation about how thought works, so those who are unfamiliar with related debates about cognitive function may be a little at sea. Dennett does not address bias or self-interested self-deception, but he is at home with complexity and urges his readers to embrace it. getAbstract recommends his overview to writers, teachers, students, strategists, problem solvers, futurists, amateur and professional philosophers, and anyone who wants to think more clearly.