Tuesday, October 6, 2009

More brain news...

I guess this is the week for brain news. I was just reading the NYTimes (online) and noticed an article about absurdity and logic. Two things you wouldn't expect to go together....
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/health/06mind.html?hpw

The idea, as I understand it, is that your brain wants to find patterns and logical connections. When it is confronted with something illogical or absurd it starts to work extra hard, searching for patterns. As a result, exposure to absurdity may increase your brain's ability to see new patterns. You may notice things that you wouldn't have seen before, connections that were hidden.

The story concludes with the observation: at least some of the time, disorientation begets creative thinking.

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