Title: The watchman's rattle : thinking our way out of extinction /
Authors: Costa, Rebecca D.; Wilson, Edward O.
Publisher: Vanguard Press,
Year: 2010
Subjects: Complexity (Philosophy); Problem solving; Civilization; Problem solving.; Civilization.
Abstract: Explains why the human brain has such difficulty dealing with complex global problems and provides a method for surmounting these limitations in order to end the blights of worldwide recession, global warming, fast-spreading viruses, famine, and poverty.
Contents: A pattern of complexity and collapse: why civilizations spiral -- Evolution's gift: a breakthrough in neuroscience -- The sovereignty of supermemes: the power of beliefs -- Irrational opposition: the first supermeme -- The personalization of blame: the second supermeme -- Counterfeit correlation: the third supermeme -- Silo thinking: the fourth supermeme -- Extreme economics: the fifth supermeme -- Surmounting the supermemes: rational solutions in an irrational world -- Awareness and action: a tactical approach -- Bridging the gap: building better brains -- Invoking insight: conditions conducive to cognition -- On the threshold.