Metacognition. How Neurosciences Help Us Understand Ourselves

Wherever we find ourselves — in an exam or at a doctor's appointment, in a supermarket or behind the wheel — we constantly have to make decisions. Should we trust the provided diagnosis or the advertisement for "healthy" sweets? Are we sure we remember the answer to the question on the ticket? Are we confident that we can make it through on yellow? And in general, how do we know what we know or, just as importantly, what we don’t know? In this book, cognitive neurobiologist Stephen M. Fleming explains in detail and clearly about metacognition — the ability to think about our thoughts. Like a conductor directing musicians, it subtly influences all our actions. By training this skill, we better understand ourselves, other people, and the world around us. Why is it sometimes easier for us to believe a stranger than our childhood memories? What to do when we can't remember a word that's on the tip of our tongue? How does escapism work and why do we forget everything when immersed in the plot of an engaging movie or game? Neurobiologists have found a new answer to the ancient call to "know thyself," and it promises not only philosophical but also practical benefits.